Savita, Śavita, Savitā, Sāvita, Shavita: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Savita means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, Marathi, Hindi, biology. 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 Śavita can be transliterated into English as Savita or Shavita, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaSavitā (सविता).—One of the twelve sons of Kaśyapaprajāpati by his wife called Aditi. These sons are called Ādityas. So, Savitā also is one of the Dvādaśādityas. Viṣṇu, Śakra, Aryamā, Dhātā, Tvaṣṭā, Pūṣā, Vivasvān, Savitā, Mitra, Varuṇa, Aṃśu and Bhaga are the Dvādaśādityas.
Pṛśnī, wife of Savitā, gave birth to three daughters called Sāvitrī, Vyāhṛti and Trayī and three sons called Agnihotra, Paśusoma and Cāturmāsya the great sacrifices. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Part 1, Chapter 15).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Savitā (सविता).—A name of the sun;1 garden of, in the north;2 protects the Yamunā;3 has seven horses as vāhanas;4 worshipped on the eve of palace building.5
- 1) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 13. 125.
- 2) Vāyu-purāṇa 36. 11; 103. 59.
- 3) Matsya-purāṇa 253. 30, 42.
- 4) Ib. 104. 8.
- 5) Ib. 128. 36; 268. 21.
1b) An Āditya;1 maṇḍala of; Viṣṇu Śakti; the place where reside the chief Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Uragas, Rākṣasas, sages, Apsaras, Grāmaṇi by turn during twelve months in groups of seven causing snow, heat, rain, etc2
1c) The name of Vyāsa in the 5th dvāpara; Kanka the avatār of the Lord fifth Vedavyāsa.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 23. 129. Viṣṇu-purāṇa III. 3. 12.
1d) The viṣkamba of the sun; is 9,000 yojanas; thrice is the maṇḍala in measurement;1 of Vaiśākha in the Cākṣuṣa epoch; the first planet of all;2 brought forth with śravaṇa and placed in Dhruva;3 in the shape of a circle; the lord of the world.4
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and placesSavitā (सविता) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.59.15, I.65) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Savitā) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical studySavitā (सविता) is the name of one of the twelve Ādityas: the offspring of Aditi, according to one account of Vaṃśa (‘genealogical description’) of the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, Dakṣa gave thirteen daughters to Kaśyapa. [...] Kaśyapa’s thirteen wives are [viz., Aditi]. Aditi gives birth to twelve Ādityas, [viz. Savitā].
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.
Dhanurveda (science of warfare)
Source: Wisdom Library: DhanurvedaŚavita (शवित) refers to a kind of weapon (“spear, lance”). It is a Sanskrit word defined in the Dhanurveda-saṃhitā, which contains a list of no less than 117 weapons. The Dhanurveda-saṃhitā is said to have been composed by the sage Vasiṣṭha, who in turn transmitted it trough a tradition of sages, which can eventually be traced to Śiva and Brahmā.
Dhanurveda (धनुर्वेद) refers to the “knowledge of warfare” and, as an upaveda, is associated with the Ṛgveda. It contains instructions on warfare, archery and ancient Indian martial arts, dating back to the 2nd-3rd millennium BCE.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚāktismSavitā (सविता) refers to one of the 53 gods to be worshipped and given pāyasa (rice boiled in milk) according to the Vāstuyāga rite in Śaktism (cf. Śāradātilaka-tantra III-V). The worship of these 53 gods happens after assigning them to one of the 64 compartment while constructing a Balimaṇḍapa. Vāstu is the name of a prodigious demon, who was killed by 53 gods (e.g., Savitā).
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study (h)Savitā (सविता) refers to one of the names for the “sun”, who was worshipped as Sūrya, Savitā, Mitra, Pūṣā etc. in the Vedas. Though all of them represented basically the same phenomenon, yet they were considered to be distinct deities as their concepts revealed different powers of the Sun.
Biology (plants and animals)
Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)Savita in India is the name of a plant defined with Calotropis gigantea in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Streptocaulon cochinchinense G. Don (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Hortus Kewensis (1811)
· Systema Vegetabilium (1820)
· Revised Handbook to the Flora of Ceylon (1895)
· Contraception. (2007)
· Flora Cochinchinensis (1790)
· Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society (1810)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Savita, for example extract dosage, health benefits, chemical composition, side effects, pregnancy safety, diet and recipes, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarysāvita : (pp. of sāveti) made hear; announced; declared.
Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarysavitā (सविता).—m S The sun. Ex. gaganīṃ sa0 laghu bhāsata || parī prabhā adbhuta na varṇavē ||.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishsavitā (सविता).—m The sun.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionarySavitā (सविता):—(nm) the sun.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusSavita (ಸವಿತ):—[noun] the food served or eaten esp. at one of the customary, regular occasions for taking food during the day, as lunch, supper; meal.
--- OR ---
Savita (ಸವಿತ):—[noun] = ಸವಿತಾರ [savitara].
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Savitakka, Savitar, Savitara, Savitarka, Savitarkam, Savitave.
Ends with: Anussavita, Dassavita, Nasavita, Parissavita, Pasavita, Prasavita.
Full-text (+40): Yugantara, Yuganta, Pratinirdeshya, Dvadashaditya, Savid, Surya, Caturmasya, Aditya, Vyahriti, Vidhav, Upavacya, Asavitar, Mitra, Ukthamada, Aditi, Aturta, Yamini, Anaga, Abhiddha, Aryaman.
Relevant text
Search found 42 books and stories containing Savita, Śavita, Savitā, Sāvita, Shavita; (plurals include: Savitas, Śavitas, Savitās, Sāvitas, Shavitas). 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)
Vedic influence on the Sun-worship in the Puranas (by Goswami Mitali)
Part 8 - Savitṛ (the God of Atmosphere) < [Chapter 2 - Salient Traits of the Solar Divinities in the Veda]
Part 9 - Savitṛ (the Stimulator) < [Chapter 2 - Salient Traits of the Solar Divinities in the Veda]
Part 10 - Savitṛ (the Preserver) < [Chapter 2 - Salient Traits of the Solar Divinities in the Veda]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 1.5.28 < [Chapter 5 - The Lord’s Appearance]
Soma in Vedic Mythology and Ritual (study) (by Anjana Chakraborty)