Mahashveta, Mahāśvetā, Maha-shveta: 12 definitions
Introduction:
Mahashveta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, biology. 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 Mahāśvetā can be transliterated into English as Mahasveta or Mahashveta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Kavya (poetry)
Mahāśvetā (महाश्वेता) is the name of a young ascetic maiden, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara (story of king Sumanas).—[...] In due time Candrāpīḍa was anointed as Crown Prince, and started on an expedition of world-conquest. At the end of it he reached Kailāsa, and, while resting there, was led one day in a vain chase of a pair of Kinnaras to the shores of the Acchoda Lake. There he beheld a young ascetic maiden, Mahāśvetā, who told him how she, being a Gandharva princess, had seen and loved a young Brāhman Puṇḍarīka; how he, returning her feeling, had died from the torments of a love at variance with his vow; how a divine being had carried his body to the sky, and bidden her not to die, for she should be reunited with him; and how she awaited that time in a life of penance
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Mahāśvetā (महाश्वेता) is the name of Vidyārājñī (i.e., “wisdom queen”) mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Mahāśvetā).
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Mahāśveta (महाश्वेत) and Śveta are the two Indras of the Kūṣmāṇḍa class Vyantaras living in the first 100 yojanas of the Ratnaprabhā-earth in the “lower world” (adhaloka), according to chapter 2.2 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly: “[...] In the first 100 yojanas of Ratnaprabhā, with the exception of 10 above and 10 below, i.e., in 80 yojanas, there are 8 classes of Vyantaras: [viz., the Kūṣmāṇḍas, ...] The two Indras in these classes are respectively: [viz., Śveta and Mahāśveta;...]”.
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
1) Mahasveta in India is the name of a plant defined with Albizia procera in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Lignum murinum-majus Rumph. (among others).
2) Mahasveta is also identified with Clitoria mariana It has the synonym Martiusia mariana (L.) Small (etc.).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Phytochemistry
· Mémoires de la Société Linnéenne de Paris (1826)
· Species Plantarum (1753)
· London Journal of Botany (1844)
· Revisio Generum Plantarum (1891)
· Madroño (1988)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Mahasveta, for example side effects, diet and recipes, health benefits, chemical composition, pregnancy safety, extract dosage, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Mahāśvetā (महाश्वेता).—
1) an epithet of Sarasvatī.
2) of Durgā.
3) white sugar.
Mahāśvetā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and śvetā (श्वेता).
Mahāśveta (महाश्वेत).—mfn.
(-taḥ-tā-taṃ) Very white. f.
(-tā) 1. A name of Saraswati. 2. A white variety of the Convolvulus paniculatus. 3. Clayed or candied sugar. 4. A sort of Clitoria, (C. ternata, with white flowers.) E. mahā much, and śveta white.
Mahāśveta (महाश्वेत).—f. tā, 1. Sarasvatī. 2. candied sugar. 3. the name of two plants.
Mahāśveta is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms mahā and śveta (श्वेत).
1) Mahāśveta (महाश्वेत):—[=mahā-śveta] [from mahā > mah] mfn. very white, of a dazzling whiteness, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) Mahāśvetā (महाश्वेता):—[=mahā-śvetā] [from mahā-śveta > mahā > mah] f. a species of plant, [Suśruta]
3) [v.s. ...] Batatas Paniculata, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] Clitoria Ternatea, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) [v.s. ...] a species of Achyranthes, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
6) [v.s. ...] white or candied sugar, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [v.s. ...] Name of Durgā, [DevīP.]
8) [v.s. ...] of Sarasvatī, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
9) [v.s. ...] of a goddess, [Harṣacarita] ([according to] to some = ravi-stha-devatā)
10) [v.s. ...] of a woman, [Kādambarī]
Mahāśvetā (महाश्वेता):—[mahā-śvetā] (tā) 1. f. Saraswatī; white convolvulus; candied sugar.
Mahāśveta (महाश्वेत):—[(ma + śveta)]
1) adj. blendend weiss. —
2) f. ā a) Name verschiedener Pflanzen: Batatas paniculata Chois. [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 3, 29.] Clitoria Ternatea Lin. [Ratnamālā 240.] = śvetakiṇihī [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma] = mahāśaṇapuṣpikā ebend. u. diesem Worte. — [Suśruta 1, 138, 13.] — b) weisser Zucker [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 2, 9, 12.] — c) Beiname der Sarasvatī [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 1, 1, 27.] — d) Beiname der Durgā [Devīpurāṇa 45 im Śabdakalpadruma] — e) Nomen proprium eines Frauenzimmers [KĀD.] in [morgenländischen Gesellschaft 7, 584.]
Mahāśveta (महाश्वेत):——
1) *Adj. blendend weiss. —
2) f. ā — a) eine best. Pflanze. Nach den Lexicographen Batatas paniculata , Clitoria ternatea und eine Achyranthes-Art. — b) *weisser Zucker. — c) Beiname — α) der Durgā. — β) *der Sarasvati. — d) Nomen proprium eines Frauenzimmers.
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.
Nepali dictionary
Mahāśvetā (महाश्वेता):—n. 1. Mythol. an epithet of Saraswati; 2. Mythol. an epithet of Durga; 3. white sugar;
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)
Partial matches: Shveta, Maha.
Starts with: Mahashvetaghanti.
Full-text: Mahashvetaghanti, Shvetaghanti, Kshudrashveta, Mahasweta, Kadambari, Rikshagandha, Shveta, Pracch, Kushmanda, Anamaya, Pundarika, Arishta, Vyantara, Hanu.
Relevant text
Search found 37 books and stories containing Mahashveta, Maha-shveta, Mahā-śvetā, Maha-sveta, Mahā-śveta, Mahāśvetā, Mahasveta, Mahāśveta; (plurals include: Mahashvetas, shvetas, śvetās, svetas, śvetas, Mahāśvetās, Mahasvetas, Mahāśvetas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po) (by George N. Roerich)
Chapter 9 - The Tibetan emperors prophesied in the Mūlatantra < [Book 1 - The beginning of the story of the Doctrine]
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Part 11 - References to Hospitality in Kādaṃbari < [Chapter 4 - Atithi-saparyā in Classical Sanskrit Literature]
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Chapter 5.1 - Teachings on seduction and the importance of integrity < [Chapter 6 - Kamasutra part 5 (Para-darika-adhikarana )—Critical study]
Chapter 3.3 - How to court Women < [Chapter 4 - Kamasutra part 3 (Kanya-samprayuktaka-adhikarana)—Critical study]
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Chapter 17.3 - Sanskrit Prose literature: Bana and the Kadambari < [Section 4 - Classical Sanskrit literature]
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Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra (by Helen M. Johnson)
Part 19: The Vyantaras < [Chapter III - The initiation and omniscience of Ajita]
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