Samvatsara, Sāṃvatsara, Saṃvatsara: 24 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Buddhism
1. Tibetan Buddhism
2. Mahayana
India history
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Samvatsara means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Sanvatsar.

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary study

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) refers to one of the five years (pañcasaṃvatsara), defined in the Nīlamatapurāṇa. The expression pañcasaṃvatsara indicates the knowledge of five years, namely, Saṃvatsara, Parivatsara, Idvatsara, Anuvatsara and Vatsara.

The Viṣṇudharmottara-purāṇa II.4.27-46 describes the selection of Sāṃvatsara by a king and gives a lengthy list of the qualities which a Sāṃvatsara should possess. He is just like mother, father, instructor and preceptor to the king. The king appoints Mantrīs and Purohitas after consulting him. Viṣṇudharmottara-purāṇa II.5.54-55 clearly establishes the superiority of the astrologer (Sāṃvatsara) over the Purohita by stating that a king should give up the Purohita if he acts against the Sāṃvatsara, otherwise the Purohita is also like mother and father to the king.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर).—A sage in the Darūvana.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 27. 104.

1b) A part of the five-year yuga;¹ a year, the first among years; is Agni; represented by Kāvya pitṛs;² of different kinds—dīvyasamvatsara, Dhruvasamvatsara, Pitṛsamvatsara, and Saptaṛṣisamvatsara.³

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa III. 11. 14; V. 22. 7; Viṣṇu-purāṇa II. 8. 71-2.
2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 21. 131; 24. 57, 141; 28. 15; III. 8. 17; 72. 30.
3) Ib. II. 28. 21; 29. 10, 16 and 18.

1c) A Śakti.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 32. 15.

1d) Is Agni.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 141. 18.

1e) Vārāha Viṣṇu got the form of.^*

* Vāyu-purāṇa 23. 104.

context information

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.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

1) Sāṃvatsara (सांवत्सर) refers to an “astrologer”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 2), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “[...] As is the night without a lamp and the sky without the sun, so is a prince without a Jyotiṣaka [i.e., sāṃvatsara—asāṃvatsara] and he gropes his way in the dark. If there were no Jyotiṣakas [i.e., sāṃvatsara], the muhūrtas, the tithis, the nakṣatras, the ṛtus and the āyanas would go wrong”.

2) Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) refers to five years of each yuga of Jupiter’s cycle, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 8).—Accordingly, “The five years of each yuga are known as—1. Saṃvatsara, 2. Parivatsara, 3. Idāvatsara, 4. Anuvatsara, 5. Idvatsara. These are sacred respectively to 1. Agni (fire), 2. Arka (the Sun), 3. Candra (the Moon), 4. Prajāpati (the Creator), 5. Rudra (the Destroyer)”.

Source: archive.org: South Indian Festivities (astronomy)

Samvatsara (hindu year).—According to legend, Naradi (the name of Nārada after he transformed into a woman) got married though capture and gave birth to sixty sons each year. Worried, exhausted, fatigued, bored to death by these numerous sons, Naradi at the end of the sixtieth year involuntarily prayed to Lord Vishnu. Transformed back, Narada appealed to Vishnu to silence his sixty sons. Vishnu gave them the Raj of the world to be enjoyed by turns for one year at a time. This is how each Hindu year has a separate name for a cycle of sixty years.

The list of the sixty sons of Naradi, after whom the lunar yearsin the cycle are still being called is as follows:

Prabhav,
Vibhav,
Shukla,
Paramoda,
Prajapati,
Angira,
Shrimukha,
Bhava,
Yuva,
Dhatu,
Ishwar,
Bahudanya,
Pramathi,
Vikrama,
Vrisha,
Chitrabhanu,
Subhanu,
Taran,
Prartiva,
Vyaya,
Sarvajit,
Sarvadhari,
Virodhi,
Vikriti,
Khara,
Nandana,
Vijaya,
Jaya,
Marmath,
Durmikha,
Hemalambi,
Vilambi,
Vikari,
Sharvar,
Plava,
Shubakrit,
Hhobhana,
Krodhi,
Vishvavasu,
Parabhava,
Plavanga,
Kilaka,
Saumya,
Sadharana,
Virodhikrita,
Paridhavi,
Pramadi,
Ananda,
Rakshasa,
Nala,
Pingala,
Kalayukta,
Sitdharti,
Raudri,
Durmati,
Dundubhi,
Rudhirodgari,
Raktakshi,
Krodhana,
Akshaya.

Source: A Concise Encyclopaedia of Hinduism: Bārhaspatya-māna

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर, “year”).—At some period, a fivefold multiple, a cycle of 60 Jovian or Bārhaspatya years, each with a special name suffixed by the word saṃvatsara (= year) came into use. The earliest available evidence points to the 6th century A. D., as found in the inscription of the Cālukyan king Maṅgaleśa.

The sixty years are:

Prabhava;
Vibhava;
Śukla;
Pramodūta;
Prajotpatti (Prajāpati);
Aṅgiras;
Śrīmukha;
Bhāva;
Yuvan;
Dhātṛ (Dhātu);
Īśvara;
Bahudhānya;
Pramāthin;
Vikrama;
Vṛṣan (Viṣu);
Citrabhānu;
Subhānu (Svabhānu);
Tāraṇa;
Pārthiva;
Vyaya;
Sarvajit;
Sarvadhārin;
Virodhin;
Vikṛti;
Khara;
Nandana;
Vijaya;
Jaya;
Manmatha;
Durmukha;
Hevilambin (Hemalambin);
Vilambin;
Vikārin;
Śārvarin;
Plava;
Śubhakṛt;
Śobhakṛt; (Śobhana);
Krodhin;
Viśvāvasu;
Parābhava;
Plavaṅga;
Kīlaka;
Saumya;
Sādhāraṇa;
Virodhikṛt;
Parī-dhāvin;
Pramādin;
Ānanda;
Rākṣasa;
Anala;
Piṅgala;
Kālayukta;
Siddhārtha;
Raudra;
Durmati;
Dundubhi;
Rudhirodgāra;
Raktākṣa (Raktākṣin);
Krodhana;
Kṣaya (Akṣaya).

It was believed that the saṃvatsara names indicated different consequences for the years concerned.

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.

Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: Pure Bhakti: Arcana-dipika - 3rd Edition

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) refers to the Vedic “year”.—There are sixty different names for each year in the Vedic lunar calendar, which begins on the new moon day (amāvasyā) after the appearance day of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (gaura-pūrṇimā), in February or march. the Vedic year, therefore, does not correspond exactly with the christian solar calendar year. in the christian calendar dates below, 2018, for example, refers to the period from the amāvasyā after gaura-pūrṇima 2018 to the amāvasyā after gaura-pūrṇima 2019.

Prabhava
Vibhava
Śukla
Pramodūta
Prajotpatti
Āṅgirasa
Śrīmukha
Bhāva
Yuva
Dhāta
Īśvara
Bahudhānya
Pramādi
Vikrama
Vṛṣa
Citrabhānu
Svabhānu
Tāraṇa
Pārdiva
Vyaya
Sarvajittu
Sarvadhāri
Virodhi
Vikṛti
Khara
Nandana
Vijaya
Jaya
Manmadha
Durmukhi
Hīvalambi
Vilambi
Vikāri
Sārvari
Plava
Śubhakṛti
Śobhakṛti
Krodha
Viśvāvasu
Parābhāva
Plavanga
Kīlaka
Saumya
Sādhāraṇa
Virodhikṛti
Parīdhāvi
Pramādīca
Ānanda
Rākṣasa
Nala
Piṅgalā
Kālayukti
Sidhārdhi
Raudri
Durmati
Dundubhi
Rudirodgāri
Raktākṣi
Krodhan
Akṣaya

context information

Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) refers to one of the eight Heroes (vīra-aṣṭaka) associated with Pūrṇagiri or Pūrṇapīṭha (which is located in the northern quarter), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—[...] The eight heroes (vīrāṣṭaka): Chadmaka, Pramāthin, Prakṛṣṭa, Pramodin, Śaṅkukarṇa, Gokarṇa, Saṃvatsara, Mahotsava.

context information

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) refers to a “year”, according to the 9th-century Sarvajñānottaratantra chapter 18.—Accordingly, “Next, I shall teach the best observance among observances, which is known as the Śiva-vrata and which is revered by Asuras and Gods alike. [...] He should dwell constantly in a temple of Śiva, eating alms, controlling his senses, devoted to recitation and meditation, maintaining silence, venerating Śiva, the fire and his guru. When a year (saṃvatsara) has passed, he will become equal to Śiva. [...]”.

context information

Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and Subjects

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर, ‘year’) is repeatedly mentioned from the Rigveda onwards. Its duration was, according to the concurrent evidence of the Saṃhitās and Brāhmaṇas, 360 days, divided into 12 months, being, no doubt, roughly a lunar synodic year, which, however, it exceeded in length by 6 days. As a solar year it appears only in the Nidāna-sūtra of the Sāmaveda, where the sun is stated to spend 13^1/3 days in each of the 27 Nakṣatras.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) refers to a “year” [i.e., adya amuka nāma saṃvatsare], according to the Guru Mandala Worship (maṇḍalārcana) ritual often performed in combination with the Cakrasaṃvara Samādhi, which refers to the primary pūjā and sādhanā practice of Newah Mahāyāna-Vajrayāna Buddhists in Nepal.

context information

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.

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on Agriculture

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) refers to a “year””, according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [as the Bhagavān teaches the offering manual of the root-heart] “[...] One should offer oleander flowers with ghee and mustard seeds sixty times in the middle of the maṇḍalaka: for a year (saṃvatsara) all Nāgas, cold spells and clouds, thunderbolts and even snow and so on will be stopped. When rain is to be made, then they rain down water. [...]”

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.

India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Saṃvatsara.—(CII 3; 4; IA 17), ‘a year’; ‘an cra’, the earlier years of the Indian eras being quoted by this term (or by its abbreviations saṃ, saṃvat, etc.), without any dynastic or other appellation just as in the case of the year of a regnal reckoning. Note: saṃvatsara is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

--- OR ---

Sāṃvatsara.—(HD), an astrologer. See Viṣṇu Dh. S., III. 75; Bṛhatasaṃhitā, 2. 9; cf. Sāṃvatsarika (EI 5). Note: sāṃvatsara is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

context information

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

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

saṃvatsara (संवत्सर).—m (S) A common term for the sixty years composing the Indian cycle, each bearing a peculiar name. These names never occurring but with the indicant word saṃvatsara prefixed (e. g. saṃvatsaraprabhava) cannot come before the learner as ordinary words bearing signification and demanding to be interpreted: they therefore do not appear in the columns, but are presented together here:--prabhava, citrabhānu, hēmalamba, paridhāvī, vibhava, subhānu, vilamba, pramādī, śukla, tāraṇa, vikārī, ānanda, pramōda, pārthiva, śārvarī, rākṣasa, prajāpati, avyaya, plava, nala, aṅgira, sarvajit, śubhakṛt, piṅgala, śrīmukha, sarvadhārī, śōbhana, kālayukta, bhāva, virōdhī, krōdhī, siddhārtha, yuva, vikṛti, viśvāvasu, raudra, dhātṛ, khara, parābhava, durmati, īśvara, nandana, plavaṅga, dundubhi, bahudhānya, vijaya, kilaka, rudhirōdgārī, pramāthī, jaya, saumya, raktākṣa, vikrama, manmatha, sādhāraṇa, krōdhana, vṛṣa, durmukha, virōdhakṛt, kṣaya. 2 A year in general; yet, especially, of the era of Wikramaditya. manusaṅkhyāsaṃvatsara Years numbered by the (duration of the) Manu; as manusaṅkhyāsaṃvatsara || rājya karīla mājhā putra ||.

--- OR ---

sāṃvatsara (सांवत्सर).—a S sāṃvatsarika a (S) Annual.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

saṃvatsara (संवत्सर).—m A year. saṃvatsaracakra n Cycle.

--- OR ---

sāṃvatsara (सांवत्सर).—a Annual.

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.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर).—[saṃvasanti ṛtavo'tra saṃvas-saran Tv.]

1) A year; न ह पुरा ततः संवत्सर आस (na ha purā tataḥ saṃvatsara āsa) Bṛ. Up.1.2.4.

2) A year of Vikramāditya's era.

3) Name of Śiva.

4) The first year in the cycle of five years.

Derivable forms: saṃvatsaraḥ (संवत्सरः).

--- OR ---

Sāṃvatsara (सांवत्सर).—(-rī f.)

1) , [sāṃvatsarika] (-kī f.) a. Annual, yearly,

-raḥ, -rakaḥ, -rikaḥ 1 An astrologer.

2) An almanac-maker.

3) A lunar month.

4) Black rice.

[Sanskrit to German]

Samvatsara 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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Saṃvatsara (संवत्सर) [Also spelled sanvatsar]:—(nm) a year; [rīya] annual, yearly.

context information

...

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Saṃvatsara (ಸಂವತ್ಸರ):—

1) [noun] a period of twelve months or three hundred sixty five days; a year.

2) [noun] a period of twelve months beginning from a particular day; a calendar year.

3) [noun] Śiva.

--- OR ---

Sāṃvatsara (ಸಾಂವತ್ಸರ):—

1) [adjective] of or measured by a year; annual.

2) [adjective] happening or appearing once a year; yearly; annual.

--- OR ---

Sāṃvatsara (ಸಾಂವತ್ಸರ):—[noun] a man who studies the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies and interprets their supposed influence on human affairs; an astrologer.

context information

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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Search found 44 books and stories containing Samvatsara, Sam-vatsara, Saṃ-vatsara, Sāṃvatsara, Saṃvatsara, Sāmvatsara; (plurals include: Samvatsaras, vatsaras, Sāṃvatsaras, Saṃvatsaras, Sāmvatsaras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

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