Seva, Sevā, Sheva: 12 definitions
Introduction
Seva means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Wisdom Library: HinduismSevā (सेवा) is a Sanskrit word referring to “devotional service”.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: archive.org: The Buddhist Indian IconographySevā (सेवा, “worship”) refers to the first of the four upāyas (“means”) through which the Sādhaka has to pass before the deity is realised and visualised according to the Guhyasamāja chapter 18.—Sevā (worship) is again sub-divided into two, namely, Sāmānya (ordinary) and Uttama (excellent). Of these two, the Sāmānya-sevā consists of four Vajras: first, the conception of Śūnyatā; second, its transformation into the germ-syllable; third, its evolution in the form of a deity, and the fourth, the external representation of the deity.
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.
India history and geogprahy
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossarySevā.—cf. Tamil sevai, śervai (SITI); service; inām for services; tax-free land given to servants for enjoyment in lieu of salary. Note: sevā is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as 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
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarysevā : (f.) service.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionarySevā, (f.) (fr. sev) service, resorting to S. I, 110; ThA. 179. (Page 724)
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 Dictionaryśēva (शेव).—f śēvīcēṃ jhāḍa n The name of a fruit-tree; and śēva n Its fruit.
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śēva (शेव).—f ī or ē A little roll of flour of pulse. 2 Toll upon garden-stuff and fruits exposed for sale.
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śēva (शेव).—f ē m (sīmā S) Making incisions into the tip of the pōgī of the Palm tribe in order to induce the exudation of the sap. v ghāla. 2 m Extremity, end, border, skirt (of a village, field, web, cloth): also skirts, precincts, border, vicinage. 3 fig. The bordering or connecting circumstance or particular, the link (as of a crime, of a process of tracing out, of proof or evidence). śēva ghālaṇēṃ To wave the skirt of a cloth (as in summoning from a distance). 2 To extinguish or reduce (a disease); i. e. to flap it out or down. śēva ghēṇēṃ To abate, subside, go down;--as a malady, a river, a flood. śēva dēṇēṃ or pōhañcaviṇēṃ To follow and help on a singer, to second. śēva lāvaṇēṃ To sit near unto and second or help; to lend the neighborly hand
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śēva (शेव).—ad Vertically or right down: opp. to karaḷa. v cāla, dhara.
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śēvā (शेवा).—f (Corr. from sēvā q. v.) Service &c.
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sēvā (सेवा).—f (S) Service, servitude, the attendance and obedience, or the office or condition, of a servant. 2 Worship or homage. 3 Service of God or of an idol; religious service. N. B. The word answers well to Divine service. 4 The use, adoption, employment, or application of a substance &c. (as detailed under sēvana).
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishśēva (शेव).—m End, skirt; the link. f A little roll of flour of pulse.
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sēvā (सेवा).—f Service. Worship or homage.
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-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryŚeva (शेव).—[śukrapāte sati śete, śī-van Uṇ.1.152,154]
1) The penis.
2) A snake.
3) Height, elevation.
4) Happiness.
5) Wealth, treasure.
6) An epithet of Agni.
7) Of Soma.
-vam 1 The penis (also śevā).
2) Happiness.
3) Hail ! (exclamation addressed to deities).
Derivable forms: śevaḥ (शेवः).
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Seva (सेव).—See सेवन, सेवि (sevana, sevi) (2).
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Sevā (सेवा).—[sev-a]
1) Service, servitude, dependence; attendance; सेवां लाघवकारिणीं कृतधियः स्थाने श्ववृत्तिं विदुः (sevāṃ lāghavakāriṇīṃ kṛtadhiyaḥ sthāne śvavṛttiṃ viduḥ) Mu. 3.14; हीनसेवा न कर्तव्या (hīnasevā na kartavyā) H.3.11.
2) Worship, homage, honouring.
3) Addiction or devotion to, fondness for.
4) Use, practice, employment, exercise.
5) Frequenting, resorting to.
6) Flattery, coaxing or flattering words; अलं सेवया मध्यस्थतां गृहीत्वा भण (alaṃ sevayā madhyasthatāṃ gṛhītvā bhaṇa) M.3.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚeva (शेव).—m.
(-vaḥ) 1. The penis. 2. A snake. 3. Heighth, elevation. 4. Happiness. n.
(-vaṃ) 1. The penis. 2. Happiness. Ind. (-vam) Hail, homage, a term of exclamation or salutation addressed to the deities. E. śīṅ to sleep, Unadi aff. van .
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Sevā (सेवा).—f.
(-vā) 1. Service, servitude. 2. Worship, homage. 3. Addition to. 4. Use, practise, employment. 5. Resorting to, frequenting. E. ṣev to serve, affs. aṅ and ṭāp .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚeva (शेव).—I. m. 1. A snake (vb. śī) 2. Happiness. Ii. acc. vam, indecl. Hail, homage, an exclamation or salutation addressed to the deities. Iii. n., and f. vā, The penis (cf. śepa).
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Sevā (सेवा).—[sev + ā], f. 1. Service, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 4, 5; [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] [distich] 42. 2. Servitude, [Hitopadeśa] i. [distich] 136, M. M. 3. Practice, [Rājataraṅgiṇī] 5, 280. 4. Worship, [Bhagavadgītā, (ed. Schlegel.)] 4, 34. 5. Homage, [Rājataraṅgiṇī] 5, 154.
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+29): Sevadharma, Sevadhi, Sevaka, Sevakaku, Sevakala, Sevakara, Seval, Sevala, Sevali, Sevalur, Sevamana, Sevana, Sevanata, Sevanem, Sevani, Sevaniya, Sevanta, Sevanti, Sevati, Sevatirtha.
Ends with (+21): Adhiseva, Agniseva, Asheva, Ashtakaliyaseva, Atithiseva, Avakamaseva, Caranaseva, Charanaseva, Duraseva, Dvijaseva, Dvitseva, Hinaseva, Hrinisheva, Ishvaraseva, Kalasseva, Krishiseva, Kulahinaseva, Kuruksheva, Mahatseva, Nicaseva.
Full-text (+45): Yogaseva, Hinaseva, Sevadhi, Dvitseva, Bahiroba, Striseva, Caranaseva, Varaseva, Svamiseva, Atithiseva, Patiseva, Atithipujana, Shevaga, Sevi, Sevamana, Akamya, Tirthasevin, Sada-seva, Kayika Vacika Manasika, Ava.
Relevant text
Search found 12 books and stories containing Seva, Sevā, Sheva, Śēva, Śeva, Śēvā, Śevā, Sēvā; (plurals include: Sevas, Sevās, Shevas, Śēvas, Śevas, Śēvās, Śevās, Sēvās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.2.118 < [Part 2 - Devotional Service in Practice (sādhana-bhakti)]
Verse 3.2.29 < [Part 2 - Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)]
Verse 3.2.21 < [Part 2 - Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī)
Verse 1.4.20 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta: The Devotee]
Verse 1.4.72 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta: The Devotee]
Verse 1.7.87 < [Chapter 7 - Purna: The Complete Perfection]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 10.116 < [Section XIV - Sources of Income (vittāgama)]
Verse 4.6 < [Section II - Means of Subsistence]
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 4 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 5 - Concept of bhakti < [Chapter XXXI - The Philosophy of Vallabha]
Part 12 - Liberation (mokṣa) < [Chapter XXIX-XXX - Controversy Between the Dualists and the Monists]
Part 5 - Nature of bhakti < [Chapter XXXIII - The Philosophy of Jiva Gosvāmī and Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇā]
Shri Gaudiya Kanthahara (by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati)