Asthira: 16 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Asthira means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi. 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Asthir.

In Hinduism

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śilpa-śāstra

Asthira (अस्थिर) is a Sanskrit name referring to one of the eight manifestations of Bhīṣaṇa, who is a form of Bhairava. According to the Rudrayāmala, there are eight main forms of Bhairava who control the eight directions of this universe. Each form (e.g., Bhīṣaṇa) has a further eight sub-manifestations (e.g., Asthira), thus resulting in a total of 64 Bhairavas.

When depicting Asthira according to traditional iconographic rules (śilpaśāstra), one should depcit him (and other forms of Bhīṣaṇa) having a yellow color and should carry in his hands the kuṇḍa, the kheṭaka, the parigha (a kind of club) and bhiṇḍipāla. The word Śilpaśāstra refers to an ancient Hindu science of arts and crafts, dealing with subjects such as painting, sculpture and iconography.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Asthira (अस्थिर) refers to “weakness”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 15) (“On the nakṣatras—‘asterisms’”), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “Those who are born on the lunar day of Svātī will delight in keeping birds, deer, horses; will be grain merchants; dealers in beans; of weak friendship (asthira-sauhṛda); weak, of abstemious habits and skilled tradesmen. Those who are born on the lunar day of Viśākhā will grow trees yielding red flowers and red fruits; be dealers in gingelly seeds, beans, cotton, black gram and chick peas and worshippers of Indra and Agni. [...]”.

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch

Asthira (अस्थिर) refers to the “unsteady (mind)”, according to the 310Bhagavadgītā verse 6.25cd-26.—Accordingly: “Having fixed the mind on the self, [the Yogin] should think of nothing whatsoever. Wherever the fickle and unsteady (asthira) mind moves, there, having restrained it, he should direct it [back] to the self”.

context information

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 8: Bondage of karmas

Asthira (अस्थिर, “weakness”) refers to one of the various kinds of Nāma, or “physique-making (karmas)”, which represents one of the eight types of Prakṛti-bandha (species bondage): one of the four kinds of bondage (bandha) according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra chapter 8. What is meant by weakness (asthira) body-making karma? The rise of which causes weakness (such as major and minor limbs not knit together in a frame) is called weakness body-making karma.

The opposite-pair of asthira (weakness) is sthira (firmness).

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Asthira (अस्थिर) refers to “immovable (bodies)”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Embodied souls, living in immovable and movable bodies [com.—in immovable and movable bodies (sthirāsthiradeheṣu)], are born [and] die constrained by the chains of their own actions. In this world sometimes corporeal [souls] filled with a mass of virtue appear in heaven because of the development of life and name karmas connected with the celestial state of existence”.

Synonyms: Itara.

context information

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

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

asthira (अस्थिर).—a (S) Unsettled, unfixed, unsteady.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

asthira (अस्थिर).—a Unstable, unsettled.

context information

Marathi 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 dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Asthira (अस्थिर).—a.

1) Not stable or firm, unsteady, fickle. मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् (manaścañcalamasthiram) Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 6.26

2) Uncertain, unascertained, doubtful; जानीयादस्थिरां वाचम् (jānīyādasthirāṃ vācam) Manusmṛti 8.71.

3) Unworthy of confidence; Rām.2.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Asthira (अस्थिर).—mfn.

(-raḥ-rā-raṃ) 1. Trembling, shaken, unsteady. 2. Uncertain, unascertained. 3. Unworthy of confidence. E. a neg. and sthira firm.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Asthira (अस्थिर).—[adjective] not firm, unsteady, inconstant, dubious, uncertain. Abstr. tva† [neuter]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Asthira (अस्थिर):—[=a-sthira] mfn. unsteady, trembling, shaking, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] not permanent, transient, [Rāmāyaṇa]

3) [v.s. ...] uncertain, unascertained, doubtful, [Manu-smṛti viii, 71; Mahābhārata ii, 1965]

4) [v.s. ...] not steady (in character), changeable, not deserving confidence, [Rāmāyaṇa ii, 21, 19; Pañcatantra]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Asthira (अस्थिर):—[a-sthira] (raḥ-rā-raṃ) a. Trembling; uncertain; not to be trusted.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Asthira (अस्थिर) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Athira.

[Sanskrit to German]

Asthira in German

context information

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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Asthira (अस्थिर) [Also spelled asthir]:—(a) unstable, unsteady; variable; vacillating; fickle, wavering; ~[tā] inconstancy; unstability; unsteadiness; vacillation; also [asthairya] (nm).

context information

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Asthira (ಅಸ್ಥಿರ):—

1) [adjective] infirm a) (in standing or being established) not firm; unstable; wavering; insecure; b) not firm in mind or purpose; not resolute; vacillating.

2) [adjective] lasting only for a time; transitory; temporary, not eternal.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 7 books and stories containing Asthira, A-sthira; (plurals include: Asthiras, sthiras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 6.26 < [Chapter 6 - Dhyāna-yoga (Yoga through the Path of Meditation)]

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Tattva 4: Pāpa (sin) < [Appendix 1.4: The nine tattvas]

Appendix 1.2: types of karma < [Appendices]

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Verse 2.25.68 < [Chapter 25 - The Discourse on Spiritual Knowledge by Śrīvāsa’s Dead Son]

Verse 1.17.120 < [Chapter 17 - The Lord’s Travel to Gayā]

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Verse 8.11 - The subdivisions of physique-making or name-karma (nāma) < [Chapter 8 - Bondage of Karmas]

Verse 8.26 - The types of karmas that constitute demerit (pāpa) < [Chapter 8 - Bondage of Karmas]

Verse 10.2 - The annihilation of all karmas is liberation (mokṣa) < [Chapter 10 - Liberation]

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