Shushka, Śuṣkā, Śuṣka: 25 definitions
Introduction:
Shushka means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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 Śuṣkā and Śuṣka can be transliterated into English as Suska or Shushka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Shushk.
In Hinduism
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Kubjikāmata-tantra1) Śuṣkā (शुष्का, “emaciated”):—One of the nine Dūtī presided over by one of the nine bhaivaravas named Mudreśa (emanation of Ananta, who is the central presiding deity of Dūtīcakra), according to the Kubjikāmata-tantra and the Ṣaṭsāhasrasaṃhitā.
2) Śuṣkā (शुष्का):—Sanskrit name of one of the thirty-two female deities of the Somamaṇḍala (second maṇḍala of the Khecarīcakra) according to the kubjikāmata-tantra. These goddesses are situated on a ring of sixteen petals and represent the thirty-two syllables of the Aghoramantra. Each deity (including Śuṣkā) is small, plump and large-bellied. They can assume any form at will, have sixteen arms each, and are all mounted on a different animal.
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric TraditionsŚuṣka (शुष्क) refers to “drying (herbs)”, according to the 13th-century Matsyendrasaṃhitā: a Kubjikā-Tripurā oriented Tantric Yoga text of the Ṣaḍanvayaśāmbhava tradition from South India.—Accordingly, “[The intercourse (saṃga)]:—[...] He should dry brahmamaṇḍūkī together with its roots in the shade (chāyā-śuṣka). He should mix it with grape-juice, candied sugar and ghee. He should have it three times [a day] for three months in portions measuring a dice as food and drink and he should drink milk. His semen will not deteriorate in millions of years if he practises sex [with Māyā]. His [semen] will never ever wane. It is for the rejuvenation of the body, O Priyā. [...]”.
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: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaŚuṣka (शुष्क).—A Maharṣi who lived in the Gokarṇa temple. When Bhagīratha brought Gaṅgā from heaven to the earth, sea water began to rise and the temples situated near the sea were submerged. At that time Śuṣka went along with other Maharṣis to visit Paraśurāma at the Mahendra mountain. In response to Śuṣka’s prayer, Paraśurāma raised the submerged temples including the Gokarṇa temple, above the water.
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationŚuṣka (शुष्क) refers to “dry”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.4 (“Search for Kārttikeya and his conversation with Nandin”).—Accordingly, as Nandīśvara said to Kārttikeya and the Kṛttikās: “[...] Śiva will be crowning you in the company of the gods. You will get miraculous weapons and will slay the demon Tāraka. You are the son of the annihilator of the universe and these (Kṛttikas) are impatient to gain possession of you as the dry tree (śuṣka-vṛkṣa) tries to conceal fire within its hollow though it is incapable of holding it. [...]”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1) Śuṣka (शुष्क).—A sage who waited on Paraśurāma with other sages for the reclamation of Gokarṇa and insisted that an established rule may be broken for the sake of dharma.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 57. 1, 23-4.
2) Śuṣkā (शुष्का).—See Śuṣkarevatī.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 179. 85.
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)
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha ChikitsaŚuṣka (शुष्क) refers to “drying herbs (in the shade)”, according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—Gulikā or pill is prepared from making a paste of the four products of (bovine) cow-dung, urine, curd and ghee on the fifth day of the dark fortnight. This is a potent anti-venom antidote. Pills made from dung and urine of a new born calf, dried in the shade (chāyā-śuṣka) are said to be always very potent in removing poison; the same mixed with urine can be used as antitode.
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Source: Shodhganga: Drumavichitrikarnam—Plant mutagenesis in ancient IndiaŚuṣka (शुष्क) refers to “drying seeds (in the sun)”, as prescribed by certain bio-organical recipes for plant mutagenesis, according to the Vṛkṣāyurveda by Sūrapāla (1000 CE): an encyclopedic work dealing with the study of trees and the principles of ancient Indian agriculture.—Accordingly, “Punica granatum seed sprinkled several times with the blood of a cock and dried up in the sun (ravi-śuṣka) and then sown immediately bears fruits if watered and smoked with human flesh and marrow”.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of termsŚuṣka (शुष्क):—Dry; dryness; one of the gunas described by Bhava Prakasha; caused due to activated Prithvi, Vayu & Tejas;
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)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramŚuṣkā (शुष्का) is a name for the Goddess, 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). (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.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Shodhganga: Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (ns)Śuṣka (शुष्क) refers to a classification of Vādyas (“musical instruments”), according to the of the Dattilakohalīyam, one of the works ascribed to Kohala—a celebrated authority of the ancient period along with others such as Bharata, Yāṣṭika, Śārdūla, Kāśyapa etc.—[Cf. the vīṇā-vādyalakṣaṇa]— The classification of instruments into tata (string), suṣīra (wind), avanaddha (skin) and ghana (metal) is dealt with at the outset. The text gives a list of the names of instruments under each of these classes. Yet another classification of instruments according to their application is found. These are—śuṣka, gītānuga, nṛttānuga and gītanṛttānuga.
Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—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), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraŚuṣka (शुष्क) refers to “that which is dried” (e.g., ‘dried cow dung’), according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXXII-XXXIV).—Accordingly, “When one is making fire by friction, first the flame takes fire on the soft grass and dried cow dung (śuṣka-gomaya) and, as the strength of the fire increases, it is able to consume big pieces of moist wood. It is the same for the concentration of loving-kindness (maitrī-samādhi): at the beginning, when one make the vows for loving-kindness, one applies them only to one’s friends; but when the mind of loving-kindness has grown, enemies and relatives become mixed up and one sees them all as experiencing happiness: this is because the dhyānas or samāpattis of loving-kindness have grown and are becoming complete”.
Source: De Gruyter: A Buddhist Ritual Manual on AgricultureŚuṣka (शुष्क) refers to the “dryness” (of forest flowers, fruits, etc.), according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [after the Bhagavān reached the vicinity of the residence of Vaiśravaṇa], “Then at the time of drought [at] the lotus lake, all forest flowers, fruits, leaves and foliage were dry (śuṣka), the flowers withered. The fish, Makaras, Timiṅgilas, alligators, bees and various other water-born beings were deprived of water, and when only little water remained they fled in the ten directions, dashed, ran with pained hearts because their lives were obstructed and ruined”.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryśuṣka (शुष्क).—a (S) Dry; not wet, moist, succulent, or sappy. 2 fig. Dried and shrunken through sickness or fasting.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishśuṣka (शुष्क).—a Dry. Fig. Dried and shrunken through sickness.
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 dictionaryŚuṣka (शुष्क).—p. p. [śuṣ-kta]
1) Dry, dried up; शाखायां शुष्कं करिष्यामि (śākhāyāṃ śuṣkaṃ kariṣyāmi) Mṛcchakaṭika 8.
2) Parched up, sear.
3) Shrivelled, shrunk up, emaciated.
4) Feigned, pretended, mock; कामिनः स्म कुरुते करभोरूर्हारि शुष्करुदितं च सुखेऽपि (kāminaḥ sma kurute karabhorūrhāri śuṣkaruditaṃ ca sukhe'pi) &Saute;i.1.69.
5) Empty, vain, useless, unproductive; M.2.
6) Groundless, causeless.
7) Offensive, harsh; तस्म नाकुशलं ब्रूयान्न शुष्कां गिरमीरयेत् (tasma nākuśalaṃ brūyānna śuṣkāṃ giramīrayet) Manusmṛti 11.35.
-ṣkam Anything dry (as wood, cowdung).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚuṣka (शुष्क).—mfn.
(-ṣkaḥ-ṣkā-ṣkaṃ) 1. Dry, dried. 2. Groundless, causeless. 3. Unproductive, unprofitable. 4. Emaciated, withered. 5. Feigned. 6. Offensive. E. śuṣ to dry, aff. kta, or Unadi aff. kak .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚuṣka (शुष्क).—see śuṣ.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚuṣka (शुष्क).—[adjective] dry, hard ([with] gir [feminine] hard speech); useless, vain; [neuter] = seq.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Śuṣka (शुष्क):—[from śuṣ] 1. śuṣka mf(ā)n. dried, dried up, dry, arid, parched, shrivelled, emaciated, shrunk, withered, sere, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.
2) [v.s. ...] useless, fruitless, groundless, vain, unprofitable, empty, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] mere, simple (See -gāna)
4) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a man (a relative of Sukha-varman; cf. śuṣkaṭa-varman), [Rājataraṅgiṇī]
5) [v.s. ...] n. (and m. [gana] ardharcādi) anything dry (e.g. dry wood, dry cow-dung etc.), [Ṛg-veda; Viṣṇu-smṛti, viṣṇu-sūtra, vaiṣṇava-dharma-śāstra]
6) [from śuṣ] 2. śuṣka [Nominal verb] (only [infinitive mood] śuṣkitum) to become dry, [Divyāvadāna]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryŚuṣka (शुष्क):—[(ṣkaḥ-ṣkā-ṣkaṃ) a.] Dry; groundless, unprofitable.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Śuṣka (शुष्क) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Sukka, Susia.
[Sanskrit to German]
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
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionaryŚuṣka (शुष्क) [Also spelled shushk]:—(a) dry/dried; withered, parched; arid; emaciated; tedious (as —[kārya]); prosaic; unfeeling; hard; ~[tā] dryness; parched condition; aridity; witheredness; emaciatedness/emaciation;tedium prosaicness; unfeeling temperament; hardness; —[vyavahāra] unfeeling dry behaviour.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusŚuṣka (ಶುಷ್ಕ):—
1) [adjective] dried; dried up; dry; arid; parched.
2) [adjective] shrunk; withered; saples.
3) [adjective] baseless; groundless.
4) [adjective] useless; fruitless.
5) [adjective] emaciated; that has become lean.
6) [adjective] pretentious; showy.
7) [adjective] harsh; rough; hard.
8) [adjective] uninteresting; boring; dull; tiresome.
--- OR ---
Śuṣka (ಶುಷ್ಕ):—
1) [noun] that which is emaciated, lean or weak.
2) [noun] a thin thing.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryŚuṣka (शुष्क):—adj. 1. dried up; withered; shriveled; 2. dry; arid (as terrain); 3. dry (of manner); unemotional; boring; 4. dry; dull; monotonous (a topic);
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): Shushkabhringara, Shushkabhringariya, Shushkacchardi, Shushkacchavi, Shushkadriti, Shushkagarbha, Shushkagomaya, Shushkagra, Shushkahridaya, Shushkahridaye, Shushkajnananiradara, Shushkaka, Shushkakantha, Shushkakshetra, Shushkamamsa, Shushkamatsya, Shushkamukha, Shushkapamditya, Shushkaparna, Shushkapattra.
Full-text (+160): Parishushka, Shushkardra, Shushkavaira, Shushkanna, Samshushka, Shushkata, Ashushka, Shushkavrana, Shushkanga, Atapashushka, Shushkakalaha, Shushkarevati, Shushkakashtha, Apashushka, Shushkamamsa, Shushkabhringara, Shushkadriti, Shushkarshas, Shushkapaka, Vishushka.
Relevant text
Search found 64 books and stories containing Shushka, Śuṣkā, Śuṣka, Suska; (plurals include: Shushkas, Śuṣkās, Śuṣkas, Suskas). 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)
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 218 < [Volume 4, Part 1 (1908)]
Page 176 < [Volume 4, Part 1 (1908)]
Page 452 < [Volume 24 (1918)]
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dāsa)
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Fficacy of saindhavadi yoga and bharangyadi churna in vataj kasa < [2016, Issue III March]
A review on management principles of arsha (haemorrhoids) as per acharaya charaka < [2024, Issue 05, May]
Management of vataja kasa with shamanaushadhi: a case study < [2023, Issue 04, April]
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 11.35 < [Section II - The Brāhmaṇa’s Responsibilities and Privileges regarding Sacrificial Performances]
Musical Instruments in Sanskrit Literature (by S. Karthick Raj KMoundinya)
Brinda or Vrinda—The orchestra < [Chapter 2 - Origin and evolution of Music and Musical instruments]
Classification of Indian Musical instruments < [Chapter 2 - Origin and evolution of Music and Musical instruments]
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