Ceshta, Ceṣṭā, Ceṣṭa, Cheshtaa: 23 definitions
Introduction:
Ceshta means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit terms Ceṣṭā and Ceṣṭa can be transliterated into English as Cesta or Ceshta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Ceshta.
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Strictly speaking, bhāva is mood or feeling unexpressed, hāva is the emotion which finds expression, ceṣṭā the gesture that expresses it.
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).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा).—A Brahmarākṣasī.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 7. 99.
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)
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Ceṣṭa (चेष्ट) (also Ceṣṭita) refers to “symptoms” (of a snake-bite), as taught in the Ceṣṭita (“symptoms of snake-bites”) section of the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Agadatantra or Sarpavidyā).—The ten symptoms of a bite (daṃśa-ceṣṭa) ordained by time/death that could be fatal mentioned by Kaśyapa are—horripilation, thirst/burning sensation, profuse sweat, phlegm, inflammation/irritation of all the organs of the body, debility/lack of control of all the organs, salivation, incoherent blabbering, lack of memory and finally death.
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Ceṣṭa (चेष्ट) refers to the “mobility” (of elephants), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 5, “on marks of the stages of life”]: “17. With little (bodily) fire and gall, and much wind; having stiff limbs, and rough skin; his limbs not very mobile (alpa-aṅga-ceṣṭa), with abundant phlegm and faded color, now he has reached the seventh stage”.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
1) Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा):—Physical or mental efforts
2) Motion, action, function
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) [=Ceṭā?] refers to the “motions, conjunctions and the like” (of the planets), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 2), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “And in horoscopy, the Jyotiṣaka must know such divisions of space as rāśi (a sign of Zodiac or a space of 30°), horā (15° or half a sign), drekkana (10° or one third of a sign), navāṃśaka (3° 20' or one-ninth of a sign), dvādaśāṃśaka (2° 30' or one twelfth of a sign), triṃśāṃśaka (one-thirtieth of a sign), and their strength or weakness considered horoscopically; he must know the horoscopic strength of the planets with respect to their Dik (direction), Sthāna (place), Kāla, (time) Ceṭā (motions, conjunctions and the like)”.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) refers to “behaviour”, according to the Vārāṇasīmāhātmya verse 1.116-125.—Accordingly, “Engaged in the path of the observance of the skull, the Lord wanders, free from attachment, displaying the Lokamārga and the supreme Lokātīta. And the lokas are designated ‘bound souls’, including gods, demons and men. No one realizes the supreme certainty with respect to knowledge of the self. And except for Śarva, the supreme god, there is no such behaviour (ceṣṭa) of another [God]. No other god has certainty of knowledge. There is no such behaviour (ceṣṭā) anywhere in the world with all its Gods. [...]”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) refers to “acting (as one desires)”, according to the Kularatnoddyota verse 2.21-27.—Accordingly, “[...] O Bhairavī, once the lord had made the three vessels in this sequence, he worshipped the Wheel by acting (freely) as he desired (yatheṣṭa-ceṣṭā). Seeing the Lord of the Wheel within the Wheel intent on worship, the Supreme goddess, her mind full of humility, asked (him): ‘O god and lord, what is worshipped in the great union that arouses great wonder with (all this) great heap of sacrificial substances and the divine wheels that generate great bliss? Śrīnātha, if you do (indeed) bestow boons tell (me this) by (your) grace’”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Sports, Arts and Entertainment (wordly enjoyments)
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) refers to the “behaviour” (of Hawks), according to the Śyainika-śāstra: a Sanskrit treatise dealing with the divisions and benefits of Hunting and Hawking, written by Rājā Rudradeva (or Candradeva) in possibly the 13th century.—Accordingly, [while discussing the yellow-eyed division of hawks]: “The Sicānās are of various kinds, both in make and behaviour (ceṣṭā). As they are found in various countries, their characteristics vary with their native country”.
This section covers the skills and profiencies of the Kalas (“performing arts”) and Shastras (“sciences”) involving ancient Indian traditions of sports, games, arts, entertainment, love-making and other means of wordly enjoyments. Traditionally these topics were dealt with in Sanskrit treatises explaing the philosophy and the justification of enjoying the pleasures of the senses.
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) refers to the “behaviour (of the world)”, according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Aṣṭavakra says to Janaka]: “Knowing when the dualism of things done and undone has been put to rest, or the person for whom they occur has, then you can here and now go beyond renunciation and obligations by indifference to such things. Rare indeed, my son, is the lucky man whose observation of the world’s behaviour (loka-ceṣṭā) [kasyāpi tāta dhanyasya lokaceṣṭāvalokanāt] has led to the extinction of his thirst for living, thirst for pleasure and thirst for knowledge. [...]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
cēṣṭā (चेष्टा).—f (S) Acting, moving, stirring, performing functions or actions: also the stirring and moving of a living creature. 2 Mischievous tricks; wild capers; irritating speech; worrying or teasing acts gen. 3 The stirring about of a demon (in the subject of possession).
cēṣṭā (चेष्टा).—f Mischievous tricks. The stirring about of a demon. Moving.
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
Ceṣṭa (चेष्ट).—
1) Moving the limbs, gesture;
2) Acting.
Derivable forms: ceṣṭam (चेष्टम्).
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Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा).—[ceṣṭ-aṅ]
1) Motion, movement; संरुद्धचेष्टस्य (saṃruddhaceṣṭasya) R. 2.43; किमस्माकं स्वामिचेष्टानिरूपणेन (kimasmākaṃ svāmiceṣṭānirūpaṇena) H.3; Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 5.7.
2) Gesture, action; चेष्टया भाषणेन च नेत्रवक्त्रविकारैश्च लक्ष्यतेऽ न्तर्गतं मनः (ceṣṭayā bhāṣaṇena ca netravaktravikāraiśca lakṣyate' ntargataṃ manaḥ) Manusmṛti 8.26.
3) Effort, exertion.
4) Behaviour Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.15.
5) Action, deed, performing.
-nāśaḥ destruction of the world.
-nirūpaṇam observing a person's movements.
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा).—f.
(-ṣṭā) Effort, exertion, bodily effort. E. ceṣṭ to act, aṅ and ṭāp affs.
Ceṣṭa (चेष्ट).—[ceṣṭ + a], I. n. and f. ṭā. 1. Motion, [Kathāsaritsāgara, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 23, 84. 2. Gesture, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 7, 63; 8, 26. 3. Action, [Harivaṃśa, (ed. Calc.)] 5939; [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 4, 63. Ii. f. ṭā, Acting, activity, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 1, 65. Comp. Karmaceṣṭā, i. e. karman-, f. 1. acting, business, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 1, 66. 2. action, [Nala] 23, 18 (16, read karmaceṣṭābhiº). 3. exertion, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 64, 11. Niśceṣṭa, i. e. nis-, adj. deprived of motion, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 45, 31. Sa-, I. adj. making effort, active. Ii. m. the mango, Mangifera indica.
Ceṣṭa (चेष्ट).—[neuter] motion, gesture, effort, activity; conduct, behaviour.
1) Ceṣṭa (चेष्ट):—[from ceṣṭ] m. ‘moving’, a kind of fish (tapasvin), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) [v.s. ...] n. moving the limbs, gesture, [Manu-smṛti vii, 63]
3) [v.s. ...] behaviour, manner of life, [Harivaṃśa 5939]
4) Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा):—[from ceṣṭa > ceṣṭ] a f. ([Pāṇini 2-3, 12]) moving any limb, gesture, [Manu-smṛti vii f.; Yājñavalkya; Mahābhārata] etc. (ifc. [Raghuvaṃśa ii, 43])
5) [v.s. ...] action, activity, effort, endeavour, exertion, [Āśvalāyana-śrauta-sūtra i; Śvetāśvatara-upaniṣad ii, 9] (ifc.), [Manu-smṛti iv, 65; Bhagavad-gītā] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] doing, performing, [Manu-smṛti i, 65]
7) [v.s. ...] behaving, manner of life, [Manu-smṛti vii, 194; Kapila’s Sāṃkhya-pravacana iii, 51; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] (ifc.) etc.
8) [v.s. ...] cf. a-, naṣṭa-, niś-.
9) [from ceṣṭ] b f. See ṭa.
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा):—(ṣṭā) 1. f. Effort; search.
[Sanskrit to German]
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ceṭṭhā.
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
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) [Also spelled cheshta]:—(nf) effort, endeavour; movement; demeanour; gesture.
...
Nepali dictionary
Ceṣṭā (चेष्टा) [cheshtaa]:—n. 1. action or movement of the body; gesture; 2. attempt; effort; endeavor; 3. wish; desire; 4. manners; behaviors;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+7): Ceshtabhanga, Ceshtai, Ceshtaikalli, Ceshtaka, Ceshtakhora, Ceshtakrita, Ceshtalu, Ceshtamana, Ceshtana, Ceshtanasha, Ceshtanem, Ceshtanirupana, Ceshtanurupa, Ceshtapaharatva, Ceshtaprithaktvanivartin, Ceshtar, Ceshtarha, Ceshtavahasrotamsi, Ceshtavani, Ceshtavanicem Bhuta.
Full-text (+89): Nishceshta, Saceshta, Viceshta, Nashtaceshta, Aceshta, Karmaceshta, Ceshtanasha, Prashantaceshta, Kuceshta, Dushceshta, Anurupaceshta, Shringaraceshta, Ceshtanirupana, Yuktaceshta, Vrittaceshta, Abhiceshta, Nikceshtam, Ceshtamana, Bhagnaceshta, Samruddhaceshta.
Relevant text
Search found 81 books and stories containing Ceshta, Ceṣṭā, Ceṣṭa, Cēṣṭā, Cheshta, Cheshtaa, Cheṣṭā, Chesta, Cheṣṭa; (plurals include: Ceshtas, Ceṣṭās, Ceṣṭas, Cēṣṭās, Cheshtas, Cheshtaas, Cheṣṭās, Chestas, Cheṣṭas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Critical analysis of nidana and samprapthi of amavata with special ref-erence to autoimmunity < [2021, Issue 9, September]
Importance of agni in restoration of yuktikruta bala < [2016, Issue IV April]
Attention deficit hyper activity disorder (adhd) - an ayurvedic perspective with special reference to unmada < [2019, Issue 7, July]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verses 2.2.36-37 < [Chapter 2 - Description of Girirāja Govardhana’s Birth]
Verses 6.2.43-45 < [Chapter 2 - Residence in Śrī Dvārakā]
Verse 8.13.71 < [Chapter 13 - A Thousand Names of Lord Balarāma]
Bhagavad-gita (with Vaishnava commentaries) (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 18.14 < [Chapter 18 - Mokṣa-yoga (the Yoga of Liberation)]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.3.133 < [Chapter 3 - Bhajana (loving service)]
Verse 2.1.160 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]
Verse 2.4.177 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
Mahāyāna auxiliaries (G): The eight members of the path < [Part 3 - The auxiliaries according to the Mahāyāna]
The concept of Sharira as Prameya (by Elizabeth T. Jones)
Defenition of Body (Śarīra) < [Chapter 5]
Classification of Śarīra < [Chapter 5]