Shonita, Soṇita, Śoṇita, Sonita: 28 definitions
Introduction:
Shonita means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi, biology. 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 Śoṇita can be transliterated into English as Sonita or Shonita, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Shonit.
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Śoṇita (शोणित) refers to the “blood” (of an elephant), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 8, “on marks of character”]: “21. Who does not feel the impact of the hook when it breaks the skin or draws blood (śoṇita-srāva), even until it pierces his flesh [tvagbhedācchoṇitasrāvādāmāṃsavyathanādapi], he is one of deep sensitivity”.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Śoṇita (शोणित) refers to “female genetic prototype”. It is one of the factors in determining the Prakṛti, which is the genetically determined physical and mental constitution of an individual. Also see Śukra, which refers to the “male genetic prototype”. The term is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Suśruta-saṃhitā and the Caraka-saṃhitā.
Śoṇita (शोणित):—1. Synonym of Rakta. 2. Synonym of Ārtava.
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)
Śoṇita (शोणित) or Śoṇitapura is the name of an ancient town, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.15 (“The penance and reign of Tārakāsura”).—Accordingly, after Tāraka requested boons from Brahmā: “O excellent sage, thus requested by that demon, I granted him two boons and hastened back to my abode. Securing the excellent boon in accordance with his cherished desire, the demon was very glad and went to the town Śoṇita [i.e., śoṇitākhyapuraṃ]. That great demon was crowned the king of the three worlds with the permission of Śukra, the preceptor of the demons. [...]”.
Note: Śoṇita was the capital of the Asura territory, later on called Bāṇapura, as it was ruled by the powerful Asura Bāṇa, the devotee of Śiva. According to Dey (G. D. PP. 21, 189) Śoṇitapura is still called by that name, and is situated in Kamaun on the bank of the river Kedāra-Gaṅgā or Mandākinī about 6 miles from Uṣāmaṭha at a short distance from Guptakāśī”.
Śoṇita (शोणित).—A son of Śūra.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 71. 138; Vāyu-purāṇa 96. 136.
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)
Śoṇita (शोणित) refers to “blood” and is used to describe Goddess Śuṣkā, according to the Devīpañcaśatikā verse 2.74-79.—Accordingly: “One should draw the supreme goddess there. She is Śuṣkā and, auspicious, her face is emaciated. She has two arms and one face. She has no flesh and no blood (runs through her veins) [i.e., śoṇita—māṃsaśoṇitavarjitām]. (Made of just) tendons and bones, her body is thin and she likes (to eat) human entrails and the like constantly. She is seated on Rudra’s severed head and her feet are placed on two (others). On the left is Viṣṇu’s head and on the right that of Indra and her legs are bent. She is the first (of all the deities) and fills (and nourishes all things). [...]”.
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.
Kavya (poetry)
Śoṇita (शोणित) (Cf. Rudhira) refers to “blood”, according to Bāṇa’s Kādambarī (p. 224-228).—Accordingly, “[Then he notices the dvārapāla (guardian of the gate), about which it is said that] [Caṇḍikā] had protected her entrance with an iron buffalo installed in front, which, because of the fact that it had been marked by palms [dyed with] red-sandalwood, seemed to have been stamped by Yama’s hand-prints red with blood (rudhira-aruṇa), the red eyes of which were being licked by jackals greedy for drops of blood (śoṇita-lava)”.
Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Śoṇita (शोणित) refers to the “blood (of serpents)”, according to the Viṣvaksena Samhitā (verse 26.61) which mentions the efficacy of the Garuḍa-mantra by paying obeisance to him.—It mentions that Garuḍa also renowned as Suparṇa, the king of birds and the illustrious son of Vinatā, is adorned by the eight divine serpents residing in the seven nether-worlds; his body is smeared with the blood of serpents (nāga-śoṇita) he has slain. Garuḍa is eulogised as the vehicle of Viṣṇu, who can make the three worlds tremble with his primal strength, and who conquered Brahmā and the other gods (and brought the nectar) to free his mother from bondage:
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Śoṇita (शोणित) refers to “blood” (which, when coming into contact with certain vessels, pollutes them), according to the Pātravidhi—a manual of the Lakulīśa Pāśupata school of Śaivism dealing with purification of the initiate’s vessel (pātra) and other concerned issues.—Accordingly, “One should abandon altogether vessels made of clay, wood and fruit, which have come into contact with phlegm, tears, pus, stools, urine, liquor, sperm and blood (śoṇita). One should abandon altogether a vessel which is touched by a thief, an outcast, one who has lost his status by committing a crime, a dog, a man of Bhilla or some other [wild tribes], and also [a vessel which has come into contact] with a crow’s faeces and similar [polluting] things. A vessel very much spoiled [by impure substance] should be broken and floated in water. (44–46ab)”.
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.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Śoṇita (शोणित) refers to “blood”, according Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XLVI).—There are also Pretas who emit fire from their mouth (ulkāmukha): flying butterflies throw themselves into this fire, and the Pretas eat them. There are also Pretas who eat excrement (gūtha), spit (śleṣman), pus and blood (pūya-śoṇita), the water from laundry, who feed on oblations (śraddhabhoktṛ) or who devour the afterbirth (garbhamalāhāra). There are all kinds of starving Pretas of this kind.
Śoṇita (शोणित) refers to “blood”, which is to be meditated upon in the Aśubhabhāvanā or “reflections on the repulsive” (e.g., “the examination of the body as having the nature of a collection of faeces, etc.”), according to the Tattvaratnāvalī (“a jewel garland of true reality”)—the title of one of the 26 texts revolving around the theme of amanasikāra (“non-conceptual realization”) ascribed to Maitrīpa (c. 986–1063)—an influential late Indian Buddhist master who helped bring Mahāsiddha-style Mahāmudrā teachings into a monastic Mahāyāna scholastic setting.—Accordingly, [while describing the “inferior (mṛdu)” philosophy of Śrāvakayāna]: Persons carrying a load exist. I neither call them permanent, nor do I call them impermanent. Persons with attachment wander [in saṃsāra]. Therefore, in order to abandon attachment, the meditation is the cultivation of the repulsive. This cultivation of the repulsive is the examination of the body as having the nature of a collection of faeces, urine, semen, blood (śoṇita), phlegm, mucus, intestines, joints, lungs, sticky matter from the eyes, kidneys, spleen, liver and so forth. This is stated (in Bodhicaryāvatāra V.62-63)”.
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Shonita in India is the name of a plant defined with Crocus sativus in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Safran officinarum Medik. (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Regnum Vegetabile, or ‘a Series of Handbooks for the Use of Plant Taxonomists and Plant Geographers’ (1993)
· Illustrations of the Botany of the Himalayan Mountains (1834)
· Nomenclator Botanicus (1840)
· Species Plantarum (1753)
· BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2004)
· Gard. Chron. (1879)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Shonita, for example diet and recipes, health benefits, extract dosage, chemical composition, side effects, pregnancy safety, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
soṇita : (nt.) blood.
Soṇita, (nt.) (Sk. śoṇita, fr. śoṇa red) blood Th. 2, 467; DA. I, 120; Vism. 259. (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
śōṇita (शोणित).—n S Blood.
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śōṇita (शोणित).—a S Blood-colored.
śōṇita (शोणित).—n Blood. a Blood-coloured.
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
Śoṇita (शोणित).—a. [śoṇ-itac]
1) Red, purple, crimson.
-ṇam 1 Blood; उपस्थिता शोणितपारणा मे (upasthitā śoṇitapāraṇā me) R.2.39; Ve.1.21; Mu.1.8.
2) Saffron.
Śoṇīta (शोणीत).—m.c. for Sanskrit śoṇita, blood: Lalitavistara 208.14 (verse); also AMg. soṇīya, Ācār. (Schubring) 39.10 (Smith, see § 1.38 fn. 15, p. 12).
Śoṇita (शोणित).—mfn.
(-taḥ-tā-taṃ) Red, crimson, purple. n.
(-taṃ) 1. Blood. 2. Saffron. E. śoṇa redness, itac aff.
Śoṇita (शोणित).—i. e. śoṇa + ita, I. adj. Red, crimson, [Raghuvaṃśa, (ed. Stenzler.)] 2, 39. Ii. n. 1. Blood, [Pañcatantra] iii. [distich] 32. 2. Saffron.
Śoṇita (शोणित).—[neuter] blood; [abstract] tva [neuter]
1) Śoṇita (शोणित):—[from śoṇ] mfn. red, [Horace H. Wilson]
2) [v.s. ...] n. (ifc. f(ā). ) blood (also [plural]), [Gṛhya-sūtra and śrauta-sūtra] etc. etc.
3) [v.s. ...] n. the sap of trees, resin, [Suśruta]
4) [v.s. ...] saffron, [Bhāvaprakāśa]
5) Śonita (शोनित):—śonāya, śonita, incorrect for śoṇāya, ṇita.
Śoṇita (शोणित):—(taṃ) 1. n. Blood; saffron. a. Red, crimson, purple.
Śoṇita (शोणित):—(von śoṇa) n.
1) Blut [Amarakoṣa 2, 6, 2, 15. 3, 4, 26, 202.] [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 2, 6, 17.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 621.] [Halāyudha 3, 10.] [Yāska’s Nirukta 14, 5. 6.] [Aśvalāyana’s Śrautasūtrāni 3, 11, 5.] [GṚHY. 4, 8, 27.] [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 25, 11, 25.] [GOBH. 3, 10, 26.] śoṇitaṃ yāvataḥ pāṃsūṃsaṃgṛhṇāti mahītale [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 11, 207. 4, 168.] māṃsaśoṇitalepana [6, 76. 8, 287.] [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 3, 93.] [Suśruta 1, 43, 2.] ārtava [17. 45, 1.] pāraṇā [Raghuvaṃśa 2, 39. 3, 54.] [Śākuntala 154.] [Spr. (II) 5469.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 46, 27. 69, 28.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 3, 28, 28] (śonita fehlerhaft [BURNOUF]). śoṇa [Spr. (II) 1073.] [Kāvyaprakāśa (1866) 70, 13.] [Sāhityadarpana 146, 5.] śoṇitokṣita [Mahābhārata 3, 16862.] [Rāmāyaṇa 2, 97, 29.] pāṃsuśoṇitadigdhāṅga [63, 34.] parītāṅga [1, 2, 14.] varṣin von Blut triefend [Rājataraṅgiṇī 4, 278.] gātrāṇi visṛjanti sma śoṇitam [Mahābhārata 3, 12129.] viprasyotpādya śoṇitam [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 11, 208] śoṇitotpādaka [4, 168.] ja [Suśruta 1, 46, 7.] vardhana [47, 3.] śoṇitāsthāpana blutstillend [2, 8, 8.] srāva [Weber’s Verzeichniss No. 958.] [Oxforder Handschriften 315], a, [4 v. u.] retaḥśoṇitayoriyaṃ pariṇatiryadvarṣma [Spr. (II) 5800.] [Rāmāyaṇa 2, 108, 11.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 76, 1.] śveta [Harivaṃśa 8445.] plur. [9349.] [Rāmāyaṇa 3, 1, 24.] pūyaśoṇitaiḥ [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 5, 123.] pūyaśoṇitam [3, 180.] māṃsaśoṇitam gaṇa gavāśvādi zu [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 2, 4, 11.] [Kathāsaritsāgara 22, 232] (śonita gedr.). am Ende eines adj. comp. (f. ā): uparataśoṇitā (ein menstruirendes Weib) [GOBH. 2, 5, 6.] [Mahābhārata 4, 2019. 7, 3388.] chinna (kṛṣṇamṛgaḥ pakvaḥ) [Rāmāyaṇa 2, 56, 23.] saṃśuṣka [3, 26, 8.] pītaśoṇitāḥ khaḍgalatāḥ [Kathāsaritsāgara 50, 5.] sa (kalaha) [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 89, 3.] —
2) Baumsaft, Harz [Suśruta 2, 324, 2.] — Vgl. jīva, vāta .
Śoṇita (शोणित) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Soṇia.
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
Śoṇita (शोणित) [Also spelled shonit]:—(nm) blood; (a) red, bloody; —[śarkarā] blood sugar.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Śōṇita (ಶೋಣಿತ):—[adjective] = ಶೋಣ [shona]1.
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Śōṇita (ಶೋಣಿತ):—
1) [noun] = ಶೋಣ [shona]2 - 7.
2) [noun] the dried, aromatic stigmas of the perennial plant Crocus sativus of Iridaceae family, used in flavouring and colouring foods, and formerly in medicine; saffron powder.
3) [noun] a reproductive cell produced by women; the ovum; the egg.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Śoṇita (शोणित):—adj. red; purple; crimson; n. red; blood;
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 (+20): Shonitabhishyanda, Shonitabhrit, Shonitabinduvarshin, Shonitacandana, Shonitadigdha, Shonitadushti, Shonitagandha, Shonitahvaya, Shonitaja, Shonitajavrana, Shonitakhya, Shonitaksha, Shonitalava, Shonitam, Shonitamamsasara, Shonitamaya, Shonitamehana, Shonitamehi, Shonitamehin, Shonitapa.
Full-text (+126): Shonitapura, Vatashonita, Puyashonita, Jivashonita, Shonitopala, Shonitahvaya, Shonitokshita, Shonitapa, Shonitasharkara, Shonitacandana, Shonitapitta, Trinashonita, Mamsashonita, Shonitatva, Pittashonita, Shonitaparana, Shonitamehin, Pitashonita, Shonitavarnana, Manushyashonita.
Relevant text
Search found 61 books and stories containing Shonita, Soṇita, Śoṇita, Sonita, Śōṇita, Śoṇīta, Śonita; (plurals include: Shonitas, Soṇitas, Śoṇitas, Sonitas, Śōṇitas, Śoṇītas, Śonitas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dāsa)
Text 7.7 < [Chapter 7 - Literary Faults]
Text 10.248 < [Chapter 10 - Ornaments of Meaning]
Text 8.30 < [Chapter 8 - Literary Qualities]
Charaka Samhita (English translation) (by Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurvedic Society)
Chapter 29 - The therapeutics of Rheumatic Conditions (vata-shonita-cikitsa) < [Cikitsasthana (Cikitsa Sthana) — Section on Therapeutics]
Chapter 24 - The Blood derived through Systematic Regimen (Vidhi-shonita) < [Sutrasthana (Sutra Sthana) — General Principles]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Understanding Garbha: Insights from Ancient Ayurvedic and Agama Texts < [2018: Volume 7, April issue 7]
A conceptual review of rakta dhatu < [2021: Volume 10, April issue 4]
A conceptual review of deha prakriti with respect to artava pravrutti < [2021: Volume 10, December issue 14]
Charaka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita (by Nayana Sharma)
Aetiology of Disease < [Chapter 4]
Gender in the Saṃhitās < [Chapter 5]
The Saṃhitās (Introduction) < [Chapter 1]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Comprehensive study of adhoshakhagata urvi marma < [2018, Issue XI, November]
The concept of foetal anomalies in ayurveda < [2023, Issue 06, June]
Critical analysis of nidana and nidanaparivarjana in hridroga < [2021, Issue 9, September]
International Research Journal of Ayurveda and Yoga
Understanding Vatavyadhi as a Sequelaeae of Metabolic Syndrome And Its... < [Vol. 7 No. 3: March (2024)]
A Comprehensive Study on Diabetic Foot Ulcer & its Management < [Vol. 5 No. 10: Oct (2022)]
Effect of Garbha Samgari in Production for Healthy Child < [Vol. 5 No. 1: jan (2022)]