Shashvata, Śāśvata, Śāśvatā: 24 definitions
Introduction:
Shashvata means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
The Sanskrit terms Śāśvata and Śāśvatā can be transliterated into English as Sasvata or Shashvata, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Shasvat.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Śāśvata (शाश्वत).—Of the south.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 45. 130.
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.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Śāśvata (शाश्वत):—[śāśvatam] Eternal: immortal, everlasting
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
1) Śāśvata (शाश्वत) refers to “eternal reality” [e.g., the eternal reality], 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 is himself the knower who is liberated and is the eternal (reality) [i.e., śāśvata] at the End of Sound. In this way, O Lord, he should abandon delusion. [...]”.
2) Śāśvata (शाश्वत) or Śāśvataśūnya refers to the “eternal void”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra.—Accordingly, “[...] (16) Above that is the eternal Void [i.e., śāśvata-śūnya—śāśvataṃ śūnyaṃ]. (There) one should think of nothing. Then, having emptied the mind (one attains) Nirvāṇa, the supreme plane. Having contemplated the End of the Nine, which is supreme, (one attains) Nirvāṇa, the supreme plane. The renouncer, having contemplated the End of the Nine, is freed from bondage. [...]”.
3) Śāśvata (शाश्वत) refers to one of the eight Bhairavas (bhairava-aṣṭaka) associated with Avyaktapīṭha (i.e., ‘the unmanifest seat’ representing the act of churning—manthāna), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra.—[...] The eight Bhairavas (bhairavāṣṭaka): Nitya, Nāda, Aja, Kāraṇa, Avyaya, Sarvaga, Śāśvata, Sthāṇu.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Śāśvata (शाश्वत) refers to “(one who is) eternal” and is used to describe Amṛteśa, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 9.5-11, while explaining the universality of Amṛteśa]—“Amṛteśa is supreme. He is free of disease. His nature is inherent, fully enumerated, constant, eternal (śāśvata—śāśvataṃ), and immovable. [He has] no form or color, and is the highest truth. Because of that, he is omnipresent. The splendid Deva delights in all āgamas, pervades all mantras, and grants all siddhis. In this way, he is like a transparent crystal sewn onto a colored thread, always reflected with its color, [and] seeking [to] look like this and that. [...]”.
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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Śāśvatā (शाश्वता) [or śāśvata] is the name of an ancient Pāñcarātra Saṃhitā mentioned in the Bhāradvājasaṃhitā or “Bhāradvāja-kaṇva-saṃhitā”: a Pāñcarātra text comprising some 230 ślokas mainly concerned with basic details concerning temple construction and icon consecration.—In the first chapter of the Bhāradvāja-Saṃhitā a list of canonical titles is given—supposedly, but not actually naming “108” titles. The list is almost identical to that found in the Kapiñjala-saṃhitā.
Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Śāśvata (शाश्वत) refers to “eternal”, according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter 19).—Accordingly, “The Buddha is also called Lou kia pai (lokavid). Loka means world and Vid means to know. The expression thus means ‘Knower of the world’. [Question.—How does he know the world?]—[...] Finally, he knows that the world by its nature is neither eternal (śāśvata) nor non-eternal (aśāśvata), neither finite (antavat) nor infinite (ananta), neither changing (cyuta) nor unchanging (acyuta). He is not attached (abhiniviśata) to such characteristics (lakṣaṇa). Pure (viśuddha), eternal (nitya), unalterable (avipraṇaśa), [the world] is like space (ākāśasama). This is why he is called Lokavid”.
Śāśvata (शाश्वत) refers to “(the view of) eternity”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Son of good family, there are eight purities of the insight (prajñā) of the Bodhisattvas. What are the eight? To with, (1) although they attain all good qualities, they do not stick to the view of eternity (śāśvata-dṛṣṭi); (2) although they strive to get rid of all bad qualities, they do not fall into the view of annihilation; (3) although they enter into dependent origination, they are not contradictory with the tolerance that all things are unborn; (4) although they illuminate four kinds of special knowledge, they are not attached to interpretation and eloquence; [...]”.
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)
Śāśvata (शाश्वत).—Tīrthaṅkaras are called Śāśvata-Jinas because in every Utsarpiṇī or Avasarpiṇī era names of these four tīrthaṅkaras are always repeated and they flourish in any of the fifteen karmabhūmis.
The traditional description of these images (pratimā) is the same in all Āgama texts. These Śāśvata-pratimās are desenbed as follows: “the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet are made of gold. The nails arc made of aṅka jewels, while the delicate portion under them is of the lohitākṣa jewel. The shanks, the knees, the thighs, the limbs of the body, the navels, the nipples, and the śrīvatsa mark on the chest are all wought out of gold. The line of hair on the body, the retina of the eyes, the eye-lashes and eye-brows are made of the rista(?)-jewel, while the lips are of coral and the teeth of crystals. The inner part of the nose is of lohitākṣa jewel while the tongue, the plate, the nostrils, the cheeks, the ears and the forehead and the śrīvatsa marks are all of gold. The bones of the forehead are adamantine”.
Śāśvata (शाश्वत) refers to “eternal”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “If the body were extraordinary or absolutely eternal (atyanta-śāśvata), then on account of [that] it is suitable to do a despicable action for the sake of it”.
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.
India history and geography
Śāśvata (शाश्वत) (in Sanskrit) refers to the Saval-bahal—one of the Eighteen major Bahals (Vihāras) or “enclosed courtyards” found in the area of Old Kathmandu, situated in the Nepal Mandala (lit. “circle or country of Nepal”), the ancient name for the Kathmandu Valley. A Bahal is a type of ‘sacred monastery’ or ‘courtyard’ constructed according to traditional Newari Architecture and hence found primarily in Nepal amongst Newar communities. These buildings play a big role in maintaining the norms of their society and lifestyle. There is a common list of eighteen major such Temples (bahals) found in Old Kathmandu. For example Saval-bahal, which is also known by its Sanskrit name Surathakṛta-Mahāvihāra or Śāśvata-Mahāvihāra.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, 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
Marathi-English dictionary
śāśvata (शाश्वत).—a Everlasting; durable. f Per- petuity. Ex. hyā dēhācī śāśvata nāhīṃ mhaṇūna īśvarabhajanīṃ lāgāvēṃ.
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
Śāśvata (शाश्वत).—a. (-tī f.)
1) [śaśvad bhavaḥ aṇ]
1) Eternal, perpetual, everlasting; शाश्वतीः समाः (śāśvatīḥ samāḥ) Rām.1.2.15 (= Uttararāmacarita 2. 5) 'for eternal years', 'ever more', 'for all time to come'; श्रेयसे शाश्वतो देवो वराहः परिकल्पताम् (śreyase śāśvato devo varāhaḥ parikalpatām) Uttararāmacarita 5.27 (v. l.); R.14.14.
2) All.
-taḥ 1 Name of Śiva.
2) Of Vyāsa.
3) The sun.
4) Name of a lexicographer.
-tam 1 Heaven.
2) Eternity, continuity.
-tam ind. Eternally, perpetually, for ever.
Śāśvata (शाश्वत).—mfn.
(-taḥ-tī-taṃ) Eternal, perpetual. m.
(-taḥ) 1. A name of Vyasa 2. Siva. 3. The sun. n.
(-taṃ) Heaven, ether. f. (-tī) The earth. E. śaśvat perpetually, aṇ aff.
Śāśvata (शाश्वत).—i. e. śaśvant + a, I. adj., f. tī, 1. All, [Uttara Rāmacarita, 2. ed. Calc., 1862.] 36, 7; Mahābhārata 12, 9192. 2. Eternal, [Hitopadeśa] ii. [distich] 60; perpetual, Böhtl. Ind. Spr. 101 (with na, perishable); ºtam, adv. Constantly, [Mālatīmādhava, (ed. Calc.)] 3, 5. Ii. m. 1. A name of Vyāsa. 2. Śiva. 3. The sun. Iii. f. tī, The earth. Iv. n. Heaven.
Śāśvata (शाश्वत).—[feminine] ī constant, perpetual, uninterrupted, eternal; [neuter] = seq.
1) Śāśvata (शाश्वत) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—poet. [Subhāshitāvali by Vallabhadeva]
2) Śāśvata (शाश्वत):—Anekārthasamuccaya lex. Quoted by Kṣirasvāmin, by Vararuci Oxf. 167^a, in Gaṇaratnamahodadhi, by Medinīkara, Ujjvaladatta, Mallinātha, and others.
3) Śāśvata (शाश्वत):—Meghadūtaṭīkā.
1) Śāśvata (शाश्वत):—mf(ī)n. ([from] śaśvat) eternal, constant, perpetual, all (śāśvatībhyaḥ samābhyaḥ, śāśvatīḥ samāḥ, or śāśvatam, for evermore, incessantly, eternally), [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā] etc. etc.
2) about to happen, future, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
3) m. Name of Śiva, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) of Vyāsa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) of a son of Śruta (and father of Su-dhanvan), [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
6) of a poet and various other writers ([especially] of a lexicographer, author of the Anekārtha-samuccaya)
7) n. continuity, eternity, [Mahābhārata]
8) heaven, ether, [Horace H. Wilson]
Śāśvata (शाश्वत):—[(taḥ-tī-taṃ) a.] Eternal, perpetual. m. Vyāsa; Shiva f. (ī) Earth. n. Ether, sky.
Śāśvata (शाश्वत):—
Śāśvata (शाश्वत) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Sāsaya.
Śāśvata (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 常 [cháng]: “permanent”.
2) 法常住 [fǎ cháng zhù]: “dharma that is eternally abiding”..
Note: śāśvata can be alternatively written as: śāśvatam.
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
Śāśvata (शाश्वत) [Also spelled shasvat]:—(a) eternal, immortal, perpetual; permanent; ~[tā] eternity, perpetuality, immortality; permanence.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Śāśvata (ಶಾಶ್ವತ):—[adjective] without end; everlasting; permanent; eternal.
--- OR ---
Śāśvata (ಶಾಶ್ವತ):—
1) [noun] that which is eternal.
2) [noun] the Supreme Being; the Eternal.
3) [noun] Śiva.
4) [noun] Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, the sage who collected, classified and edited the vedas.
5) [noun] the sun.
6) [noun] the heaven.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Śāśvata (शाश्वत):—adj. eternal; perpetual; everlasting; n. 1. heaven; 2. space; the universe;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+0): Shashvatadrishti, Shashvatadrishtika, Shashvatalakshana, Shashvatam, Shashvatamahavihara, Shashvatamandira, Shashvatananda, Shashvatanta, Shashvatapada, Shashvataprasanga, Shashvatasamhita, Shashvatashunya, Shashvatata, Shashvatate, Shashvatatva, Shashvatatvaprasanga, Shashvatavada, Shashvatavadin, Shashvatavajra, Shashvatoccheda.
Full-text (+108): Ashashvata, Parishashvata, Shashvatatva, Shashvatadrishti, Shashvatoccheda, Shashvatam, Shashvatamandira, Shashvatapada, Shashvatadrishtika, Naivashashvata, Ucchedashashvata, Shashvataprasanga, Shashvatalakshana, Ucchedashashvatavadin, Shashvatavada, Shashvatavadin, Shashvatasamhita, Atyantashashvata, Chang zhu lun, Shashvatashunya.
Relevant text
Search found 109 books and stories containing Shashvata, Śāśvata, Sasvata, Śaśvata, Śāśvatā; (plurals include: Shashvatas, Śāśvatas, Sasvatas, Śaśvatas, Śāśvatās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 1.72.1 < [Sukta 72]
Bhagavad-gita (with Vaishnava commentaries) (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verse 18.56 < [Chapter 18 - Mokṣa-yoga (the Yoga of Liberation)]
Verses 10.12-13 < [Chapter 10 - Vibhūti-yoga (appreciating the opulences of the Supreme Lord)]
Verse 1.42 < [Chapter 1 - Sainya-Darśana (Observing the Armies)]
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Division of Time < [Chapter 3 - Social Aspects]
Daily Life (3): Perfumes < [Chapter 3 - Social Aspects]
Earth and its aspects < [Chapter 5 - Aspects of Nature]
Krishna Sandarbha of Jiva Goswami (by Kusakratha Prabhu)
Ushaharana Kavya of Trivikrama Pandita (Study) (by Pranesh R. Archak)
Part 3 - The story of Usha and Aniruddha in the Padma Purana < [Chapter 3 - Sources of the Ushaharana-kavya]
Discovery of Sanskrit Treasures (seven volumes) (by Satya Vrat Shastri)
6.4. The concept of Acara or Sadacara (good conduct) < [Volume 7 - Society and Culture]
10. Some Peripheral Literature: Lexicography and Medicine < [Volume 3 - Classical Sanskrit Literature]
Index of Third volume < [Volume 3 - Classical Sanskrit Literature]