Prashasta, Praśasta, Praśastā: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Prashasta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi. 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 Praśasta and Praśastā can be transliterated into English as Prasasta or Prashasta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaPraśastā (प्रशस्ता).—A holy river. During their pilgrimage the Pāṇḍavas came to this place and bathed in this river. (Śloka 2, Chapter 118, Vana Parva).
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.
Kavya (poetry)
Source: Wisdom Library: KathāsaritsāgaraPraśasta (प्रशस्त) is the name of a warrior who fought on Sūryaprabha’s side but was slain by Kālakampana, who participated in the war on Śrutaśarman side, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 47. Accordingly: “... that [the slaying of Prakampana, Jālika, and Caṇḍadatta, Gopaka, Somila and Pitṛśarman] made the Vidyādharas shout for joy, and the men and Asuras despond. Then four other warriors rushed upon him at the same time, Unmattaka and Praśasta, Vilambaka and Dhurandhara; Kālakampana slew them all easily”.
The story of Praśasta was narrated by the Vidyādhara king Vajraprabha to prince Naravāhanadatta in order to relate how “Sūryaprabha, being a man, obtain of old time the sovereignty over the Vidyādharas”.
The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Praśasta, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.
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’.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraPraśasta (प्रशस्त) or Praśastādri refers to a country [=mountain?] belonging to “Apara or Aparadeśa (western divisions)” classified under the constellations of Jyeṣṭhā, Mūla and Pūrvāṣāḍha, 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 Jyeṣṭhā, Mūla and Pūrvāṣāḍha represent the western divisions consisting of [i.e., Praśasta] [...]”.
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.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (yoga)Praśastā (प्रशस्ता) refers to “(being) lauded”, according to the Amṛtasiddhi, a 12th-century text belonging to the Haṭhayoga textual tradition.—Accordingly, “At the navel is a white lotus. On top of that is the spotless orb of the sun. In the middle of that, at the triple pathway, is she who is the sole essence of saṃsāra [and] the creator of the three worlds, who arises on the path of dharma, who has three bodies [and] who is lauded (praśastā) as Chinnamastā, “she whose head is cut.” I worship her, she who has the form of knowledge, who removes the danger of death, the Yoginī, the seal of Yoga”.
Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the GaganagañjaparipṛcchāPraśasta (प्रशस्त) refers to “(being) extolled (by all Buddhas)”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, as the Bodhisattva Puṇyālaṃkāra addressed himself to the Lord: “O Lord, what the Lord had said in this Sūtra is deep and profound in illumination; free from mental activity; [...] illuminating the light of insight; revealing liberation; peaceful; unsullied; known by the wise and accomplished ones; praised and extolled by all Buddhas (sarvabuddha-saṃstuta-praśasta); sealed with the seal of the king of memory and sūtras; grasping the unhindered eloquence; [...]”.
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: Een Kritische Studie Van Svayambhūdeva’s PaümacariuPraśasta (प्रशस्त) participated in the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, on the side of the latter, as mentioned in Svayambhūdeva’s Paumacariu (Padmacarita, Paumacariya or Rāmāyaṇapurāṇa) chapter 57ff. Svayambhū or Svayambhūdeva (8th or 9th century) was a Jain householder who probably lived in Karnataka. His work recounts the popular Rāma story as known from the older work Rāmāyaṇa (written by Vālmīki). Various chapters [mentioning Praśasta] are dedicated to the humongous battle whose armies (known as akṣauhiṇīs) consisted of millions of soldiers, horses and elephants, etc.
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsPraśasta (प्रशस्त) refers to “auspicious”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “That [meditation] is divided into two [types] according to whether it has an auspicious (praśasta—praśastetarasaṃkalpavaśāt) or inauspicious purpose [and] for humans it is the real cause of obtaining desirable and undesirable results”.
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
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarypraśasta (प्रशस्त).—a (S) Roomy, capacious, spacious, unconfined--a place, a vessel: large, loose, flowing--a garment: open, full, frank--speech, procedure: liberal, generous, munificent--a mind or spirit: ample, copious, abundant--means, materials, things: agreeable, pleasing, satisfactory--actions, business. Ex. malā kāma kēlyāvāñcūna phukaṭa paisā khāṇēṃ pra0 vāṭata nāhīṃ. 2 Right, excellent, admirable, commendable. Used freely. Note. The above applications and senses are lax, but, being popular, are set down before the literal and learned sense, viz. praised. pra0 vāṭaṇēṃ in con. To feel to be agreeable; to feel free and easy in, at, about; to like.
--- OR ---
praśasta (प्रशस्त).—ad (praśasta S) At large, abroad, openly, freely, without confinement or restriction--roving, but, with speciality, lying, abusing, stealing, whoring &c.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishpraśasta (प्रशस्त).—a Roomy, capacious, spacious. Large, loose. Open, frank. Generous, munificent. Ample, copious. Right, excellent.
--- OR ---
praśasta (प्रशस्त).—ad At large, openly, freely.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryPraśasta (प्रशस्त).—p. p.
1) Praised, lauded, commended, eulogised.
2) Praiseworthy, commendable.
3) Best, excellent
4) Blessed, happy, auspicious.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryPraśasta (प्रशस्त).—(?) , ppp. (to pra plus śas, cut; but this [compound] hardly exists), cut: so Senart's em., (in hell) kartarikāhi praśastā (mss. °sattā or °śaktā) bhavanti Mahāvastu i.24.14 (prose).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryPraśasta (प्रशस्त).—mfn.
(-staḥ-stā-staṃ) 1. Happy, well, right. 2. Good, excellent, best. 3. Praised, extolled. E. pra before, śaṇsa to praise or commend, aff. kta .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryPraśasta (प्रशस्त).—[adjective] praised, extolled, commended or commendable, good, better, best, auspicious, lucky; [abstract] tva† [neuter]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus CatalogorumPraśasta (प्रशस्त) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—poet. [Sūktikarṇāmṛta by Śrīdharadāsa] [Subhāshitāvali by Vallabhadeva] (Paṇḍita Praśastaka).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Praśasta (प्रशस्त):—[from pra-śaṃs] a mfn. praised, commended, considered fit or good, happy, auspicious (as stars, days etc.), [Ṛg-veda; Āśvalāyana-gṛhya-sūtra; Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] better, more excellent, [Gautama-dharma-śāstra]
3) [v.s. ...] best, [Āpastamba]
4) [v.s. ...] consecrated (as water), [Varāha-mihira]
5) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a man, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
6) [v.s. ...] of a poet, [Catalogue(s)]
7) Praśastā (प्रशस्ता):—[from praśasta > pra-śaṃs] f. Name of a river, [Mahābhārata]
8) Praśasta (प्रशस्त):—[=pra-śasta] b etc. See pra-√śaṃs.
9) Praśāsta (प्रशास्त):—[=pra-śāsta] [from pra-śās] [wrong reading] for śasta, [Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryPraśasta (प्रशस्त):—[pra-śasta] (staḥ-stā-staṃ) a. Happy, well, good.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Praśasta (प्रशस्त) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Pasattha.
[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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryPraśasta (प्रशस्त):—(a) vast; wide, broad (as —[lalāṭa]); extensive, expansive.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusPraśasta (ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತ):—
1) [adjective] praised; extolled.
2) [adjective] superior; excellent; meritorious.
3) [adjective] blessing; boding well for the future; favourable; propitious.
--- OR ---
Praśasta (ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತ):—
1) [noun] that which is superior, excellent or meritorious.
2) [noun] that which is beautiful, charming.
3) [noun] a man who bodes well for the future; a propitious foreteller.
4) [noun] one of the one hundred and eight kinds of time-cycles having different groups of rhythmic beats into measures of equal or unequal length.
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: Prashastabhashya, Prashastadri, Prashastagunarashi, Prashastakalasha, Prashastakara, Prashastapada, Prashastapadabhashya, Prashastaparibhasha, Prashastar, Prashastata, Prashastatva, Prashastavacana, Prashastavali, Prashastavarna, Prashastavya.
Ends with: Aprashasta, Bhaprashasta, Kaviprashasta, Khandaprashasta, Lakshanaprashasta, Puruprashasta, Suprashasta, Vakprashasta, Vijnaprashasta.
Full-text (+57): Prashastadri, Aprashasta, Prashas, Prashastakara, Prashasti, Prashastabhashya, Prashastatva, Prashastakalasha, Shamaha, Prashastata, Prashastaparibhasha, Prashastavacana, Prashastapada, Tatana, Anusamhitam, Aprashasya, Puruprashasta, Vakshasta, Jatarupa, Prashastikashika.
Relevant text
Search found 20 books and stories containing Prashasta, Praśasta, Prasasta, Praśastā, Pra-shasta, Pra-śasta, Pra-sasta, Praśāsta, Pra-śāsta, Prashsta, Praśsta, Prassta; (plurals include: Prashastas, Praśastas, Prasastas, Praśastās, shastas, śastas, sastas, Praśāstas, śāstas, Prashstas, Praśstas, Prasstas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Yogadrstisamuccaya of Haribhadra Suri (Study) (by Riddhi J. Shah)
Chapter 1.2 - Yoga in Jain Canon and Commentarial Literature < [Chapter 1 - The Jain Yoga Tradition—A Historical Review]
Chapter 4.2c - Anudvega (non-disgust) < [Chapter 4 - The Eight Yogadṛṣṭis and the nature of a Liberated Soul]
Chapter 4.3b - Āsana (posture) < [Chapter 4 - The Eight Yogadṛṣṭis and the nature of a Liberated Soul]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 3.1.189 < [Chapter 1 - Meeting Again at the House of Śrī Advaita Ācārya]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verses 6.21.26-27 < [Chapter 21 - In the Description of the Third Fort, the Glories of Piṇḍāraka-tīrtha]
The Gita’s Ethics (A Critical Study) (by Arpita Chakraborty)
8. Dharma Sutras and Dharma Shastras < [Chapter 1 - Indian Ethics]
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Fauna (5): Domesticated animals (d): Cow < [Chapter 5 - Aspects of Nature]