Sevana, Sevanā: 21 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Ayurveda
2. Purana
3. Shaktism
In Buddhism
1. Mahayana
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Pali
2. Marathi
3. Sanskrit
4. Hindi
5. Prakrit
6. Kannada
See also
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Introduction:

Sevana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Sevan.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Sevana (सेवन):—Sixteenth of the eighteen Saṃskāra (special purification process). They are used to purify rasa (mercury) as per Rasaśāstra literature (Medicinal Alchemy), and are mentioned in texts such as the Rasaprakāśasudhākara. In Āyurveda, Saṃskāra refers to the “detoxification” process of metals and herbs. The Sevana-saṃskāra is mainly used for transmutational alchemical purposes. In other words: the last ten saṃskāras are sequentially used for the ends of transmutational and elixir alchemy. Sevana refers to the final process of transmuting mercury, where it ‘becomes fit’ for internal use.

Source: archive.org: History of Indian Science Technology (rasashastra)

Sevana (सेवन, “becoming fit”) refers to “becoming fit for internal use” and represents to the last of eighteen alchemical purification processes of mercury (mahārasa, rasendra or pārada). A religio-philosophic base was given to mercury-based alchemy in India. Mercury was looked upon as the essence of God Śiva, and sulphur as that of Goddess Pārvatī.

Mercury had to undergo 18 processes (e.g., sevana) before it could be used for transforming either metals or the human body. A combination of male and female principles (i.e. mercury and sulphur) forming cinnabar or mercuric sulphide or even of mercury and mica, was supposed to be highly potent and was therefore consumed as a Rasāyana or medicine for increasing body fluids or vitality. The earliest mention of Rasāyana was found in Āyurveda which was probably composed by 8th or 9th century BC, since it was a part of Atharvaveda, the last of the four Vedas.

context information

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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Sevana (सेवन) refers to “serving” and represents one of the nine-fold (navadhā) devotion (bhakti), as explained in the Śivapurāṇa 2.2.23, as Śiva said to Satī:—“[...] O Goddess Satī, listen, I shall explain the great principle whereby the remorseful creature becomes a liberated soul (mukta). [...] Devotion (bhakti) to me is considered as the bestower of worldly pleasures and salvation. It is achievable only by my grace. It is nine-fold (navadhā) [viz., sevana]. There is no difference between devotion and perfect knowledge. A person who is engrossed in devotion enjoys perpetual happiness. Perfect knowledge never descends in a vicious person averse to devotion. [...] According to scholars O Goddess, the nine ancillary adjuncts are:—[viz., sevana, ‘serving’...]. O Śiva, its further subdivisions too have been explained”.

Sevana (‘serving’) detailed explanation: “the service rendered to the godhead commencing at the early dawn, with mind, speech, hands and feet is what is called serving”.

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.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Sevana (सेवन) refers to “attending” (the sacred seats), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, “He who constantly worships the transmission of the sacred seats that has come down through the sequence of the series (of teachers), having known it thus, is himself Bhairava directly apparent. He who does the round of the sacred seats, whether he is a teacher (ācārya) or an adept, is liberated. He is Śiva directly apparent; he is (a true) member of the tradition and the best of teachers. By attending (sevana) the sacred seats, all (one’s) countless sins are destroyed, whether one has committed brahminicide a thousand times (or even) if one has killed a myriad cows. So one should worship the four seats constantly. The desire of one (who does) so becomes an accomplishment (siddhi) and he is dear to the Yoginīs”.

context information

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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Sevana (सेवन) refers to “serving (spiritual friends)”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “How, son of good family, does the Bodhisattva obtain the mastery (vaśitāprāpta) in the arising of birth and death? When the Bodhisattva is endowed with twelve dharmas, son of good family, he attains the mastery in the arising of birth and death. What are the twelve? To wit, (1) he avoids bad friends and serves spiritual friends (kalyāṇamitra-sevana); (2) he completely purifies erroneous view-points; (3) he purifies the mass of moral discipline which is authorized by the Buddha; (4) he knows the entrance into concentration; [...]”.

context information

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Sevana (सेवन) refers to “devotion (to teachings)”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “[com.—He speaks about the result of devotion to other teachings (anyaśāsanasevanaphalam)]—Also the unconsidered and pleasing teachings, which are vile, of those who are bad are practised by people who are controlled by [their] tongue and genitals, etc. The jewel of enlightenment is not easily obtained again for men in the ocean of life like a jewel of great value that has fallen from the hand into a great ocean”.

context information

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

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

sevana : (nt.) 1. āssociation with; 2. service. 3. use of. || sevanā (f.) 1. āssociation with; 2. service. 3. use of.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Sevanā, (f.) (fr. sevati) following, associating with Sn. 259; Dhs. 1326; Pug. 20; Dhtp 285 (as nt.); cohabiting Vin. III, 29. (Page 724)

context information

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 Dictionary

sēvana (सेवन).—n (S) Serving or service. 2 Using, adopting, taking up into fruition, trying; the so employing or applying of a substance, a thing, an operation, a measure, a means (e. g. an article of food or medicine, an act or a point of regimen) as to be, in one's own person, the recipient of the virtues, qualities, or influences of. Ex. auṣadhācēṃ sē0 tū kara mī uṣṇōdakasnānācēṃ sē0 karatōṃ; tēthalā vāyu āṇi tēthalēṃ pāṇī tēthalā ācāra āṇi tēthalā vicāra tēthalēṃ jēṃ kāṃhīñca tīṃ asīṃ guṇā- vaha āhēta kīṃ mahinābhara tyāñcēṃ sē0 kēlyāsa yaccayāvat rōga nāhīṃsē hōtāta. 3 Sewing. 4 In anatomy. A certain union of parts, of which seven instances occur in the body; viz. the five sutures of the cranium, the frenum of the tongue, and that of the glans penis.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

sēvana (सेवन).—n Service, serving. Using.

context information

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 dictionary

Sevana (सेवन).—[siv-sev-lyuṭ]

1) The act of serving, service, attendance upon, worship; पात्रीकृतात्मा गुरुसेवनेन (pātrīkṛtātmā gurusevanena) R.18.3; Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.11.

2) Following, practising, employing; इन्द्रियाणां प्रसङ्गेन धर्मस्यासेवनेन च । पापान् संयान्ति संसारानवद्वांसो नराधमाः (indriyāṇāṃ prasaṅgena dharmasyāsevanena ca | pāpān saṃyānti saṃsārānavadvāṃso narādhamāḥ) || Manusmṛti 12.52.

3) Using, enjoying.

4) Enjoying carnally; यत् करोत्येकंरात्रेण वृषलीसेवनाद् द्विजः (yat karotyekaṃrātreṇa vṛṣalīsevanād dvijaḥ) Manusmṛti 11.178.

5) Devotion to, fondness for.

6) Frequenting, dwelling in.

7) Binding, fastening.

8) Sewing, stitching.

9) A sack.

Derivable forms: sevanam (सेवनम्).

--- OR ---

Sevanā (सेवना).—See सेवनम् (sevanam) (1); तानेव ते मदनुसेवनयावरुद्धान् (tāneva te madanusevanayāvaruddhān) Bhāg. 3.23.7.

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

Sevana (सेवन).—n.

(-naṃ) 1. Sewing, darning, stitching. 2. A sack. 3. Service, worship. 4. Using, practising, following, being addicted to, or fond of. 5. Enjoying sexually. f. (-nī) 1. A needle. 2. (In anatomy,) A peculiar union of parts, of which seven instances occur in the body: viz:—the five sutures of the cranium, the frenum of the tongue, and that of the glans penis. 3. A seam. E. ṣiv to sew, or ṣev to serve, aff. lyuṭ .

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

Sevana (सेवन).—i. e. siv and sev + ana, I. n. 1. Sewing, stitching. 2. A sack. 3. Following, being addicted to, haunting, [Pañcatantra] 241, 1; practising, [Hitopadeśa] ii. [distich] 32; using, 217, 23. 4. Enjoying, dallying with, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 11, 178. 5. Service, [Rājataraṅgiṇī] 5, 368. Ii. f. nī, A needle.

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

Sevana (सेवन).—1. [neuter] sewing; seam, suture.

--- OR ---

Sevana (सेवन).—2. [neuter] following, serving, revering, practising, frequenting, using, employing (mostly —°).

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

1) Sevana (सेवन):—[from siv] a See 2. sev sub voce

2) [from sev] 1. sevana n. (for 2. See [column]2) the act of frequenting or visiting or dwelling in or resorting to ([compound]), [Kāvya literature; Pañcatantra; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]

3) [v.s. ...] waiting upon, attendance, service, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.

4) [v.s. ...] honouring, reverence, worship, adoration (also f(ā). ), [Kāvya literature; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā] etc.

5) [v.s. ...] sexual enjoyment, intercourse with ([compound]), [Manu-smṛti xi, 178]

6) [v.s. ...] devotion or addiction to, fondness for, indulgence in, practise or employment of ([genitive case] or [compound]), [Manu-smṛti; Rāmāyaṇa etc.]

7) [from sevaka] 2. sevana n. (for 1. See [column]1) the act of sewing, darning, stitching, [Suśruta; Vopadeva; Āpastamba-śrauta-sūtra [Scholiast or Commentator]]

8) [v.s. ...] a sack, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Sevana (सेवन):—(naṃ) 1. n. Sewing; a sack; service; practising. f. (ī) A needle; the union of parts in anatomy.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Sevana (सेवन) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Sevaṇa, Sevaṇayā, Sevaṇā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Sevana in German

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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Sevana (सेवन) [Also spelled sevan]:—(nm) taking (as medicine, etc.), consuming; using, use; serving.

context information

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Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

1) Sevaṇa (सेवण) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Sevana.

2) Sevaṇā (सेवणा) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Sevanā.

2) Sevaṇā has the following synonyms: Sevaṇayā.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Sēvana (ಸೇವನ):—

1) [noun] a taking care of another a respectable or elder person or of the sick, injure, etc.; a diligent and attentive service.

2) [noun] the act of joining together by or as by sewing.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 22 books and stories containing Sevana, Sevanā, Sēvana, Sevaṇa, Sēvaṇa, Sevaṇā, Sēvaṇā; (plurals include: Sevanas, Sevanās, Sēvanas, Sevaṇas, Sēvaṇas, Sevaṇās, Sēvaṇās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 4.2.14 < [Chapter 2 - The Story of the Gopīs That Had Been Sages]

Verse 2.16.19 < [Chapter 16 - The Worship of Tulasī]

Verse 3.1.30 < [Chapter 1 - The Worship of Śrī Girirāja]

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verse 95

verse 186

verse 187

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Verse 1.4.76 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta (the devotee)]

Verse 1.4.51 < [Chapter 4 - Bhakta (the devotee)]

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Text 19 < [Chapter 8 - Aṣṭama-yāma-sādhana (Rātri-līlā–prema-bhajana sambhoga)]