Shashini, Śaśinī: 8 definitions
Introduction:
Shashini means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit term Śaśinī can be transliterated into English as Sasini or Shashini, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Kubjikāmata-tantraŚaśinī (शशिनी):—Third of the eight Mahāmātṛs existing within the Mātṛcakra, according to the Kubjikāmatatantra. Śaśinī stands for the “moon”. The eight Mahāmātṛs are also called mudrās because all the directions are ‘sealed’ by them.
Śaśinī (as do each of the eight Mahāmātṛs) divides herself into eight (secondary) mātṛs, presided over by a Bhairava (fearsome manifestations of Śiva) and his Mātṛkā as consorts. The Mātṛs of this third and south-eastern group are born from Śaśinī’s body and represent the characteristics of the moon. They are presided over by Krodha Bhairava and his consort Vaiṣṇavī.
The eight deities originating from Śaśinī are called:
- Chāyā (‘Shadow’),
- Śīkarā (‘Drizzle’),
- Jyotsnā (‘Moonlight’),
- Ṛtu (‘Period’),
- Ratnā (‘Jewel’),
- Suśītalā (‘Agreeably Cool’),
- Payasvatī (‘Containing rain/water’)
- and Ghṛtavatī (‘Full of Ghee’)
Their names confirm their connection with moon. In this series Ṛtu alludes to the periodical waxing and waning of the moon. These eighth Mātṛs are sometimes defined as ‘cool as the receptacle of amṛta’, where ‘recepacle of amṛta’ refers to the moon.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: Varāha-purāṇaŚaśinī (शशिनी) is the name of a beautiful damsel (kanyā), with black curly hair and red lips, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 92. Śaśinī (and other innumerable ladies) arose out of the agitation of Vaiṣṇavī while she was doing penance at Viśālā. For these young women, Vaiṣṇavī created the city Devīpura, containing numerous mansions with golden balconies, crystal stairs and water fountains, with jewelled windows and gardens.
Vaiṣṇavī is the form of Trikalā having a red body representing the energy of Viṣṇu. Trikalā is the name of a Goddess born from the combined looks of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara (Śiva).
The Varāhapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 24,000 metrical verses, possibly originating from before the 10th century. It is composed of two parts and Sūta is the main narrator.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexŚaśinī (शशिनी).—A kalā of the moon.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 35. 92.
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Source: De Gruyter: A Fragment of the VajrāmṛtamahātantraŚaśinī (शशिनी) refers to one of the eight wisdoms (vidyās) described in the ‘guhyamaṇḍala-karaṇābhinaya’ chapter of the 9th-century Vajrāmṛtatantra or Vajrāmṛtamahātantra: one of the main and earliest Buddhist Yoginītantras. The first chapter begins, in the fashion of the ‘explanatory tantras’ (vyākhyātantra), by stating that the actual teachings have already been imparted; the Goddess (Devī) Māmakī then asks for insights on the means to achieve (sādhana) the supreme Nectar of the Vajra (vajrāmṛta) [...] Afterwards, the text describes the door-guardians (dvārapāla) and the eight Wisdoms (vidyā) [viz., Śaśinī, etc.] which are located in the eight leaves of the lotus.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryśaśinī (शशिनी).—a S (Loc. case of śaśi Moon. Occurring in poetry.) Moon-lit--the night.
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 dictionaryŚaśinī (शशिनी).—Name of one of the sixteen digits of the moon.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚaśinī (शशिनी):—[from śaśin > śaś] f. Name of the 8th Kalā of the moon, [Catalogue(s)]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusŚaśini (ಶಶಿನಿ):—[noun] name of one of the sixteen digits of the moon.
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)
Full-text (+1): Shodashakala, Avantarakalpa, Ratna, Jyotsna, Ritu, Payasvati, Shikara, Sushitala, Ghritavati, Chaya, Varanasi, Kumudvat, Nand, Antarhita, Varaha, Sasin, Kumudvant, Ric, Matricakra, Guhyamandalakaranabhinaya.
Relevant text
Search found 20 books and stories containing Shashini, Śaśinī, Sasini, Śaśini; (plurals include: Shashinis, Śaśinīs, Sasinis, Śaśinis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter XXI - Mode of worshipping, the Panchavaktra (fivefaced) manifestation of Shiva < [Agastya Samhita]
Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 4.18 < [Chapter 4 - Impregnation]
Verse 5.8 < [Chapter 5 - Birth Matters]
Verse 4.22 < [Chapter 4 - Impregnation]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Yavanajataka by Sphujidhvaja [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 9.10 < [Chapter 9 - The Birth of the Sovereigns of Thieves]
Verse 8.25 < [Chapter 8 - The Birth of Sovereigns]
Verse 9.22 < [Chapter 9 - The Birth of the Sovereigns of Thieves]
Sanskrit dramas by Kerala authors (Study) (by S. Subramania Iyer)
9. Influence of other works (in the Kamalini Rajahamsa) < [Chapter 7: Kamalinirajahamsa (Kamalini Rajahamsa) (Study)]
Abhijnana Sakuntala (with Katayavema commentary) (by C. Sankara Rama Sastri)
Slokasuci (shloka-suci) < [Abhijnana Sakuntalam, text and commentary]
Chapter 4 - Sanskrit text (caturtha-anka) < [Abhijnana Sakuntalam, text and commentary]
Chapter 4 - Notes and Analysis of Fourth Act < [Abhijnana Sakuntalam, text and commentary]