Shantanu, Santanu, Sāntanu, Śāntanu, Śantaṉu: 14 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Tamil
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Introduction:

Shantanu means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Tamil. 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 Śāntanu and Śantaṉu can be transliterated into English as Santanu or Shantanu, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Bhagavata Purana

Śāntanu (शान्तनु):—One of the three sons of Pratīpa (son of Dilīpa, who was the son of Ṛkṣa, who was the son of Devātithi). He became the king after his brother, named Devāpi, went to the forest. He was known as Mahābhiṣa in a previous birth. Śāntanu had the ability to transform anyone from old age to youth simply by touching that person with his hands. He and his wife, named Gaṅgā, had a son named Bhīṣma. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.22.12)

Through the womb of Satyavatī (the daughter of Uparicharavasu and a fisherwoman known as Matsyagarbhā), Śāntanu begot a son named Citrāṅgada. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.22.20)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Śantanu (शन्तनु).—(ŚĀNTANU). King Śantanu, on a par with the Devas, was a great physician (Mahābhiṣak).

2) Śāntanu (शान्तनु).—(ŚANTANU). Son of King Pratīpa of the lunar dynasty.

2) (i) For previous life and birth as Śantanu see under Bhīṣma, Para II.

2) (ii) Married life. (See under Bhīṣma, Paras 2, 3). Other information.

2) (i) He was the second son of Pratīpa. His elder brother was called Devāpi, younger one Bālhīka and his mother Sunandā. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 94, Verse 61; Chapter 95, Verse 45).

2) (ii) He was called Śantanu as things touched by both his hands used to become youthful.

2) (iii) Śantanu became King as his elder brother Devāpi had, as an infant, renounced the throne and left for the forest. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 94, Verse 62; Chapter 95, Verse 45).

2) (iv) It was he, who brought to the palace and brought up Kṛpa and Kṛpī, who were found in the forest as orphans. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 95, Verse 46).

2) (v) Śantanu worships Yama in his court. (Sabhā Parva, Chapter 8, Verse 25).

2) (vi) He attained heaven by doing tapas on Mount Ārcika. (Vana Parva, Chapter 125, Verse 19).

2) (vii) He is one of the Kings to be remembered both at dawn and dusk. (Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 165, Verse 58).

2) (viii) He was absolutely wedded to truth and he possessed great prowess. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 96, Verse 1).

2) (ix) He conducted thousand aśvamedhas and hundred rājasūyas. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 96, Verse 2).

2) (x) Synonyms used of him in the Mahābhārata:—Bharata, Bhāratagoptā, Bharatasattama, Kauravya, Kurusattama, Prātīpa etc.

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.

Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: ISKCON Press: Glossary

Śantanu (शन्तनु).—The father of Bhīṣma by Gaṅgā. He gave Bhīṣma the benediction that he could die only when he wanted to. It was said that anything he touched with his two hands would become youthful.

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’).

Kavyashastra (science of poetry)

Source: Shodhganga: Bhismacaritam a critical study

Śāntanu (शान्तनु) figures as a male character in the Bhīṣmacarita (Bhishma Charitra) which is a mahākāvya (‘epic poem’) written by Hari Narayan Dikshit.—Śāntanu was the king of Hastināpura. He was the youngest son of King Pratīpa of Hastināpura and had been born in the latter’s old age. He was bright like Indra and his physique was sturdy. He was valorous and famous in all over India because of his good qualities. All the citizens loved him and respected him.

Śāntanu was wise, kind and just. During his kingship, the kingdom of Kuru prospered around Hastināpura. In his justified and valourous ruling, no one was unhappy nor anyone was harassed; no one was poor nor was unemployed; and no one was terrorised. Business and commerce, peace and prosperity, art and literature flourished all around. People both inside the palace and out side were happy. High standard of education, both secular and spiritual, was maintained through the system of Gurukula (Āśrama). Hard work, honesty and sincerity made these students better citizens. The teachers were well versed in all aspects of arts and science related with politics, statesmanship, warfare and economics. Yoga and meditation were routinely included in the curricula. No one was illiterate nor was a beggar; no one was thief nor was a fraud; no one was hopeless nor was a murderer.

During the time of Śāntanu’s ruling, the Brahmins were always busy in learning the scriptures; Kṣatriyas were always busy in protecting the society and our nation; Vaiśyas were always busy in farming, trading etc.; and Harijanas (i.e. Śudras) were happily serving the people. The teachers were always keeping their minds in teaching their students and the students were always following their advices. In this way both the teachers and the students were staying in harmony with one another.

context information

Kavyashastra (काव्यशास्त्र, kāvyaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian tradition of poetry (kavya). Canonical literature (shastra) of the includes encyclopedic manuals dealing with prosody, rhetoric and various other guidelines serving to teach the poet how to compose literature.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Apam Napat: Indian Mythology

Shantanu was a king named Mahabhishak in his previous birth. Mahabhishak had ascended to the heavens after his death, but was cursed to be reborn as a mortal for his licentious behaviour in the court of Indra. According to this curse, he was born as Shantanu, the son of King Prathiba of the Kuru dynasty. He married the river goddess Ganga and had eight sons by her. Only the youngest of them, named Devaratha (who was later known as Bhishma) survivied.

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Sāntanu (सांतनु): King of Hastinapura, father of Bhishma.

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Shantanu (शान्‍तनु): Shantanu was a king of Hastinapura, father of Bhishma. Shantanu weds Satyavati, a ferryman's daughter.

Source: JatLand: South Asia

Shantanu (स्हन्तनु) was a Kuru king of Hastinapura, who is mentioned in the great epic of the Mahābhārata. He was a descendant of the Bharata race, of the lunar dynasty and the ancestor of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. The Rigveda (X.98.11) mentions Shantanu. He was the youngest son of King Pratipa of Hastinapur and had been born in the latter's old age. The eldest son Devapi suffered from leprosy and abdicated his inheritance to become a hermit. The middle son Bahlika devoted his life to conquer the old Aryan territories near Balkh and hence, Shantanu become the King of Hastinapur.

Shantanu was the father of very famous personality of all times Bhisma on whom we all are so proud of. Shantanu married Ganga, but ganga used to throw all his kids in river ganga, as she had taken some oath to do so, but when this kid Devarath (Bhism) was born Shantanu asked her not to do that. Hence Ganga took him with her and grown Devarath, she not only gave Devarath the teachings for Vaida but also of all weapons known at that time. Devarath came back to his father at the age of 20. At that time Shantanu fell in love with a girl named Stayawathi and wanted to marry her, but that girls father but a condition that he can marry her only if her son will sit on the throne instead of Devarath. To fulfill his father's desire, Devarath took a Bhism Oath that he will never marry in his life and left his right on the throne.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Śantanu (शन्तनु).—Name of a king of the lunar race. He married Gaṅgā and Satyavatī by the former wife he had a son named Bhīṣma, and by the latter Chītrāṅgada and Vichitravīrya. Bhīṣma remained a celibate all his life, and his younger brothers died childless; cf. भीष्म (bhīṣma).

Derivable forms: śantanuḥ (शन्तनुः).

--- OR ---

Śāntanu (शान्तनु).—= शन्तनुः (śantanuḥ) q. v.; शान्तनोः संतति तन्वन् पुण्यकीर्तिर्महायशाः (śāntanoḥ saṃtati tanvan puṇyakīrtirmahāyaśāḥ) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 1.6.6.

Derivable forms: śāntanuḥ (शान्तनुः).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śāntanu (शान्तनु).—m.

(-nuḥ) The 21st sovereign of the lunar dynasty in the third age, the father of Bhishma by Ganga, or the Ganges personified. E. śaṃ good fortune, (personified,) tanu the body, and the first vowel made long by special rule.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śāntanu (शान्तनु).—m. The name of a king, Chr. 3, 4.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śantanu (शन्तनु):—[from śanta] śantama etc. See śaṃ-tanu, śaṃtama, p. 1054, col. 3.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śāntanu (शान्तनु):—(nuḥ) 2. m. The 21st king of the lunar dynasty in the 3d age, father of the above.

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.

Tamil dictionary

Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil Lexicon

Śantaṉu (ஶந்தனு) noun < Śantanu. A king of the Lunar Race. See சந்தனு. [santhanu.]

context information

Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.

Relevant text

Search found 37 books and stories containing Shantanu, Santanu, Sāntanu, Śāntanu, Śantanu, Śantaṉu, Shanthanu; (plurals include: Shantanus, Santanus, Sāntanus, Śāntanus, Śantanus, Śantaṉus, Shanthanus). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 1.5.26 < [Chapter 5 - The Lord’s Appearance]

Verse 6.13.22 < [Chapter 13 - The Glories of Prabhāsa-tīrtha, the Sarasvatī River, etc.]

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Chapter 57 - Bhīṣma’s Pilgrimage < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]

Chapter 71 - Prayāgeśvara (prayāga-īśvara-liṅga) < [Section 2 - Caturaśīti-liṅga-māhātmya]

Chapter 90 - Greatness of Vasordhārā < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]

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Shantanu And Devapi < [Fourth Section]