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 (?).

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In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Praśastā (प्रशस्ता).—A holy river. During their pilgrimage the Pāṇḍavas came to this place and bathed in this river. (Śloka 2, Chapter 118, Vana Parva).

Purana book cover
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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.

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Kavya (poetry)

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Kavya glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Praśasta (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 book cover
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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’.

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Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Jyotisha glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Praśasta (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 book cover
context information

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.

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Yoga (school of philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Yoga glossary
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 book cover
context information

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).

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In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Mahayana glossary
Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Praśasta (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 book cover
context information

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.

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Jainism glossary
Source: archive.org: Een Kritische Studie Van Svayambhūdeva’s Paümacariu

Praśasta (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 Reflections

Praśasta (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 (praśastapraśastetarasaṃkalpavaśāt) or inauspicious purpose [and] for humans it is the real cause of obtaining desirable and undesirable results”.

General definition book cover
context information

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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Marathi glossary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

praśasta (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.

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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-English

praśasta (प्रशस्त).—a Roomy, capacious, spacious. Large, loose. Open, frank. Generous, munificent. Ample, copious. Right, excellent.

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praśasta (प्रशस्त).—ad At large, openly, freely.

context information

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Praśasta (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 Dictionary

Praśasta (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 Dictionary

Praśasta (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 Dictionary

Praśasta (प्रशस्त).—[adjective] praised, extolled, commended or commendable, good, better, best, auspicious, lucky; [abstract] tva† [neuter]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

Praśasta (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 Dictionary

1) 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 Dictionary

Praśasta (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]

Prashasta in German

context information

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.

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Hindi dictionary

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Hindi glossary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Praśasta (प्रशस्त):—(a) vast; wide, broad (as —[lalāṭa]); extensive, expansive.

context information

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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Prashasta in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Praśasta (ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತ):—

1) [adjective] praised; extolled.

2) [adjective] superior; excellent; meritorious.

3) [adjective] blessing; boding well for the future; favourable; propitious.

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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.

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Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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