Mahashanti, Mahāśānti: 10 definitions
Introduction:
Mahashanti means something in Buddhism, Pali, 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 Mahāśānti can be transliterated into English as Mahasanti or Mahashanti, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramMahāśānti (महाशान्ति) refers to “great peace”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “If a conflagration without a fire (that starts it) begins suddenly in a village, the offering of beef into the Triangle with clarified butter a million times (brings about) great peace [i.e., mahāśānti] and that prevails over the whole earth”.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra TantraMahāśanti (महाशन्ति) refers to “great peace”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 10.39-45]—“[...] He worships with a mixture of white sandalwood, dust-colored powdered camphor, seeds, grain, and sesame, [mixed together] with white sugar [that has been] combined with ghee and milk. All meditation done with effort and volition is the highest, etc. [and] causes one to thrive, etc. If, while [performing the agreed mediation], worshiping with Mṛtyujit [in mind, the king] obtains great peace [mahāśanti] instantly”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationMahāśānti (महाशान्ति) refers to “great peace”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.55 (“Śiva returns to Kailāsa”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “O dear, I have thus narrated the auspicious story of the marriage of Śiva, that dispels sorrow, generates delight and increases wealth and longevity. [...] It is conducive to glory and the attainment of heaven. It bestows longevity, sons and grandsons, all cherished desires, worldly pleasures and salvation too. It wards off premature death. It is auspicious and it causes peace (mahāśānti-kara). It makes bad dreams subside. It is an instrument for the acquisition of keen intellect. [...]”.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: Wisdom Library: PāñcarātraMahāśānti (महाशान्ति) [=mahāśāntividhānam] is the name of chapter forty-seven of the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā: an ancient Pāñcarātra Āgama scripture dealing with the symbology of the Sudarśana weapon while also dealing with iconography, philosophy and Vaiṣṇava rituals.
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on AgricultureMahāśānti (महाशान्ति) refers to “great peace”, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [As the Bhagavān teaches a pacification ritual]: “A pacification rite should be performed at four places in the field. One should offer barley, sesame, mustard seed and rice grain anointed with ghee; there will be great peace (mahāśānti). Furthermore, even animals are unable to cause harm. This dhāraṇī should be written down according to the complete offering manual. [...]”.
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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: Rangjung Yeshe Wiki: Dharma DictionaryMahāśānti (महाशान्ति) or Mahāśāntitārā (in Tibetan: zhi ba chen po'i sgrol ma) refers to the “Tārā of great peace” and represents one of the twenty-one emanations of Tārā according to the Kashmiri Mahasiddha Suryagupta Tradition.—Suryagupta or Ravigupta (Tibetan: nyi ma be pa) was a layperson from Kashmir that was cured of leprosy by a miraculous statue of the goddess Tara. Suryagupta is famous for having many visions of Tara and originating many lineages of her practice such as the Twenty-one forms of Tara [e.g., Mahāśānti-tārā]. There exists inscriptions and paintings (from the 14th century) of these Twenty-one Taras and they are also described in ritual and meditation texts in both Sanskrit and Tibetan language.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum1) Mahāśānti (महाशान्ति) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—W. p. 349. Kh. 61. 63. Oppert. 6525. 7567. Peters. 3, 388.
—Av. Bik. 128. 129.
2) Mahāśānti (महाशान्ति):—Av. Rgb. 190.
3) Mahāśānti (महाशान्ति):—Av. Ulwar 1417.
4) Mahāśānti (महाशान्ति):—Av. Tb. 213.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mahāśānti (महाशान्ति):—[=mahā-śānti] [from mahā > mah] f. an expiatory observance and recitation (for averting evil), [Gṛhya-sūtra; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] (also tī mc.)
2) [v.s. ...] Name of two works.
[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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Maha, Shanti.
Starts with: Mahashantika, Mahashantikalpa, Mahashantikara, Mahashantinirupana, Mahashantipaddhati, Mahashantitara, Mahashantividhana, Mahashantiviniyogamala.
Ends with: Aindri mahashanti.
Full-text: Mahashantipaddhati, Mahashantinirupana, Mahashantiviniyogamala, Kushmandarajaputra, Aindri mahashanti, Kamalakara, Navasamvatsara.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Mahashanti, Mahāśānti, Mahasanti, Maha-shanti, Mahā-śānti, Maha-santi; (plurals include: Mahashantis, Mahāśāntis, Mahasantis, shantis, śāntis, santis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sankhayana-grihya-sutra (by Hermann Oldenberg)
The Nilamata Purana (by Dr. Ved Kumari)
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)
The Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 27 - The description of the Jaya ablution < [Section 2 - Pūrvabhāga]
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