Shashthidevi, Ṣaṣṭhīdevī: 2 definitions

Introduction:

Shashthidevi means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 Ṣaṣṭhīdevī can be transliterated into English as Sasthidevi or Shashthidevi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Shashthidevi in Purana glossary
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Ṣaṣṭhīdevī (षष्ठीदेवी).—General. A Devī born out of (1/6) part of original nature (Mūlaprakṛti). Since she was born out of 16 part, she is called Ṣaṣṭhīdevī. Also called Devasenā, Ṣaṣṭhīdevī is the patron-devī of children. She grants them life. She protects them as the real mother and always remains by their side. She has earned Siddhis by the practice of yoga, is the best among the aṣṭamātṛs (eight mothers) and is the wife of Subrahmaṇya. Blessings of the Devī. She is foremost among the devīs, who bless children. There is a story in the ninth canto of Devī Bhāgavata revealing the importance of Ṣaṣṭhīdevī.

Though Priyavrata, son of Svāyambhuva Manu was at first averse to marriage he, at last, married, on the insistence of Brahmā, a woman called Mālinī. For long he had no issues and sad at heart he got a putrakāmeṣṭi yajña performed by Kaśyapaprajāpati as a result of which Mālinī got pregnant, and delivered in the twelfth year. But, the child was still-born and Priyavrata set out with the corpse for the burning ghat. But, he could not make up his mind to give it up and so decided himself also to court death. Then he saw a divine plane stop there with a woman in it, who spoke to him as follows: "I am Devasenādevī, the mental daughter of Brahmā and wife of Skandadeva. It is I, who grant son to the sonless, wife to the wifeless, husband to the husbandless, wealth to the poor and the results of their actions to all." So saying the Devī took from Priyavrata the corpse of his child and brought it back to life. (See full article at Story of Ṣaṣṭhīdevī from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

Purana book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Shashthidevi in Sanskrit glossary
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Ṣaṣṭhīdevī (षष्ठीदेवी):—[=ṣaṣṭhī-devī] [from ṣaṣṭhī > ṣaṣ] f. the goddess Ṣaṣṭhī, [Kādambarī; Religious Thought and Life in India 229.]

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.

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