Samvatsara, aka: Sāṃvatsara, Saṃvatsara; 8 Definition(s)

Introduction

Samvatsara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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.

In Hinduism

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

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:

1. Prabhav,
2. Vibhav,
3. Shukla,
4. Paramoda,
5. Prajapati,
6. Angira,
7. Shrimukha,
8. Bhava,
9. Yuva,
10. Dhatu,
11. Ishwar,
12. Bahudanya,
13. Pramathi,
14. Vikrama,
15. Vrisha,
16. Chitrabhanu,
17. Subhanu,
18. Taran,
19. Prartiva,
20. Vyaya,
21. Sarvajit,
22. Sarvadhari,
23. Virodhi,
24. Vikriti,
25. Khara,
26. Nandana,
27. Vijaya,
28. Jaya,
29. Marmath,
30. Durmikha,
31. Hemalambi,
32. Vilambi,
33. Vikari,
34. Sharvar,
35. Plava,
36. Shubakrit,
37. Hhobhana,
38. Krodhi,
39. Vishvavasu,
40. Parabhava,
41. Plavanga,
42. Kilaka,
43. Saumya,
44. Sadharana,
45. Virodhikrita,
46. Paridhavi,
47. Pramadi,
48. Ananda,
49. Rakshasa,
50. Nala,
51. Pingala,
52. Kalayukta,
53. Sitdharti,
54. Raudri,
55. Durmati,
56. Dundubhi,
57. Rudhirodgari,
58. Raktakshi,
59. Krodhana,
60. Akshaya.

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:

1. Prabhava;
2. Vibhava;
3. Śukla;
4. Pramodūta;
5. Prajotpatti (Prajāpati);
6. Aṅgiras;
7. Śrīmukha;
8. Bhāva;
9. Yuvan;
10. Dhātṛ (Dhātu);
11. Īśvara;
12. Bahudhānya;
13. Pramāthin;
14. Vikrama;
15. Vṛṣan (Viṣu);
16. Citrabhānu;
17. Subhānu (Svabhānu);
18. Tāraṇa;
19. Pārthiva;
20. Vyaya;
21. Sarvajit;
22. Sarvadhārin;
23. Virodhin;
24. Vikṛti;
25. Khara;
26. Nandana;
27. Vijaya;
28. Jaya;
29. Manmatha;
30. Durmukha;
31. Hevilambin (Hemalambin);
32. Vilambin;
33. Vikārin;
34. Śārvarin;
35. Plava;
36. Śubhakṛt;
37. Śobhakṛt; (Śobhana);
38. Krodhin;
39. Viśvāvasu;
40. Parābhava;
41. Plavaṅga;
42. Kīlaka;
43. Saumya;
44. Sādhāraṇa;
45. Virodhikṛt;
46. Parī-dhāvin;
47. Pramādin;
48. Ānanda;
49. Rākṣasa;
50. Anala;
51. Piṅgala;
52. Kālayukta;
53. Siddhārtha;
54. Raudra;
55. Durmati;
56. Dundubhi;
57. Rudhirodgāra;
58. Raktākṣa (Raktākṣin);
59. Krodhana;
60. Kṣaya (Akṣaya).

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

context information

Jyotiṣa (ज्योतिष, jyotisha or jyotish) basically refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents one of the six additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas. Jyotiṣa concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Purana

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.

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.

General definition (in Hinduism)

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.
 

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-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 ||.

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

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

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sāṃvatsara (सांवत्सर).—a Annual.

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.

See also (synonyms): sāṃvatsarika.

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