Seva, Sevā, Sheva: 17 definitions
Introduction
Introduction:
Seva means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi. 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
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: Pure Bhakti: Bhajana-rahasya - 2nd EditionSevā (सेवा) refers to:—Service, attendance on, reverence or devotion to. (cf. Glossary page from Bhajana-Rahasya).
Source: Pure Bhakti: Brhad BhagavatamrtamSevā (सेवा) refers to:—Service rendered with affection. (cf. Glossary page from Śrī Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta).

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’).
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 Indian Buddhist 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 geography
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 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.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚeva (शेव).—[adjective] kind, dear.
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Sevā (सेवा).—[feminine] visit, service, attendance, worship, devotion to, use, practice, employment; sexual intercourse with ([genetive] or —°).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Śeva (शेव):—mfn. ([probably] [from] √śvi, and connected with śavas and śiva) dear, precious, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda]
2) m. (only [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]) the male organ (cf. śepa)
3) a serpent
4) a fish
5) height, elevation
6) treasure, wealth
7) Name of Agni
8) Śevā (शेवा):—[from śeva] f. the form of the Liṅga, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
9) Śeva (शेव):—n. prosperity, happiness, [Horace H. Wilson]
10) hail, homage (an exclamation or salutation addressed to the deities), [ib.]
11) Seva (सेव):—[from sev] n. (either [from] √sev or siv) [gana] pacādi = sevi1, an apple, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
12) Sevā (सेवा):—[from sev] f. going or resorting to, visiting, frequenting, [Cāṇakya; Subhāṣitāvali]
13) [v.s. ...] service, attendance on ([locative case] [genitive case], or [compound]; sevāṃ-√kṛ, with [genitive case], ‘to be in the service of’), [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.
14) [v.s. ...] worship, homage, reverence, devotion to ([genitive case] or [compound]), [ib.]
15) [v.s. ...] sexual intercourse with ([compound]), [Hitopadeśa; Subhāṣitāvali]
16) [v.s. ...] addiction to, indulgence in, practice or employment or frequent enjoyment of ([compound]), [Nirukta, by Yāska; Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata etc.]
[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Böhtlingk and Roth Grosses Petersburger WörterbuchŚeva (शेव):—[Uṇādisūtra 1, 152.] adj. lieb, werth [NIGH. 3, 6.] [Yāska’s Nirukta 10, 18.] mitra [Ṛgveda 1, 58, 6. 69, 4. 73, 2. 3, 7, 5. 5, 64, 2. 10, 20, 7. 113, 5.] atithi [122, 1.] śaṃsāmi pi.re asurāya.śevam [124, 3.] jā.eva.patyā.adhi.śeva (für śevaṃ oder śevā n. pl.) maṃhase [9, 82, 4.] [Atharvavedasaṃhitā 8, 9, 22.] — śevā f. [Uṇādisūtra 1, 154.] Nach [UJJVAL.] śeva n. = meḍhra (vgl. śepa, śepha) penis, śevā = liṅgākṛti . Nach [Uṇādikoṣa im Śabdakalpadruma] śeva m. = meḍhra, unnata, ahi; nach [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 195] Fisch. Vgl. a, duḥ, su .
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Seva (सेव):—
1) nom. ag. (von sīv oder sev) gaṇa pacādi zu [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 3, 1, 134.] —
2) n. = sevi Brustbeere [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma]
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Sevā (सेवा):—(wie eben) f.
1) Besuch [Spr. (II) 2919.] tīrtha [2754. 3286.] —
2) Dienst [Amarakoṣa 2, 9, 2. 3, 4, 29, 226.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 496.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 4, 6. 10, 116.] [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 3, 42.] [Vikramorvaśī 42.] [Spr. (II) 7169. fg. 7173.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 18, 12.] [Rājataraṅgiṇī 3, 138. 166. 250. 5, 197. 8, 14.] dharma [Spr. (II) 4987.] [Pañcatantra 13, 5. 7.] sevābhirata [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 15, 5.] jña [BṚH. 17, 1.] khaleṣu [Spr. (II) 5794. 7238.] kunṛpasya [1630. 3795.] sevāṃ kar [Vetālapañcaviṃśati] in [Lassen’s Anthologie (III) 23, 15.] mit gen. der Person [Kathāsaritsāgara 24, 115.] [Hitopadeśa 48, 1.] vanaspati (subj.) [Śākuntala 50, 17.] pati (obj.) [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 2, 67.] vipra [10, 123.] svāmi [Spr. (II) 1055. 3795. 4840. 7402.] —
3) Verehrung, unterwürfiges —, rücksichtsvolles Benehmen [Bhagavadgītā 4, 34.] nārāyaṇasya [SARVADARŚANAS. 64, 12.] tasya sevāṃ na labdhavān [Rājataraṅgiṇī 5, 154.] prathamaje dbhutarūpasevaḥ Inschr. in [Journ. of the Am. Or. S. 6, 507,] [Śloka 26.] pituḥ (obj.) [Spr. (II) 3479.] pañcaśarasya [Kumārasaṃbhava 7, 92.] guru [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 12, 83.] vṛddha [KĀM. NĪTIS. 4, 6.] [Spr. (II) 1155.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 27, 136.] [Rājataraṅgiṇī 2, 71. 5, 264.] [Hitopadeśa 127, 11.] pāda (am Ende eines adj. comp.) [Raghuvaṃśa 16, 53.] = cāṭūkti, āloka [Hārāvalī 149.] —
4) geschlechtlicher Verkehr mit: strī [Spr. (II) 1029. 4638.] paradāra [2993.] —
5) das Obliegen, Sichhingeben, Ausübung; Gebrauch, Genuss (insbes. häufiger): punaḥpunaḥ [Yāska’s Nirukta 6, 27.] [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 2, 96] (a). [Raghuvaṃśa 9, 69.] yoga (obj.) [Weber’s Indische Studien 2, 50,] [Nalopākhyāna 2.] [Bhagavadgītā 6, 20.] paryāya [Kumārasaṃbhava 2, 36.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 27, 148.] mūrdhajarāgasevāṃ kuryāt [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 77, 1.] [Rājataraṅgiṇī 5, 280.] tadvāgamṛta [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 4, 16, 1.] śīta [Suśruta 1, 335, 5.] — Vgl. para, rāja, vāra .
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 dictionary1) Seva (सेव) [Also spelled sev]:—(nm) an apple; a saltish/sweet vermicelli-like preparation of gram flour.
2) Sevā (सेवा):—(nf) service; attendance; -[kāla] tenure of service; -[ṭahala] servitude, service; ~[dāra] attendant; ~[dārī] attendance; ~[nivṛtta] retired; ~[nivṛtti] retirement; -[vṛtti] service; —[karanā] to serve; to attend on.
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See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+66): Sevabhirata, Sevabhrit, Sevadaksha, Sevadharma, Sevadhi, Sevajana, Sevaka, Sevakai, Sevakaku, Sevakala, Sevakalpataru, Sevakalu, Sevakara, Sevakaumudi, Sevakottama, Seval, Sevala, Sevali, Sevalin, Sevalur.
Ends with (+34): Adhiseva, Agniseva, Anuseva, Asheva, Ashtakaliyaseva, Atiseva, Atithiseva, Avakamaseva, Bhavaseva, Caranaseva, Charanaseva, Duhsheva, Duraseva, Dvijaseva, Dvitseva, Goseva, Guruseva, Hinaseva, Hrinisheva, Ishvaraseva.
Full-text (+123): Atithiseva, Dvitseva, Yogaseva, Caranaseva, Striseva, Varaseva, Sevadhi, Asheva, Shevas, Vriddhaseva, Paraseva, Patiseva, Hinaseva, Shevara, Sevi, Bahiroba, Svamiseva, Krishiseva, Ishvaraseva, Sevadharma.
Relevant text
Search found 16 books and stories containing Seva, Sevā, Śēva, Śeva, Śēvā, Śevā, Sēvā, Sheva; (plurals include: Sevas, Sevās, Śēvas, Śevas, Śēvās, Śevās, Sēvās, Shevas). 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 (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.4.191 < [Chapter 4 - Vaikuṇṭha (the spiritual world)]
Verse 1.4.88 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta (the devotee)]
Verse 2.3.68 < [Chapter 3 - Bhajana (loving service)]
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 14 < [Chapter 4 - Caturtha-yāma-sādhana (Madhyāhna-kālīya-bhajana–ruci-bhajana)]
Text 7 < [Chapter 6 - Ṣaṣṭha-yāma-sādhana (Sāyaṃ-kālīya-bhajana–bhāva)]
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]
Blue Annals (deb-ther sngon-po) (by George N. Roerich)
Chapter 8 - Second incarnation series (vi): disciples of mkha' spyod pa < [Book 8 - The famous Dakpo Kagyü (traditions)]
Chapter 5b - The Separate Lineage (brgyud pa thor bu ba) < [Book 12 - Peace-Making Lineages]
Chapter 8 - Later Lineages (iv): ‘Khrul zhig rin po che < [Book 12 - Peace-Making Lineages]