Parashava, Paraśava, Parasava, Pārasava, Pāraśava: 17 definitions
Introduction:
Parashava means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit terms Paraśava and Pāraśava can be transliterated into English as Parasava or Parashava, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇaPāraśava (पारशव) is the name of a country mentioned as situated on the “outer foot” (vāhya-pāda) in the resemblance of a tortoise with Bhārata according to the Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa chapter 78.
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaPāraśava (पारशव).—A child born to a brahmin of a śūdra woman. Vidura was a son born to Vyāsa of a śūdra woman and was therefore called Pāraśava. (Śloka 25, Chapter 101, Ādi Parva).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1) Paraśava (परशव).—A tribe.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 99. 268.
2) Pārasava (पारसव).—Kings among the Mlecchas.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 50. 75.

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.
Arthashastra (politics and welfare)
Source: Google Books: King, Governance, and Law in Ancient India: Kautilya's ArthasastraPāraśava (पारशव) or Niṣāda is the son of a Brāhmaṇa from a Śūdra woman according to the Arthaśāstra 3.7.21, but here the term may indicate a son from a lower-class woman, or simply a bastard (so Meyer). The meaning appears to be that the king can use such a son or a son the traitorous official has fathered on his female servant using the same technique as in the case of his brother.

Arthashastra (अर्थशास्त्र, arthaśāstra) literature concerns itself with the teachings (shastra) of economic prosperity (artha) statecraft, politics and military tactics. The term arthashastra refers to both the name of these scientific teachings, as well as the name of a Sanskrit work included in such literature. This book was written (3rd century BCE) by by Kautilya, who flourished in the 4th century BCE.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Google Books: Manusmṛti with the ManubhāṣyaPāraśava (पारशव).—According to Baudhāyana Dharmasūtra (2.3.30).—“He who is begotten, through lust, by a man of the first twice-born caste on a Śūdra woman, is the Pāraśava son”. According to Nārada Niṣāda.—“The son called Niṣāda springs from the union of a Kṣatriya with a Śūdra woman. A Śūdra woman obtains from a Brāhmaṇa a son called Pāraśava, who is superior to the Niṣāda”.

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraPāraśava (पारशव) refers to a country belonging to “Nairṛtī (south-western division)” classified under the constellations of Svāti, Viśākhā and Anurādhā, according to the system of Kūrmavibhāga, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 14), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “The countries of the Earth beginning from the centre of Bhāratavarṣa and going round the east, south-east, south, etc., are divided into 9 divisions corresponding to the 27 lunar asterisms at the rate of 3 for each division and beginning from Kṛttikā. The constellations of Svāti, Viśākhā and Anurādhā represent the south-western division consisting of [i.e., Pāraśava] [...]”.

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.
India history and geography
Source: archive.org: The Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (history)Pāraśava (पारशव) denotes some people, who claimed descent from Paraśu-Rāma and who would therefore be somewhere on the western coast between Bombay and the Narmadā; see page 310, note †. It is said there was a dynasty of Pāraśava kings after the great Paurava line came to an end (Matsya-purāṇa, 1.73-76) but it does not appear where.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryPāraśava.—(BL), name of a community. Note: pāraśava is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

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 dictionaryPāraśava (पारशव).—a. (-vī f.)
1) Made of iron.
2) Relating to or derived from an axe.
-vaḥ 1 Iron.
2) The son of a Brāhmaṇa by a Sūdra woman; यं ब्राह्मणस्तु शूद्रायां कामादुत्पादयेत् सुतम् । स पारयन्नेव शवस्तस्मात् पारशवः स्मृतः (yaṃ brāhmaṇastu śūdrāyāṃ kāmādutpādayet sutam | sa pārayanneva śavastasmāt pāraśavaḥ smṛtaḥ) Manusmṛti 9.178; or परं शवात् ब्राह्मणस्यैष पुत्रः शूद्रापुत्रं पारशवं तमाहुः (paraṃ śavāt brāhmaṇasyaiṣa putraḥ śūdrāputraṃ pāraśavaṃ tamāhuḥ) Mb.
3) An adulterine, a bastard.
-vī A daughter of a Brāhmaṇa by a Sūdra woman; भीष्मः पारशवीं कन्यां देवकस्य महीपतेः । विदुराय समानीय ददौ वंशविवृद्धये (bhīṣmaḥ pāraśavīṃ kanyāṃ devakasya mahīpateḥ | vidurāya samānīya dadau vaṃśavivṛddhaye) || Bm.1.519.
See also (synonyms): pārasava.
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Pārasava (पारसव).—See पारशव (pāraśava); पारसवत्त्वाद्विदुरः (pārasavattvādviduraḥ) (rājyaṃ na pratyapadyata) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 1.19.25.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāraśava (पारशव).—mfn.
(-vaḥ-vī-vaṃ) 1. Made or derived from an axe. 2. Made of iron. m. (vaḥ) 1. The son of a Sudra woman by a Brahman. 2. A son by another’s wife, an adulterine, a bastard. 3. An iron weapon. E. para another, śav to go, ac aff. and aṇ implying descent, added; or pāra crossing, śava a corpse, a living corpse; or paraśu an axe, aff. añ.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāraśava (पारशव).—i. e. paraśu + a, I. m. and n. Iron. Ii. adj., f. vī, Of iron, Mahābhārata 4, 1011. Iii. m. 1. pl. The name of a people (v.r. pārasava). 2. The son of a Śūdra woman by a Brāhmaṇa, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 9, 178. 3. A bastard, f. vī (pārasava, and vī with s), Mahābhārata 1, 4361.
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Pārasava (पारसव).—. See the last.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāraśava (पारशव).—[feminine] ī made of iron; [masculine] a cert. mixed caste.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Paraśava (परशव):—[from paraśu] ([cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]) ([Pāṇini 4-1, 168]) mfn. [from] paraśu (cf. pāraśavya).
2) Pāraśava (पारशव):—mf(ī)n. ([from] paraśu; but also written pārasava) made of iron (only in sarvap)
3) Name of a mine in which pearls are found and of the pearls found there, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
4) m. or n. iron, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) m. Name of a mixed caste, the son of a Brāhman by a Śūdra woman (f(ī). ), [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] (-tva n.), [Varāha-mihira]
6) m. a son by another’s wife, a bastard, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [plural] Name of a people in the south-west of Madhya-deśa, [Varāha-mihira; Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryPāraśava (पारशव):—[(vaḥ-vā-vaṃ) a.] Made from an axe. m. The son of a sudra woman by a brāhman; an adulterine; an iron weapon.
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusPāraśava (ಪಾರಶವ):—
1) [noun] a hard, tough metal composed of iron alloyed with small percentages of carbon and often variously with other metals, as nickel, chromium, manganese, etc.; steel.
2) [noun] any weapon made of iron or steel.
3) [noun] an offspring of a Brāhmaṇa by a Śudra woman.
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Pārasava (ಪಾರಸವ):—[noun] = ಪಾರಶವ - [parashava -] 1.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Parashavatva, Parashavayana.
Ends with: Khandaparashava, Sarvaparashava.
Full-text: Parashavayana, Nishada, Parashavya, Parashavatva, Anulomaja, Parshava, Sarvaparashava, Parashiva, Parshu, Anyavijaja, Ekadashasankaravarna, Aputra.
Relevant text
Search found 11 books and stories containing Parashava, Paraśava, Parasava, Pārasava, Pāraśava; (plurals include: Parashavas, Paraśavas, Parasavas, Pārasavas, Pāraśavas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 9.178 < [Section XXIII - The Twelve Kinds of Sons defined]
Verse 10.6 < [Section II - Mixed Castes]
Verse 10.7 < [Section II - Mixed Castes]
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Economics (3): Goods of trade < [Chapter 3 - Social Aspects]
Cāturvarṇya System < [Chapter 3 - Social Aspects]
Gautama Dharmasūtra (by Gautama)
Vasistha Dharmasutra (by Georg Bühler)
Baudhayana Dharmasutra (by Georg Bühler)
Puranic encyclopaedia (by Vettam Mani)