Asha, aka: Āsā, Āsa, Asa, Asā, Āśā, Aśa, Āśa; 10 Definition(s)

Introduction

Asha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit terms Āśā and Aśa and Āśa can be transliterated into English as Asa or Asha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Āśā (आशा, “hope”) refers to one of the fifty-six vināyakas located at Kāśī (Vārāṇasī), and forms part of a sacred pilgrimage (yātrā), described in the Kāśīkhaṇḍa (Skanda-purāṇa 4.2.57). He is also known as Āśāvināyaka, Āśāgaṇeśa and Āśāvighneśa. These fifty-six vināyakas are positioned at the eight cardinal points in seven concentric circles (8x7). They center around a deity named Ḍhuṇḍhirāja (or Ḍhuṇḍhi-vināyaka) positioned near the Viśvanātha temple, which lies at the heart of Kāśī, near the Gaṅges. This arrangement symbolises the interconnecting relationship of the macrocosmos, the mesocosmos and the microcosmos.

Āśā is positioned in the Southern corner of the sixth circle of the kāśī-maṇḍala. According to Rana Singh (source), his shrine is located at “Mir Ghat, Hanuman Mandir, D 3 / 79”. Worshippers of Āśā will benefit from his quality, which is defined as “the fulfiller of hopes and aspirations”. His coordinates are: Lat. 25.18575, Lon. 83.00786 (or, 25°11'08.7"N, 83°00'28.3"E) (Google maps)

Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is a holy city in India and represents the personified form of the universe deluded by the Māyā of Viṣṇu. It is described as a fascinating city which is beyond the range of vision of Giriśa (Śiva) having both the power to destroy great delusion, as well as creating it.

Āśā, and the other vināyakas, are described in the Skandapurāṇa (the largest of the eighteen mahāpurāṇas). This book narrates the details and legends surrounding numerous holy pilgrimages (tīrtha-māhātmya) throughout India. It is composed of over 81,000 metrical verses with the core text dating from the before the 4th-century CE.

context information

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Asa (अस).—Affix अस (asa) mentioned in the Nirukta in the word अवस (avasa) (अव् (av) + अस (asa)) cf. असो नामकरणः । तस्मान्नावगृह्णन्ति (aso nāmakaraṇaḥ | tasmānnāvagṛhṇanti) NirI.17.

In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Daughter of Sakka.

India history and geogprahy

Āśā.—(IE 7-1-2), ‘ten’. Note: āśā is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

āsā : (f.) wish; desire; hope; longing.

Asā, see āsa. (Page 88)

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Asa, (adj.) (for asaṃ = asanto, a + santo, ppr. of as in meaning “good＂) bad J. IV, 435 = VI, 235 (sataṃ vā asaṃ, Acc. sg. with v. l. santaṃ ... , expl^d- by sappurisaṃ vā asappurisaṃ vā C.); V, 448 (n. pl. f. asā expl^d. by asatiyo lāmikā C. ; cp. p. 446 V. 319). (Page 86)

— or —

1) Āsa, ⁴ archaic 3^rd sg. perf. of atthi to be, only in cpd. itihāsa = iti ha āsa “thus it has been＂. (Page 113)

2) Āsa, ³ the adj. form of āsā (f.), wish, hope. See under āsā. (Page 113)

3) Āsa, ³ (Sk. āśa) food, only in cpd. pātarāsa morning food, breakfast Sn. 387 (pāto asitabbo ti pātar-āso piṇḍapātass’etaṃ nāmaṃ SnA 374); DhA. IV, 211; see further ref. under pātar; and pacchā-āsa aftermath S. I, 74. Can we compare BSk. āsa-pātrī (vessel) Divy 246？ Der. fr. āsa is āsaka with abstr. ending āsakattaṃ “cating＂, food, in nānā° various food or na + anāsak°) Sn. 249. See also nirāsa, which may be taken either as nir + *āśa or nir + *āsā. (Page 113)

4) Āsa, ¹ contr. -form of aṃsa in cpd. koṭṭhāsa part. , portion etc. : see aṃsa¹. Can we compare BSk. āsapātrī (see next). (Page 113)

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Āsā, (f.) (cp. Sk. āśaḥ f. ) expectation, hope, wish, longing, desire; adj. āsa (-°) longing for, anticipating, desirous of Vin. I, 255 (°avacchedika hope-destroying), 259; D. II, 206; III, 88; M. III, 138 (āsaṃ karoti); A. I, 86 (dve āsā), 107 (vigat-āso one whose longings have gone); Sn. 474, 634, 794, 864; J. I, 267, 285; V, 401; VI, 452 (°chinna = chinnāsa C.); Nd¹ 99, 261, 213 sq; Vv 37¹³ (perhaps better to be read with v. l. SS ahaṃ, cp. VvA. 172); Pug. 27 (vigat° = arahattāsāya vigatattā vigatāso Pug. A 208); Dhs. 1059 (+ āsiṃsanā etc.), 1136; PvA. 22 (chinn° disappointed), 29 (°âbhibhūta), 105; Dāvs. V, 13; Sdhp. 78, 111, 498, 609. (Page 115)

context information

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

Marathi-English dictionary

asā (असा).—a (hā This.) Such; of this kind. 2 ad decl So, thus, in this manner. 3 It often occurs finally with the elision of अ. Ex. gōra garibāṃsa anna dyāvēṃsēṃ vāṭatēṃ parantu anukūḷa nāhīṃ; tō jātō āhē tō rāmacandrapantasā vāṭatō.

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āśā (आशा).—f (S) Hope; expectation with desire. Pr. āśā amara āhē Hope is immortal. 2 Desire; longing after. Ex. pērū pāhilē tēvhāṃ mājhī āśā tyāñjavara gēlī. 3 Fondness for; attachment to. This is a lax use. Ex. ātāṃ hyā phāṭakyā aṅgarakhyā- cī āśā kaśāsa dharatōsa ēkhādyāsa dēūna ṭāka. āśēcī nirāśā hōṇēṃ g. of s. To be disappointed.

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āsa (आस) [or आंस, āṃsa].—m (akṣa S) An axle.

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āsa (आस).—f (āśā S) Hope. v dhara, ghē, lāga. Pr. śrvāsa tōṃ āsa Dum spiro spero. Pr. āsa kā bā nirāsa kī mā In prosperity a father, in adversity a mother. 2 At top-playing. The hitting of a top within the ring: also the hit state.

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āsā (आसा) [or आसाणा, āsāṇā].—m (See asaṇā) A wild tree.

asā (असा).—a Such. ad Thus. asātasā a So so, ordinary, insignificant. ad Some way or other.

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āśā (आशा).—f Hope; desire. Fondness for.

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āsa (आस).—f Hope.

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āsa (आस).—m An axle.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Āśa (आश).—a. One who eats, eater (mostly as the last member of comp.); e. g. हुताश, आश्रयाश (hutāśa, āśrayāśa) &c. &c.

-śaḥ [aś-ghañ] Eating (as in prātarāśa); पिशिताशदोषः (piśitāśadoṣaḥ) Rām.5.5.8.

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Āśā (आशा).—[āsamantāt aśnute ā-aś-ac]

1) (a) Hope, expectation, prospect; तामाशां च सुरद्विषाम् (tāmāśāṃ ca suradviṣām) R.12.96; आशा हि परमं दुःखं नैराश्यं परमं सुखम् (āśā hi paramaṃ duḥkhaṃ nairāśyaṃ paramaṃ sukham) Subhāṣ.; त्वमाशे मोघाशे (tvamāśe moghāśe) Bh.3.6; so °भग्न, °निराश (bhagna, °nirāśa) &c. (b) Wish, desire (in Bh.3-45 āśā is compared to a river).

2) False hope or expectation.

3) Space, region, quarter of the compass, direction; अगस्त्याचरितामाशामनाशास्यजयो ययौ (agastyācaritāmāśāmanāśāsyajayo yayau) R.4.44; Ki.7.9; Mark also the pun on the word आशा (āśā) (a direction, a desire) in आशापूरैककर्मप्रवणनिजकरप्राणिताशेषविश्वः (āśāpūraikakarmapravaṇanijakaraprāṇitāśeṣaviśvaḥ) (sūryaḥ) Nāg.3.18.

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Āsa (आस).—[ās-ghañ]

1) A seat.

2) A bow (-sam also); स सासिः सासुसूः सासः (sa sāsiḥ sāsusūḥ sāsaḥ) Ki.15.5.

3) Ashes.

-sam 1 Seat or lower part of the body.

2) Proximity.

Derivable forms: āsaḥ (आसः).

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Āsā (आसा) or Āsa (आस).—(Instr. and abl. of ās) Before one's eyes, by word of mouth, personally; in close vicinity.

Derivable forms: , āsaḥ (आसः).

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Āsā (आसा).—Ved. Proximity, nearness; आसया (āsayā) near, in the presence of.

Āśa (आश).—= aṃśa, see maitrāsa-tā.

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Āśā (आशा).—(1) n. of one of four daughters of Indra: Mv ii.58.22 ff.; all four are among eight devakumārikā in the northern quarter, Mv iii.309.9 = LV 391.4; (2) n. of a [Page109-b+ 71] female lay-disciple (upāsikā): Gv 99.12 ff. In meaning 1 cer- tainly a personification of āśā hope: the other three are Śraddhā, Śrī, and Hrī, qq.v.

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Āsa (आस).—m. (only known in Vedic cpd. sv-āsa-stha), seat: Gv 474.18 (verse) śūrāṇa teṣam ayam āsu (n. sg.) sudur- jayānām, this is the seat of those heroes… Meter does not permit emendation to āvāsa, which is used in parallel lines 2, 10, etc.; other parallels vihāra; all three are virtual synonyms. Prakritic contraction of āvāsa to āsa is im- probable. For āsa = aṃśa see maitrāsa-tā.

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