The Sanskrit term Śvacakra can be transliterated into English as Svacakra or Shvacakra, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Alternative spellings of this word include Shvachakra.

In Hinduism

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Jyotiṣa

Śvacakra (श्वचक्र) refers to the “circle of dogs” and is the name of the fifteenth chapter of the Gārgīyajyotiṣa. It is similar to the 89th chapter of Vārahamihira’s work known as the Bṛhatsaṃhitā. The Gārgīyajyotiṣa is one of the most comprehensive of Garga’s texts and written in the form of a dialogue between Krauṣṭuki (Ṛṣiputra) and Garga discussing astral and other omens, comprising a total of sixty-two chapters (viz., śva-cakra), known as aṅgas and summarized in the Aṅgasamuddiśa (“enumeration of the divisions”, introductory portion).

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Śvacakra (श्वचक्र) refers to “(prediction of future events from) phenomena connected with the dog”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 2), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “A true Astrologer is also one who has thoroughly mastered the Science of Saṃhitā. [...] It treats of indradhvaja, of the rainbow and of architecture; of the prediction of events from casual words and gestures and from the cawing of crows; of the formation of zodiacal circles for purposes of horary astrology. It treats of the prediction of future events from phenomena connected with the deer, the dog [i.e., śvacakra] and the motions of the wind; of the construction of temples, towers and palaces; of the casting of images and of founding the same; of the growth of plants and trees; of under currents; of certain annual ceremonies to be performed by princes for success in war. [...]”.

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.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Svacakra (स्वचक्र) refers to “one’s own maṇḍala”, 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, “(The adept) should drink with a contented mind impelled by the supreme power. He should never reflect (on the appropriateness) of whatever is offered to his own maṇḍala [i.e., svacakra]. He should consume it (bhoktavya) without thought (nirvikalpa)”.

context information

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.

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: MDPI Books: The Ocean of Heroes

Svacakra (स्वचक्र) refers to “one’s own circle”, according to the 10th-century Ḍākārṇava-tantra: one of the last Tibetan Tantric scriptures belonging to the Buddhist Saṃvara tradition consisting of 51 chapters.—Accordingly, “[...] (The meaning of the letter he, i.e., the emptiness of cause and so on, etc.—) The letter he is [as follows]: From the heart, [he should visualize] all [deities], such as Heruka, [who] reside on their own circles (svacakra-ga). [Vajra-]holders and others are originating; [he should know] all [of them] originating through visualization. That [letter he represents the principle that] the cause is empty by nature; there is no conceptualization of cause and so on as selves. That [letter he refers to] the selflessness of phenomenal existences by nature, [or the state of] being empty [Emptiness] brings the meditative union [...]”.

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

svacakra (स्वचक्र).—n (S) The forces or troops of one's own king or country. The word is opposed to paracakra. and is seldom used but in some connection with it.

context information

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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Śvacakra (श्वचक्र):—[=śva-cakra] [from śva > śvan] n. ‘chapter on dogs’, Name of the 89th Adhyāya of [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]

[Sanskrit to German]

Svacakra in German

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Shva, Cakra.

Starts with: Svacakraga.

Ends with: Ashvacakra, Vishvacakra.

Full-text: Cakra, Iti.

Relevant text

Search found 1 books and stories containing Svacakra, Shva-cakra, Shvacakra, Sva-cakra, Śva-cakra, Śvacakra; (plurals include: Svacakras, cakras, Shvacakras, Śvacakras). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)

Chapter 89 - Omens (4): On the circle of Dogs (śvacakra)

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