Hastin: 17 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Buddhism
1. Mahayana
In Jainism
1. General definition
India history
Languages
1. Sanskrit
See also

Introduction:

Hastin means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India. 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.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Google Books: Cultural History from the Vāyu Purāna

Hastin (हस्तिन्) falls under the category of wild beasts (āraṇya-paśu) according to the Vāyu Purāṇa.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Hastin (हस्तिन्).—A son of Bṛhadkṣatra, (Suhotra, Vāyu-purāṇa). After him came Hastināpura.¹ Father of Ajāmīḍha and two other sons.²

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 21. 20-21; Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 165; Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 19. 28; Matsya-purāṇa 49. 42.
2) Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 19. 29.

1b) A son of Vasiṣṭha and a Prajāpati of the Svārociṣa epoch.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 9. 9.

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.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: archive.org: Natya Shastra

Hastin (हस्तिन्).—Description of a women of elephant (hastin) type;—A woman who has a large chin and forehead, is fleshy and bulky, has tawny eyes, hairy body, is fond of sweet scent, garlands and wine, has an irascible temper, steady energy, loves water, garden, forests, sweet things and sexual intercourse, is said to have the nature of an elephant (hastin).

context information

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).

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)

Hastin (हस्तिन्) [=Hastinī?] or Hastinikṣīra refers to “milk coming from the elephant”, as mentioned in verse 5.27-28 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Accordingly, “[...] among the (different kinds of milk [viz., payas]), [...] (the milk) of a cow-elephant [viz., hastin] (is) strongly generative of firmness”.

Note: hastinyāḥ—“of a cow-elephant [hastin]”, to which kṣīra “milk” must be supplied from the context, has been made the agent in Tibetan (lit. “by a cow-elephant one is made very firm”), ban-glaṅ-mo-yis being of course a metonymy for ban-glaṅ-moi o-mas.

context information

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)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Hastin (हस्तिन्) refers to “elephants”, 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, “We shall now proceed to give a brief description of (the qualifications of) a jyotiṣaka. [...] In Yātrā, he must know the fitness or unfitness of a tithi (lunar day), vāra (week day), karaṇa, nakṣatra, muhūrta, and lagna (a sign of zodiac) and yoga for particular purposes. He must be able to interpret natural gestures and dreams; he must be able to state when a prince ought to start for battle to secure success in war; he must be learned in rules relating to ablutions and sacred fire ceremonies in honour of the planets and offerings to evil spirits; he must be able to interpret phenomena connected with such sacred fires and with elephants and horses [i.e., hastin-aśva-iṅgita] while mounting the same”.

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.

Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)

Source: archive.org: Hindu Mathematics

Hastin (हस्तिन्) represents the number 8 (eight) in the “word-numeral system” (bhūtasaṃkhyā), which was used in Sanskrit texts dealing with astronomy, mathematics, metrics, as well as in the dates of inscriptions and manuscripts in ancient Indian literature.—A system of expressing numbers by means of words arranged as in the place-value notation was developed and perfected in India in the early centuries of the Christian era. In this system the numerals [e.g., 8—hastin] are expressed by names of things, beings or concepts, which, naturally or in accordance with the teaching of the Śāstras, connote numbers.

context information

Ganitashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, gaṇitaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Hastin (हस्तिन्) refers to “elephants” and is mentioned among the “material benefits” granted by the Bodhisattva, according to the Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter XLVI.—Accordingly, “vehicles (yāna), i.e., elephants (hastin), horses (aśva), chariots (ratha), carriages (śakaṭa), etc.”

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Hastin (हस्तिन्) is the son of Kuru and grandson of Ṛṣabhanātha, according to chapter 6.4 [subhūma-cakravartin-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (“lives of the 63 illustrious persons”): a Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three important persons in Jainism.

Accordingly:—“Now, Ṛṣabhanātha had a son Kuru, after whom Kurudeśa was named. He had a son Hastin, after whom Hāstinapura was named, the native land of Tīrthakṛts and cakrins. Anantavīrya, belonging to this line, was king there, long-armed. [...]”.

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.

India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Hastin.—(IE 7-1-2), ‘eight’. Note: hastin 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 mythology, zoology, 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

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Hastin (हस्तिन्).—a. (-nī f.) [हस्तः शुण्डादण्डोऽस्त्यस्य इनि (hastaḥ śuṇḍādaṇḍo'styasya ini)]

1) Having hands.

2) Having a trunk. -m. An elephant; Manusmṛti 7. 96;12.43; (elephants are said to be of four kinds; bhadra, mandra, mṛga and miśra).

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

Hastin (हस्तिन्).—m. (-stī) An elephant, (four kinds of elephants are enumerated, viz:—bhadra, manda, mṛga and miśra.) f. (-nī) 1. A female elephant. 2. A female; one of the four kinds into which they are classed, and described as of low stature, curpulent habits, curly hair, dark complexion, libidinous appetite, thick lips, thick hips, thick fingers, large breasts and furious passions. 3. A drug and perfume; also haṭṭavilāsinī. f. (-nī) Adj. 1. Having hands. 2. Having a trunk. E. hasta a trunk, and ini aff.

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

Hastin (हस्तिन्).—i.e. hasta + in, I. m. An elephant, [Hitopadeśa] i. [distich] 17, M.M. Ii. f. nī. 1. A female elephant. 2. A class of women. 3. A drug and perfume.

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

Hastin (हस्तिन्).—[adjective] = hastavant; [masculine] (±mṛga) elephant ([feminine] nī), [Name] of an ancient king.

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

1) Hastin (हस्तिन्):—[from hasta] mfn. having hands, clever or dexterous with the h°, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda]

2) [v.s. ...] (with mṛga, ‘the animal with a h° id est. with a trunk’, an elephant; cf. dantah), [ib.]

3) [v.s. ...] having (or sitting on) an el°, [Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa]

4) [v.s. ...] m. an elephant (four kinds of el° are enumerated; See bhadra, mandra, mṛga, miśtra; some give kiliñja-h, ‘a straw el°’, ‘effigy of an el° made of grass’), [Atharva-veda] etc. etc.

5) [v.s. ...] (ifc.) the chief or best of its kind [gana] vyāghrādi

6) [v.s. ...] a kind of plant (= aja-modā), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

7) [v.s. ...] Name of a son of Dhṛta-rāṣṭra, [Mahābhārata]

8) [v.s. ...] of a son of Suhotra, (a prince of the Lunar race, described as founder of Hastinā-pura), [ib.; Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

9) [v.s. ...] of a son of Bṛhat-kṣatra, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

10) [v.s. ...] of a son of Kuru, [Śatruṃjaya-māhātmya]

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

Hastin (हस्तिन्):—(stī) 5. m. An elephant. f. (nī) Idem; kind of woman; a drug and perfume.

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

Hastin (हस्तिन्) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Hatthi.

[Sanskrit to German]

Hastin 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.

Relevant text

Search found 13 books and stories containing Hastin; (plurals include: Hastins). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter XII(a) - The Jātaka of the female elephant (hastin or hastinī) (prose) < [Volume III]

Chapter XII(b) - The Jātaka of the female elephant (hastin or hastinī) (metrical) < [Volume III]

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Part 14: Draupadī and the Pāṇḍavas < [Chapter VI - Marriage of Kṛṣṇa with Rukmiṇī and others]

Part 3: Story of Jamadagni and Paraśurāma < [Chapter IV - Subhūmacakravartīcaritra]

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Chapter XIX - Dynasty of Puru < [Book IV]

Contents < [Preface]

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Chapter 4.10 - The Elephant in the Epics

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Chapter XX - (2nd series): Setting out on the Mahāyāna