Shravana, aka: Śravaṇā, Sravana, Śravaṇa, Śrāvaṇa; 19 Definition(s)

Introduction

Shravana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, 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 terms Śravaṇā and Śravaṇa and Śrāvaṇa can be transliterated into English as Sravana or Shravana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Sravana (blood-letting) is to be carried out in skin diseases, vidradhis, localised swelling, etc. (described in the Sushruta Samhita)

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.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Śravaṇa (श्रवण):—Name for a particular section of the ecliptic. It is also known as Śravaṇa-nakṣatra. Nakṣatra means “Lunar mansion” and corresponds to a specific region of the sky through which the moon passes each day. Śravaṇa means “hearing, reception” and is associated with the deity known as Viṣṇu (God of existence). The presiding Lord of this lunar house is Chandra (Moon).

Indian zodiac: |10°| – |23°20' Makara|
Makara (मकर, “sea-monster”) corresponds with Capricorn.

Western zodiac: |6°| – |19°20' Aquarius|
Aquarius corresponds with Kumbha (कुम्भ, “pitcher”).

context information

Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Śravaṇā (श्रवणा) is a Sanskrit word referring to the asterism Aquilae. According to the Nāṭyaśāstra 2.43-45, the ceremony of “raising the pillars” within the playhouse (nāṭyamaṇḍapa) should be performed during an auspicious tithi and karaṇa under either the asterism Rohiṇī or Śravaṇā. Accordingly, “the master [of dramatic art], after he has fasted for three [days and] nights, is to raise the pillars in an auspicious moment at dawn”. These two asterisms are considered auspicious for this purpose.

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing dramatic plays (nataka) and poetic works (kavya).

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Śravaṇa (श्रवण).—Name of a settlement (janapada) situated near the seven great mountains on the western side of mount Naiṣadha, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 83. These settlements consume the water flowing from these seven great mountains (Viśākha, Kambala, Jayanta, Kṛṣṇa, Harita, Aśoka and Vardhamāna). Niṣadha (Naiṣadha) is one of the seven mountains located in Jambūdvīpa, ruled over by Āgnīdhra, a grandson of Svāyambhuva Manu, who was created by Brahmā, who was in turn created by Nārāyaṇa, the unknowable all-pervasive primordial being.

1) Śravaṇa (श्रवण).—A son of Murāsura. Murāsura had seven sons. They were: Tāmra, Antarīkṣa, Śravaṇa, Vasu, Vibhāvasu, Nabhasvān and Aruṇa. They were all killed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 10).

2) Śravaṇa (श्रवण).—One of the twentyseven stars (nakṣatras). Those who perform Śrāddha on the day of this star will attain heaven. (Mahābhārata Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 39, Verse 11).

3) Śrāvaṇa (श्रावण).—See 3rd Para under Daśaratha.

Śravaṇa (श्रवण) or Śravaṇa Dvādaśī is the name of a festival that once existed in ancient Kashmir (Kaśmīra) as mentioned in the Nīlamatapurāṇa.—Śravaṇa Dvādaśī proceeds as follows: Fasting and the worship of Viṣṇu are prescribed on the dark 12th of Phālguṇa conjoined with Śravaṇa constellation.

Śravaṇa (श्रवण, “listening”) refers to one of the three rites mentioned in the Śivapurāṇa 1.3. Accordingly, “[...] Rites mentioned in the Vedas should be performed with the fruits thereof dedicated to Him. Thence, through Sālokya he attains the feet of the great Lord. [...] Regarding visible things people see with their eyes and begin their activity. Concerning the invisible everywhere, they know through the ears and activise themselves. Hence Śravaṇa (listening) is the first rite. The intelligent scholar must listen to the oral explanation of the preceptor and then practise the other rites.—Kīrtana (glorifying) and Manana ( deliberation)”.

According to Śivapurāṇa 1.4, “Śravaṇa (listening) is effected when one associates with good men. Then the Kīrtana of Paśupati becomes steady. In the end is the Manana which is the most excellent. All these take place as a result of benevolent surveillance of Lord Śiva”.

1a) Śravaṇa (श्रवण).—The constellation;¹ importance of Śrāddha that day.²

• 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IV. 12. 48; Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 127; 53. 116; 66. 51; 82. 11.
• 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 18. 11.

1b) A son of Mura.^*

• * Bhāgavata-purāṇa X. 59. 12.

1c) A son of Aśvinī and Akrūra.^*

• * Matsya-purāṇa 45. 33.

1d) A Janapada of the Ketumālā.^*

• * Vāyu-purāṇa 44. 15.

2) Śravaṇā (श्रवणा).—A daughter of Citraka.^*

• * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 71. 115; Vāyu-purāṇa 96. 114.

3a) Śrāvaṇa (श्रावण).—The name of the month and Nakṣatra; god for gift of the vāyu purāṇa;¹ Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī of this month good for śrāddha.²

• 1) Matsya-purāṇa 53. 19; 56. 4; 57. 17; 60. 34; 124. 50.
• 2) Matsya-purāṇa 17. 8.

3b) A son of Gautama, an avatār of the 14th dvāpara.^*

• * Vāyu-purāṇa 23, 164.

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.

Vastushastra (architecture)

Śravaṇa (श्रवण) refers to the twenty-third of twenty-seven constellations (ṛkṣa), according to the Mānasāra. Ṛkṣa is the third of the āyādiṣaḍvarga, or “six principles” that constitute the “horoscope” of an architectural or iconographic object. Their application is intended to “verify” the measurements of the architectural and iconographic object against the dictates of astrology that lay out the conditions of auspiciousness.

The particular nakṣatra, also known as ṛkṣa (eg., śravaṇa) of all architectural and iconographic objects (settlement, building, image) must be calculated and ascertained. This process is based on the principle of the remainder. An arithmetical formula to be used in each case is stipulated, which engages one of the basic dimensions of the object (breadth, length, or perimeter/circumference). In the context of village planning and measurement, the text sates that among the stars (ṛkṣa), the ones that are pūrṇa (odd), are auspicious and the ones that are karṇa (even), inauspicious.

context information

Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Śravaṇa (श्रवण).—Hearing of a phonetic element or a word in the actual speech; audition; cf. तस्य चोदात्तस्वरितपरत्वे श्रवणं स्पष्टम् (tasya codāttasvaritaparatve śravaṇaṃ spaṣṭam) S. K. on P.I.2.32. In many technical grammatical terms, affixes and substitutes, there is sometimes a portion of them which is not a vital part of the word, but it is for the sake of causing certain prescribed grammatical operations. The letters or syllables which form such a portion are called इत् (it) and they are only for the sake of grammatical operations (कार्यार्थ (kāryārtha)), as contrasted with the other ones which are actually heard (श्रुत्यर्थ (śrutyartha) or श्रवणार्थ (śravaṇārtha)).

Dharmashastra (religious law)

Śravaṇa (श्रवण) refers to the first of three stages of learning according to the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad, forming part of the ancient Indian education system, which aimed at both the inner and the outer dimension of a person. In the first stage, śravaṇa, students listened intently to the teacher.

context information

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Śravaṇa (श्रवण) is the name of a Vākchomā (‘verbal secrect sign’) which has its meaning defined as ‘karṇa’ according to chapter 8 of the 9th-century Vajraḍākamahātantrarāja, a scripture belonging to the Buddhist Cakrasaṃvara (or Saṃvara) scriptural cycle. These Vākchomās (viz., śravaṇa) are meant for verbal communication and can be regarded as popular signs, since they can be found in the three biggest works of the Cakrasaṃvara literature.

context information

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.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Śravaṇa (श्रवण) refers to “hearing” and represents one of the eight dhīguṇas (eight qualities), named in the Yogaśāstra, comentary p. 53a (Bhavnagar ed.).

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

Marathi-English dictionary

śravaṇa (श्रवण).—n S The hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle.

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śravaṇa (श्रवण).—n (S) Hearing. 2 n m The sense or the organ of hearing. 3 n The twenty-second nakshatra or lunar asterism. śravaṇamanananididhyāsa Hearkening or hearing, mentally revolving, and intently contemplating or considering. These three are the appointed exercises of all derived intelligencies towards the apprehension of Knowledge or Truth, i. e. Spirit or the Deity. Ex. sadā āvaḍē haribhajana || śravaṇamanananidi- dhyāsana || tēthēṃ vikalpa pravēśē nā ||.

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śrāvaṇa (श्रावण).—m (S) The fifth month of the Hindu year,--July-August.

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śrāvaṇā (श्रावणा).—a śrāvaṇī a Relating to the month Shrawan̤.

śravaṇa (श्रवण).—n Hearing. n m The sense of hear- ing. n The 22nd nakṣatra.

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śrāvaṇa (श्रावण).—m The 5th month of the Hindu year.

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sravaṇa (स्रवण).—n Dripping. Urine. Sweat.

Sanskrit-English dictionary

Śravaṇa (श्रवण).—[śṛṇotyanena śru-karaṇe lyuṭ]

1) The ear; ध्वनति मधुपसमूहे श्रवणमपिदधाति (dhvanati madhupasamūhe śravaṇamapidadhāti) Gīt.5; श्रवणाञ्जलिपुटपेयं विरचितवान् भारताख्यममृतं यः (śravaṇāñjalipuṭapeyaṃ viracitavān bhāratākhyamamṛtaṃ yaḥ) Ve.1.4.

2) The hypotenuse of a triangle.

-ṇaḥ, -ṇā 1 Name of a lunar mansion containing three stars.

-ṇam 1 The act of hearing; श्रवणसुभगम् (śravaṇasubhagam) Me.11.

2) Study.

3) Fame, glory.

4) That which is heard or revealed, the Veda; इति श्रवणात् (iti śravaṇāt) 'because of such a Vedic text'.

5) Wealth.

6) Flowing, oozing.

7) (In phil.) The determining by means of the six signs the true doctrine of the Vedānta.

Derivable forms: śravaṇaḥ (श्रवणः), śravaṇam (श्रवणम्).

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Śrāvaṇa (श्रावण).—a. (-ṇī f.) [श्रवण-अण् (śravaṇa-aṇ)]

1) Relating to the ear.

2) Born under the asterism Śravaṇa.

3) Enjoined in the Veda; विधिना श्रावणेनैव कुर्यात् कर्माण्यतन्द्रितः (vidhinā śrāvaṇenaiva kuryāt karmāṇyatandritaḥ) Mb.12. 21.16.

-ṇaḥ 1 Name of a lunar month (corresponding to July-August).

2) A heretic.

3) An impostor.

4) Name of a Vaiśya ascetic unwittingly shot dead by king Daśaratha who was in consequence cursed by his old parents that he would die of broken-heart separated from his sons.

-ṇam 1 Causing to be heard.

2) Knowledge derived from hearing.

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Sravaṇa (स्रवण).—[sru-lyuṭ]

1) Flowing, trickling, oozing.

2) Sweat.

3) Urine.

4) Premature abortion.

Derivable forms: sravaṇam (स्रवणम्).

Śravaṇa (श्रवण).—mfn.

(-ṇaḥ-ṇā-ṇaṃ) Produced in or under the sign Shravana. mn.

(-ṇaḥ-ṇaṃ) 1. The ear. 2. Hearing. 3. The hypotenuse of a triangle. n.

(-ṇaṃ) 1. Service. 2. Dripping, oozing. mf.

(-ṇaḥ-ṇā) The twentythird of the lunar asterisms, represented by three footsteps, and containing three stars or Acquilæ. n.

(-ṇaṃ) 1. The act of hearing. 2. Studying. 3. Fame, glory. 4. Wealth. 5. That which is heard, i. e. The Veda. E. śru to hear, &c., aff. lyuṭ or yuc; or śravaṇā the asterism, aṇ aff. of derivation, and the effect rejected.

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Śrāvaṇa (श्रावण).—mfn.

(-ṇaḥ-ṇī-ṇaṃ) 1. Produced in or under the asterism Shravana. 2. Relating to the ear or hearing. m.

(-ṇaḥ) 1. The month Shravana or Shravan, (July-August.) 2. A heretic, an impostor. 3. Name of a Vaisya devotee killed by Dasaratha through mistake, and for which he was cursed by Shravana's old parents, to die of a broken heart at the separation of his sons. n. (-ṇa) Causing to be heard. f.

(-ṇā) A plant, commonly Katuki. f. (-ṇī) 1. Day of full-moon in the month Shravana. 2. A religious rite peformed in this day. E. śravaṇā the asterism, &c., aff. aṇ .

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