Mahashastra, Mahāśastra, Mahāśāstra, Maha-shastra: 6 definitions
Introduction:
Mahashastra means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. 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 Mahāśastra and Mahāśāstra can be transliterated into English as Mahasastra or Mahashastra, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationMahāśastra (महाशस्त्र) refers to “great weapons”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.7 (“Commencement of the War”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “[...] Wounded and killed by great weapons (mahāśastra), hundreds and thousands of heroic soldiers fell on the ground. The arms of some were cut off (nikṛttāṅgā) by terrible blows from swords. Others lost their thighs in the battle of those honourable, heroic people. The entire body of some was smashed by the maces; the chests and hearts of some were pounded by iron clubs; some were felled to the ground by spears and dragged with nooses. [...]”.
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsMahāśāstra (महाशास्त्र) refers to the “great religious treatise” (i.e., the Jain canon), according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Capable soul, for purification of the mind, you must hold strongly in the mind the reflections which are established by the gods of gods (i.e. the Tīrthaṅkaras) in the great scripture of the [Jain] canon [com.—in the great religious treatise (mahāśāstra)]”.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāśastra (महाशस्त्र).—n. an excellent weapon,
Mahāśastra is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and śastra (शस्त्र).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryMahāśastra (महाशस्त्र):—[=mahā-śastra] [from mahā > mah] n. a powerful weapon, [Mahābhārata]
[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, Shastra.
Full-text: Matamahashastra, Makacattiran.
Relevant text
Search found 4 books and stories containing Mahashastra, Mahāśastra, Mahā-śastra, Mahāśāstra, Maha-shastra, Maha-sastra, Mahasastra, Mahā-śāstra, Mahashastras; (plurals include: Mahashastras, Mahāśastras, śastras, Mahāśāstras, shastras, sastras, Mahasastras, śāstras, Mahashastrases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 68 < [Volume 23 (1918)]
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Yoga Upanishads (study) (by Heena B. Kotak)
Part 5 - Summary of the Tejobindu-upanishad (Tejobindupanisad) < [Chapter 2 - Brief survey of the 20 Yoga Upanishads]
Markandeya Purana (by Frederick Eden Pargiter)