Ashvatara, Aśvatara: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Ashvatara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 term Aśvatara can be transliterated into English as Asvatara or Ashvatara, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Google Books: Cultural History from the Vāyu PurānaAśvatara (अश्वतर) falls under the category of domesticated animals (grāmya-paśu) according to the Vāyu Purāṇa.
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaAśvatara (अश्वतर).—A serpent. A sacred pond built in Prayāga also carries this name. (Śloka 76, Chapter 55, Vana Parva and Śloka 10, Chapter 35, Ādi Parva, Mahābhārata).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Aśvatara (अश्वतर).—A chief Nāga of Pātāla; a thousand hooded snake in the Prajāpatikṣetra in Prayāga on the banks of the Yamunā;1 used in the chariot of Tripurāri;2 presides over the month of Ūrja;3 A Kādraveya Nāga.4 A Nāga of the Sutalam;5 resides in the sun's chariot during Phalguna.6
- 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 24. 31; Matsya-purāṇa 6. 29; 104. 5; 106. 27; 110. 8.
- 2) Matsya-purāṇa 133. 20.
- 3) Bhāgavata-purāṇa XII. 11. 44.
- 4) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 20. 23; 23. 21; III. 7. 33; Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 21. 21.
- 5) Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 23.
- 6) Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 10. 18.
1b) Heard the viṣṇu purāṇa from Vatsa and narrated it to Kambala.*
- * Viṣṇu-purāṇa VI. 8. 46.
1c) A nāga.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 70.
1d) Created by Brahmā from his feet.*
- * Viṣṇu-purāṇa I. 5. 49.
Aśvatara (अश्वतर) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.31.10, I.35, II.9.9, V.103.9) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Aśvatara) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
Aśvatara also refers to the name of a Tīrtha (pilgrim’s destination) mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. III.83.72).
Aśvatara is also mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. V.101.9/V.103) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places.
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (itihasa)Aśvatara is the name of a Serpent (sarpa) mentioned in the thirty-fifth chapter (verses 4-17) of the Ādiparva of the Mahābhārata.—Accordingly, Sauti, on being implored by Śaunaka to name all the serpents in the course of the sarpa-sattra, tells him that it is humanly impossible to give a complete list because of their sheer multiplicity; but would name the prominent ones in accordance with their significance [e.g., Aśvatara].
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.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botanyAśvatara (अश्वतर) is a Sanskrit word referring to the animal “mule”. The meat of this animal is part of the māṃsavarga (‘group of flesh’), which is used throughout Ayurvedic literature. The animal Aśvatara is part of the sub-group named prasaha, refering to animals “who take their food by snatching”. It was classified by Caraka in his Carakasaṃhitā sūtrasthāna (chapter 27), a classical Ayurvedic work. Caraka defined such groups (vargas) based on the dietic properties of the substance.
Source: archive.org: Sushruta samhita, Volume IAśvatara (अश्वतर)—Sanskrit word for the animal “mule”. This animal is from the group called Grāmya (‘domestic animals’). Grāmya itself is a sub-group of the group of animals known as Jāṅghala (living in high ground and in a jungle).
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: archive.org: Naisadhacarita of SriharsaAśvatara (अश्वतर) refers to (1) a “mythical serpent” or (2) a “mule” and is mentioned in the Naiṣadha-carita 10.8.
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Shodhganga: Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (ns)Aśvatara (अश्वतर) is the name of an authority on Nāṭya (ancient Indian art of performance and theater), as mentioned in the Dattilakohalīyam, one of the works ascribed to Kohala—a celebrated authority of the ancient period along with others such as Bharata, Yāṣṭika, Śārdūla, Kāśyapa etc.—There are verses of benediction to earlier authorities on nāṭya whose opinions were summarised in this work. This list in itself seems to be an interpolation from Saṅgītaratnākara. The names include, for example, Aśvatara [...]. Subsequently the mythological account of the origin of nāṭya is described. According to this work, Bharata was handed this tradition by Brahma.
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAśvatara (अश्वतर).—a. Swift, speedy.
-raḥ [tanuḥ aśvaḥ, aśva tanutve ṣṭarac, P.V.3.91]
1) A mule; Av.4.4.8.
2) One of the chiefs of the Nāgas or serpent-race inhabiting the lower regions.
3) A male calf.
4) A class of Gandharvas. cf. अश्वतरः सुरवाजिनोः (aśvataraḥ suravājinoḥ)... ()| Nm.
-rī A mule; व्यजायन्त खरा गोषु करभाऽश्वतरीषु च (vyajāyanta kharā goṣu karabhā'śvatarīṣu ca) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 16.2.9; उदरस्य समुत्थाने स्वगर्भोऽश्वतरीभिव (udarasya samutthāne svagarbho'śvatarībhiva) Rām.; Pañcatantra (Bombay) 2.32; Chāṇ. 19. [cf. Pers. aster.].
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvatara (अश्वतर).—mfn.
(-raḥ-rā-raṃ) Swift, speedy. mf. (-raḥ-rī) A mule. m.
(-raḥ) 1. One of the chiefs of the Nagas or serpent race, inhabiting the regions under the earth. 2. A Gand'harba or celestial quirister. 3. A male calf. E. aśva and tara from tṝ to pass, to go, affix ap; or ṣṭarac diminutive aff.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvatara (अश्वतर).—[aśva + tara]. I. m. 1. A mule, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 91, 53. 2. One of the chiefs of the Nāgas or serpent race, Mahābhārata 1, 1555. Ii. f. tarī. 1. A female mule. 2. Probably the name of a kind of serpent, which, according to a popular opinion, used to die when pregnant with or bringing forth young, [Rāmāyaṇa] 3, 49, 49.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvatara (अश्वतर).—[masculine] ī mule.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aśvatara (अश्वतर):—[=aśva-tara] [from aśva] a See below sub voce
2) [from aśva] b m. ([Pāṇini 5-3, 91]) a mule, [Atharva-veda iv, 4, 8; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] ([Comparative degree] of aśva) a better horse, [Patañjali]
4) [v.s. ...] a male calf, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) [v.s. ...] one of the chiefs of the Nāgas, [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] Name of a Gandharva, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) Aśvatarā (अश्वतरा):—[from aśvatara > aśva] f. a better mare, [Patañjali]
8) Āśvatara (आश्वतर):—[from āśva] m. ([from] aśva-tara), Name of Buḍila or Bulila, [Aitareya-brāhmaṇa]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvatara (अश्वतर):—[aśva-tara] (raḥ) 1. m. A chief of the serpent race; a mule. a. Swift.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusAśvatara (ಅಶ್ವತರ):—
1) [noun] (masc.) same genus (Equus) as the horse and ass, having dark stripes on a white or tawny body; a zebra.
2) [noun] (myth.) a celestial singer in the court of Śiva.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Ashvatararatha, Ashvatarashva, Ashvatarasvi.
Full-text: Ashvatararatha, Ashvi, Accuvataram, Ashvatari, Ashvatarashva, Vasukihrada, Ashvatariratha, Ashvaya, Grihatara, Ukshatara, Prajapativedi, Assatara, Gramyapashu, Kambala, Vatsa, Gardabha, Prasaha, Jimutaketu, Prayaga, Shveta.
Relevant text
Search found 38 books and stories containing Ashvatara, Ashva-tara, Aśva-tara, Asva-tara, Aśvatara, Asvatara, Aśvatarā, Āśvatara; (plurals include: Ashvataras, taras, Aśvataras, Asvataras, Aśvatarās, Āśvataras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
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