Asi, aka: Āsi, Āśī, Ashi, Asī, Āśi; 14 Definition(s)
Introduction
Asi means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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 Āśī and Āśi can be transliterated into English as Asi or Ashi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
1) Asi (असि).—The sword; particularly that of Śiva.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 30. 124; 101. 272.
2a) Āśī (आशी).—An apsaras.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 69. 5.
2b) The daughter of Bhaga and Siddhi.*
- * Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 18. 2.
Asi (असि) refers to the name of a Weapon mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. IX.44.105). Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Asi) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places
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.
Dhanurveda (science of warfare)
Asi (असि) refers to a weapon (“sword”). It is a Sanskrit word defined in the Dhanurveda-saṃhitā, which contains a list of no less than 117 weapons. The Dhanurveda-saṃhitā is said to have been composed by the sage Vasiṣṭha, who in turn transmitted it trough a tradition of sages, which can eventually be traced to Śiva and Brahmā.
Source: Wisdom Library: Dhanurveda
Dhanurveda (धनुर्वेद) refers to the “knowledge of warfare” and, as an upaveda, is associated with the Ṛgveda. It contains instructions on warfare, archery and ancient Indian martial arts, dating back to the 2nd-3rd millennium BCE.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Asi (असि) refers to the “sword”, a weapon which should measure should measure fourty aṅguli (unit of measurement), according to Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 23. In dramatic plays, weapons such as asi should be made by experts using proper measurements and given to persons engaged in a fight, angry conflict or siege. It forms a component of āhāryābhinaya (extraneous representation).
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., 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) and poetic works (kavya).
Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)
Asi (असि).—(I) Uṇādi affix अस् (as); (2) tad. affix अस् (as). See above the word अस् (as).
Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammarVyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Asi (असि) refers to a type of sword and represents one of the items held in the right hand of Heruka: one of the main deities of the Herukamaṇḍala described in the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Heruka is positioned in the Lotus (padma) at the center; He is the origin of all heroes; He has 17 faces (with three eyes on each) and 76 arms [holding, for example, asi]; He is half black and half green in color; He is dancing on a flaming sun placed on Bhairava and Kālarātrī.
Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka Maṇḍala
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Asi (असि, “military”).—Having set up a system of law and order and prevention of crime, king Vṛṣabhanātha made a plan for his subjects to become self-sufficient in the affairs of the karmabhūmi (the mundane world of action). For the welfare of subjects he trained them in asi (art of government / military occupation), masi (writing) and kṛṣi (farming) and a hundred crafts.
He taught asi, masi and kṛṣi to the human society, thus saving them from consuming the inedible / inconsumable, leading a sātvika (pure) life and explained to them that if necessity led them to take up a faulty vocation, in that case, knowing it to be sin, their aim should be to move towards a virtuous life this was indeed samyak-darśana (right view of reality / true spiritual path).
Source: HereNow4u: Lord VṛṣabhanāthaAsi (असि, “defense”) refers to a type of “civilized people who indulge in activities with attachment” (sāvadhyakarma-ārya), which itself is a division of karmārya: one of the classes of āryas without extraordinary powers (ṛddhi). These Ārya (civilized people) represent one of the two classes of human beings, according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 3.46. What is meant by defense (asi) activities? To develop expertise in using swords, bows and other weapons for defense and fighting is called defense (asi) activities.
Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 3: The Lower and middle worlds
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
asi : (m.) sword. || āsi (3rd sing. aor. of as), he was. (aor. of āsati), sat. āsī (f.), blessing; fang of a snake.
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English DictionaryAsi, (Vedic asi, Av. aṃhū Lat. ensis) a sword, a large knife D. I, 77 (= DA. I, 222); M. II, 99; A. I, 48 = (asinā sīsaṃ chindante); IV, 97 (asinā hanti attānaṃ); J. IV, 118 (asi sunisito), 184; V, 45 (here meaning “sickle”), 475 (asiñ ca me maññasi, probably faulty for either “āsiñ ca me” or “āsiñcam me”); Vism. 201 (ñāṇâsi the sword of knowledge); PvA. 253 (asinā pahaṭa).
—camma sword & shield Vin. II, 192; A. III, 93; J. VI, 449.—tharu the hilt of a sword DhA. IV, 66.—nakha having nails like swords Pgdp 29.—patta having sword-like leaves, with swords (knives) for leaves (of the sword-leaf-wood in Niraya, a late feature in the descriptions of Purgatory in Indian speculative Theology, see e.g. Mārk-aṇḍeyapurāṇa XII. 24 sq. ; Mhbhārata XII. 321; Manu IV. 90; XII. 75; Scherman, Visionsliteratur pp. 23 sq.) J. VI, 250 (°niraya); PvA. 221 (°vana); Sdhp. 194.—pāsa having swords for snares (a class of deities) Miln. 191.—māla (-kamma) sword-garland (-torture) J. III, 178 (+sīsaṃ chindāpeti); Dāvs III, 35. Preferable to interpretation “sword-dirt”, see māla (mālā).—lakkhana “swordsign”, i.e. (fortune-telling from) marks or a sword D. I, 9; J. I, 455.—loma having swords for hair S. II, 257, cp. Vin. III, 106.—sūna slaughter-house (so also B. Sk. asisūnā Divy 10, 15; see further detail under “kāma” similes) Vin. II, 26; M. I, 130, 143; A. III, 97.—sūla a swordblade Th. 2, 488 (expld. at ThA. 287 by adhikuṭṭanatthena, i.e. with reference to the executioner’s block, cp. also sattisūla). (Page 88)
— or —
Āsi, & Āsiṃ 3rd & 1st sg. aor. of atthi (q. v.). (Page 115)
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary
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
asi (असि).—m S A sword.
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āśī (आशी).—a S That eats. In comp. as āmṛtāśī, vi- ṣāśī, annāśī, alpāśī, mitāśī, pathyāśī, bahavāśī.
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryasi (असि).—m A sword.
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āśī (आशी).—a That eats (in compounds as amṛtāśī).
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-EnglishMarathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit-English dictionary
Asi (असि).—[asyate kṣipyate; as-in Uṇ.4.139]
1) A sword
2) A knife used for killing animals.
3) [asyati sevanena pāpāni] Name of a river to the south of Benares.
4) Breath (śvāsa).
-si ind. The 2nd pers. sing. of the present of अस् (as) to be, used as an indeclinable in the sense of 'त्वम् (tvam)' thou; as in कृतवानसि विप्रियं न मे (kṛtavānasi vipriyaṃ na me) Ku.4.7 (where however asi may be taken as a verb).
Derivable forms: asiḥ (असिः).
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Asī (असी).—Name of a river (near Banaras); see असि (asi).
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Āśi (आशि).—f. The act of eating food.
Derivable forms: āśiḥ (आशिः).
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Āśi (आशि).—f.
1) (°śīḥ, °śīrbhyām &c.) [आशास्-क्विप्, अत इत्वम् (āśās-kvip, ata itvam)] A blessing, benediction. (It is thus defined:vātsalyādyatra mānyena kaniṣṭhasyābhidhīyate | iṣṭāvadhārakaṃ vākyamāśīḥ sā parikīrtitā.) आशिस् (āśis) is sometimes distinguished from वर (vara), the former being taken to be merely an expression of one's good wishes which may or may not be realised; while a वर (vara) is a boon which is more permanent in character and surer of fulfilment; cf. वरः खल्वेष नाशीः (varaḥ khalveṣa nāśīḥ) Ś.4; आशिषो गुरुजन- वितीर्णा वरतामापद्यन्ते (āśiṣo gurujana- vitīrṇā varatāmāpadyante) K.291; अमोघाः प्रतिगृह्णन्तावर्ध्यानुपदमाशिषः (amoghāḥ pratigṛhṇantāvardhyānupadamāśiṣaḥ) R.1.44,11.6; Ku.5.76,7.47.
2) Act of bestowing a blessing upon others.
3) A prayer, wish, desire; जगच्छरण्यस्य निराशिषः सतः (jagaccharaṇyasya nirāśiṣaḥ sataḥ) Ku.5.76, Bg.4.21,6.1.
4) A serpent's fang (cf. āśī).
5) One of the eight chief medicaments (vṛddhi).
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Āśī (आशी).—[āśīryate'nayā, ā-śṝ-kvip pṛṣo°]
1) A serpent's fang; विषमाशीभिरनारतं धमन्तः (viṣamāśībhiranārataṃ dhamantaḥ) Śi.
2) A kind of venom.
3) A blessing, benediction.
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Āśī (आशी).—2 Ā.
1) To lie or sleep on; कुसुमान्याशेरते षट्पदाः (kusumānyāśerate ṣaṭpadāḥ) V.2.23. v. l.
2) To pass (the night) in sleep.
3) To wish, pray for; सुद्युम्नस्याशयन्पुंस्त्वमुपाधावत शंकरम् (sudyumnasyāśayanpuṃstvamupādhāvata śaṃkaram) Bhāg.9.1.37.
4) To dwell, live, inhabit.
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAsi (असि).—m.
(-siḥ) A sword, a scymitar. E. asa to cast, and in Unadi aff.
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Āśī (आशी).—f.
(-śīḥ) 1. Wishing or bestowing a blessing. 2. A serpent’s fang. 3. A kind of venom, the venom of a snake. E. āṅ before aś to eat, ac and ṅīp affixes: see the preceding.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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.
Relevant definitions
Starts with (+186): Ashigha, Ashija, Ashikala, Ashiksha, Ashikshita, Ashimat, Ashimpashim, Ashin, Ashinjita, Ashir, Ashira, Ashirahsnana, Ashiras, Ashiraska, Ashirna, Ashirshaka, Ashirukti, Ashirvacana, Ashirvachana, Ashirvada.
Ends with (+642): Abbhakkhasi, Abhasi, Abhilashi, Abhisasi, Abhyasi, Accahasi, Adamasi, Adasi, Adhashi, Adhitthasi, Adhivasi, Agashi, Agimashi, Agnirashi, Ahasi, Ainajinasi, Ajamasi, Ajjhabhasi, Ajjhavasi, Akasi.
Full-text (+142): Ashirvacana, Nirashis, Ashirvada, Mahashi, Vagasi, Parnasi, Asivisa, Asimeda, Asidhava, Asilata, Cakshas, Varanasi, Asika, Anehas, Pramurchita, Ashis, Asati, Asyasi, Anyadashis, Bahududhi.
Relevant text
Search found 58 books and stories containing Asi, Āsi, Āśī, Ashi, Asī, Āśi; (plurals include: Asis, Āsis, Āśīs, Ashis, Asīs, Āśis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Manual of Khshnoom (by Phiroz Nasarvanji Tavaria)
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 2.1.164 < [Part 1 - Ecstatic Excitants (vibhāva)]
Verse 3.4.56 < [Part 4 - Parenthood (vātsalya-rasa)]
Verse 3.2.103 < [Part 2 - Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)]
Yoga Vasistha [English], Volume 1-4 (by Vihari-Lala Mitra)
Chapter L - Death of viduratha < [Book III - Utpatti khanda (utpatti khanda)]
Chapter LXXIV - Consummation of suchi’s devotion < [Book III - Utpatti khanda (utpatti khanda)]
Chapter CCVI - The great inquiry, or questions of the buddhist < [Book VII - Nirvana prakarana part 2 (nirvana prakarana)]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.3.76 < [Chapter 3 - Prapancatita: Beyond the Material World]
Verse 2.7.39 < [Chapter 7 - Jagad-ānanda: The Bliss of the Worlds]
Verse 1.2.13 < [Chapter 2 - Divya: In Heaven]
Apadana commentary (Atthakatha) (by U Lu Pe Win)
Commentary on Biography of the thera Subhadda < [Chapter 5 - Upālivagga (section on Upāli)]
Commentary on the Biography of the thera, the donor of Sīhāsana < [Chapter 2 - Sīhāsaniyavagga (lion-throne section)]
Commentary on the biography of the the thera Sāriputta < [Chapter 1 - Buddhavagga (Buddha section)]
The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 6 - Bhāratavarṣa: Its Rivers and Regions < [Section 3 - Svarga-khaṇḍa (section on the heavens)]
Chapter 33 - The Merits of Vārāṇasī < [Section 3 - Svarga-khaṇḍa (section on the heavens)]
Chapter 14 - Chopping-off of Brahmā’s head by Rudra < [Section 1 - Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa (section on creation)]