Sapta, Shapta, Śapta, Saptan: 28 definitions
Introduction:
Sapta means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi, Hindi, 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 term Śapta can be transliterated into English as Sapta or Shapta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Sapt.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚāktismŚapta (शप्त, “cursed”) refers to one of the sixty defects of mantras, according to the 11th century Kulārṇava-tantra: an important scripture of the Kaula school of Śāktism traditionally stated to have consisted of 125.000 Sanskrit verses.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Śrī Devī: “For those who do japa without knowing these defects [e.g., śapta—cursed], there is no realization even with millions and billions of japa. [...] Oh My Beloved! there are ten processes for eradicating defects in Mantras as described. [...]”.
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by VarahamihiraSapta (सप्त) or Saptadina refers to “seven (days)”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 11), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “Śveta Ketu is a comet which appears in the east about midnight with its tail pointing to the south. Ka Ketu is a comet of the shape of a carriage pole and appears in the west. Both the above Ketus are seen simultaneously for 7 days [i.e., sapta-dina-dṛśya]. If both should appear glossy, there will be prosperity and happiness in the land; if the Ka Ketu should be visible for over 7 days, there will be much suffering from wars for ten years”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation1) Sapta (सप्त) or Saptasuta refers to the “seven sons” (of Diti), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.14 (“The Birth of Tāraka and Vajrāṅga”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “[...] The distressed Diti sought refuge in Kaśyapa and and serving him with devotion and observing the sacred rites she conceived. On coming to know of it, Indra entered her womb forcibly and cut it off many a time with his thunderbolt. By the power of her sacred rites, the child in the womb did not die as she was sleeping at that time, by a stroke of good luck. They were cut into seven pieces and so she had seven sons [i.e., sapta-suta—sapta saptābhavansutāḥ]. [...]”.
2) śapta (निखिलकर्मन्) refers to “having been cursed”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.35 (“The story of Padmā and Pippalāda”).—Accordingly, as Dharma said to Padmā (wife of sage Pippalāda): “O Dharma, you are the ever present witness of all activities. O lord, why did you deign to deceive me to know my mind? O Dharma, what has been done already does not amount to any guilt on my part. You have been cursed (śapta) in vain by me but it was due to my ignorance and innate nature of woman. I am now thinking as to what shall be done about it. May that idea strike me whereby I may get peace. [...]”.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric TraditionsSapta (सप्त) or Saptadina refers to “seven (days)”, according to the Mataṅgapārameśvara (with Rāmakaṇṭha’s commentary).—Accordingly, “Having worshipped the Lord, he should oblate into the fire at the three junctures of the day a thousand pieces of Udumbara-wood smeared with the three [sweet substances]. Consuming [only] milk, he should make oblations [in this manner] for seven days (sapta-dina). He will become one who has accomplished the vidyāvrata”.
Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra1) Saptan (सप्तन्) refers to “seven (recitations of the mantra)”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 19.88-89ab, while describing the ritual that protect the king and his kingdom]—“One should always perform [the recitation of the mantra] for the sake of peace in obligatory rites, special rites, and for fulfillment of special wishes. [The Mantrin should always] apply the forehead mark of white ash [infused] with seven recitations [of the Amṛteśa] mantra (saptan-bhimantrita) on [the king’s] washed face. [This] removes the pollution caused by the mothers”.
2) Saptan (सप्तन्) or Saptāhnika refers to “seven days” (of carrying out a sacrifice).—Accordingly, [verse 19.114-116, while describing the king’s consecration]—“[...] Then [the Mantrin] should carry out the sacrifice—[which] confers siddhi—within the palace using the method described earlier with abundant oblation, for as long as seven days (saptan-āhnika), O Devi. [The king] then acquires great royal fortune [and an] unconquerable kingdom, as [he] desires. [...]”.
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.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Source: archive.org: The Elephant Lore of the HindusŚapta (शप्त) refers to “being cursed”, according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 1, “on the origin of elephants”]: “[...] 11-12. Then, propitiated, the sage Pālakāpya said to the lord of Aṅga [=Romapāda]: ‘Formerly elephants could go anywhere they pleased, and assume any shape; [...] 12. They broke off a branch (which fell) upon a hermitage place, where dwelt a hermit named Dīrghatapas. He was angered by this and straightway cursed the elephants. Hence, you see, the elephants were deprived of the power of moving at will, and came to be vehicles for even mortal men. The elephants of the quarters, however, were not cursed (śapta)’. [...]”.
Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve ReflectionsSaptan (सप्तन्) refers to the “seven (reals)”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Consequently, the sages have said that the seven reals (saptan-tattva—saptaiva tattvānyūcur ) are sentient soul, non-sentient matter, the influx of karma, the binding of karma, stopping the influx of karma, wearing away karma and liberation”.
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 Dictionarysapta (सप्त).—a (S) Seven.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishsapta (सप्त).—a Seven.
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 dictionaryŚapta (शप्त).—p. p.
1) Cursed; निशम्य शप्तमतदर्हं नरेन्द्रम् (niśamya śaptamatadarhaṃ narendram) Bhāgavata 1. 18.41.
2) Sworn.
3) Reviled, abused; (see śap).
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionarySaptan (सप्तन्).—num. a. (always pl.; sapta nom. and acc.) Seven.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚapta (शप्त).—mfn.
(-ptaḥ-ptā-ptaṃ) 1. Cursed. 2. Sworn. 3. Abused. m.
(-ptaḥ) A sort of grass, (Saccharum cylindricum.) E. śap to curse, aff. kta .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySaptan (सप्तन्).—mfn. Plural only, (sapta) Seven. E. ṣap to be collected, Unadi aff. kanin and tuṭ augment.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionarySaptan (सप्तन्).—numeral adj. Seven, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 1, 19.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚapta (शप्त).—[adjective] cursed, conjured; [neuter] curse, oath.
--- OR ---
Sāpta (साप्त).—[neuter] the number seven.
--- OR ---
Sāpta (साप्त).—[neuter] the number seven.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionarySaptan (सप्तन्).—[adjective] [plural] seven (used also to express an indefinite plurality).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Śapta (शप्त):—[from śap] mfn. idem, [Suparṇādhyāya; Mahābhārata] etc. (-vat mfn. = [perfect tense] śaśāpa, [Mahābhārata])
2) [v.s. ...] adjured, conjured, [Rāmāyaṇa]
3) [v.s. ...] sworn, taken as an oath, [Horace H. Wilson]
4) [v.s. ...] m. Saccharum Cylindricum, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) [v.s. ...] n. a curse, imprecation, [Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa; Kāṭhaka]
6) [v.s. ...] an oath, [Rāmāyaṇa]
7) Sapta (सप्त):—[from saptan] ifc. (cf. tri-ṣapta, tri-sapta) and in [compound] for saptan, seven
8) [v.s. ...] mfn. = tama, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
9) [v.s. ...] m. Name of Viṣṇu, [Viṣṇu-smṛti, viṣṇu-sūtra, vaiṣṇava-dharma-śāstra iii, 44] (where sapta mahā-bhāga may be two words; cf. sapta-mahā-bh).
10) Sāpta (साप्त):—1. sāpta n. or sāpta ([from] saptan, of which it is also the Vṛddhi form in [compound]) the number seven, a heptade, [Ṛg-veda; Taittirīya-saṃhitā]
11) a team of seven horses ([according to] to others m. and a proper Name), [Ṛg-veda viii, 55, 5.]
12) 2. sāpta n. ([from] sapti) a horse-race, running-match for horses or the prize given for one, [Ṛg-veda ii, 19, 7.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Saptan (सप्तन्):—sg. and [plural] ([nominative case] [accusative] sapta; [instrumental case] tabhis; [dative case] [ablative] tabhyas; [genitive case] tānām [locative case] tasu) seven (a favourite number with the Hindūs, and regarded as sacred, often used to express an indefinite plurality [in the same manner as ‘three’, by which it is sometimes multiplied] ; hence 7 Mātṛs, 7 streams, 7 oceans, 7 cities [Ṛg-veda i, 63, 7], 7 divisions of the world, 7 ranges of mountains, 7 Ṛṣis, 7 Vipras [Ṛg-veda i, 62, 4], 7 Ādityas, 7 Dānavas, 7 horses of the Sun, 7 flames of fire, 7 Yonis of fire, 7 steps round the fire at marriage, 7 Samidhs, 7 tones, 7 sacrificial rites, 7 Maryādās, thrice 7 Padāni or mystical steps to heaven [Ṛg-veda i, 72, 6], thrice 7 cows etc.), [Ṛg-veda]; etc.
2) cf. Zend hapta; [Greek] ἑπτά; [Latin] septem; [Lithuanian] septynī; [Slavonic or Slavonian] sedmĭ; [Gothic] sibun; [German] sieben; [English] seven.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚapta (शप्त):—(ptaḥ) 1. m. A sort of grass. a. Cursed; sworn by.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionarySaptan (सप्तन्):—a. Seven.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Śapta (शप्त) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Satta, Savia.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Saptan (सप्तन्) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Satta.
[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 dictionarySapta (सप्त) [Also spelled sapt]:—(a) seven; (nm) the number seven; ~[ka] octave; the seven notes in music; an aggregate of seven; ~[daśa] seventeen; the number seventeen; ~[padī] the ceremony of seven circumambulations of the sacred sacrificial fire as an integral part of the Hindu wedding process; ~[bhuvana] see ~[loka; ~ma] seventh; ~[mī] the seventh day of each half of a lunar month; the locative case (in Grammar); ~[rṣi] Ursa Major; the seven sages ([marīci, atri, aṃgirā, pulaha, ṛtu, pulastya, vasiṣṭha); ~loka]the seven worlds ([bhūloka, bhuvarloka, svarloka, maharloka, janaloka, tapoloka, satyaloka); ~svara] the seven notes of music ([sa re ga ma pa dha nī]).
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusSapta (ಸಪ್ತ):—[adjective] totaling to seven.
--- OR ---
Sapta (ಸಪ್ತ):—[noun] the cardinal number seven; 7.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Tamil dictionary
Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil LexiconSapta (ஸப்த) noun < saptan. Seven. See சத்தம்². [satham².]
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English Dictionary1) Śapta (शप्त):—adj. 1. cursed; 2. sworn; 3. reviled; abused;
2) Sapta (सप्त):—n./adj. num. seven; 7;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+610): Sapta rangi, Sapta-amatya, Sapta-ambhodhi, Sapta-kshetra, Sapta-sakarayattirai, Sapta-santana, Sapta-santati, Sapta-vidhi, Sapta-vitankastalam, Saptaahant, Saptabaddhri, Saptabahu, Saptabahya, Saptabdhi, Saptabhadra, Saptabhaga, Saptabhamginyaya, Saptabhangan, Saptabhanginaya, Saptabhangitaramgini.
Ends with: Abhishapta, Avashapta, Dashasapta, Dvijashapta, Mithyabhishapta, Pancasapta, Parishapta, Samshapta, Shatsapta, Trihsapta, Trisapta, Utikshapta, Vishapta, Yogasapta.
Full-text (+873): Saptaha, Saptadashan, Saptaparna, Saptanga, Abhishapta, Saptadvipa, Saptadhatu, Saptashva, Saptacchada, Saptasapti, Dvijashapta, Saptapada, Saptarshi, Saptarashika, Saptapadi, Saptaratra, Saptapadina, Saptacatvarimshat, Saptaguna, Saptapaurusha.
Relevant text
Search found 173 books and stories containing Sapta, Shapta, Śapta, Saptan, Sāpta, Saptha, Sapda, Sapdha; (plurals include: Saptas, Shaptas, Śaptas, Saptans, Sāptas, Sapthas, Sapdas, Sapdhas). 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)
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 5.11.17 < [Chapter 11 - The Stories of Kubjā and Kuvalayāpīḍa]
Verse 6.20.16 < [Chapter 20 - In the Description of the Second Fort, the Glories of Indra-tīrtha, etc.]
Chapter 20 - In the Description of the Second Fort, the Glories of Indra-tīrtha, etc. < [Canto 6 - Dvārakā-khaṇḍa]
Markandeya Purana (by Frederick Eden Pargiter)
Canto LXIV - About the Svārociṣa Manvantara (continued)
Canto XXIII - Kuvalayāśva’s visit to Pātāla
Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts (by Rajendralala Mitra)
Advayavajra-samgraha (Sanskrit text and English introduction) (by Mahamahopadhyaya Haraprasad Shastri)
Chapter 1 - Kudrishti-nirghatana < [Sanskrit texts of the Advayavajra-samgraha]
Part 1 - Introduction (to the Advayavajra-samgraha) < [Introduction]
Rivers in Ancient India (study) (by Archana Sarma)
1(a). The river Sarasvatī in the Ṛgveda-saṃhitā (Introduction) < [Chapter 2 - The Rivers in the Saṃhitā Literature]
5. The river Sindhu in the Atharva-vedasaṃhitā < [Chapter 2 - The Rivers in the Saṃhitā Literature]
2. Descriptions of nature and natural objects < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]
Related products