Shvan, Śvan, Svāṉ: 12 definitions
Introduction:
Shvan means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Tamil. 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 Śvan can be transliterated into English as Svan or Shvan, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Vastushastra (architecture)
Śvan (श्वन्) (or Śvāna) refers to a “dog”, according to the Devyāmata (in the section śalyoddhāra-paṭala or “excavation of extraneous substances”).—Accordingly, “[...] If a cat [intrudes into the site] stepping over [a cord] while a cord is being cast, it should be understood that there is the bone of an ass beneath that spot of the site. If a dog (śvan—yadi śvā) steps over a cord, [the officiant] should prognosticate the bone of a dog (śvāna-asthi—śvānāsthim ādiśet) [beneath] the [spot of the site]. [...]”.
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Śvan (श्वन्) refers to “dogs”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.5 (“The Tripuras are fascinated).—Accordingly, as Arihan said to the Lord of the Three Cities: “[...] The Earth is burdened by those who are not ready to please and satisfy the suppliant. It is not burdened by oceans, mountains and trees. The body is ready to go in a trice, and hoarded things are attended with the risk of dwindling down. Realising this a sensible man shall see to the pleasure of his body. It is mentioned in the Vedas that this body is going to constitute the breakfast for dogs (śvan), crows and worms [śvavāya sakṛmīṇāṃ ca]. The body has its ultimate end in being reduced to ashes. [...]”.
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Śvan (श्वन्) in the Rigveda and later is the word for ‘dog’, the feminine being Śunī. The dog was a tame animal, and used to guard the house from thieves or other intruders. He was also employed in hunting the boar (varāha-yu), but was no match for the lion. A hundred dogs are mentioned as a gift in a Dānastuti (‘Praise of Gifts’) in a Vālakhilya hymn. Elsewhere the dog is regarded as unfit for sacrifice, as being unclean, and is driven away from the sacrifice.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Śvan (श्वन्).—m. [śvi-kanin ni° Uṇādi-sūtra 1.158] (Nom. śvā, śvānau, śvānaḥ acc. pl. śunaḥ; śunī f.) A dog; श्वा यदि क्रियते राजा स किं नाश्नात्युपानहम् (śvā yadi kriyate rājā sa kiṃ nāśnātyupānaham) Subhāṣ; Bhartṛhari 2.31; Manusmṛti 2.28.
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Svan (स्वन्).—1 P. (svanati)
1) To sound, make a noise; पूर्णाः पेराश्च सस्वनुः (pūrṇāḥ perāśca sasvanuḥ) Bhaṭṭikāvya 14.3; वेणवः कीचकास्ते स्युर्ये स्वनन्त्यनिलोद्धताः (veṇavaḥ kīcakāste syurye svanantyaniloddhatāḥ) Bk.
2) To hum (as a bee); रहस्याख्यायीव स्वनसि मृदु कर्णान्तिकचरः (rahasyākhyāyīva svanasi mṛdu karṇāntikacaraḥ) Ś.1.24.
3) To sing. -Caus. (svanayati-te)
1) To cause to resound.
2) To sound.
3) To adorn (svānayati in this sense).
Śvan (श्वन्).—m.
(-śvā-śvānau-śvānaḥ) Accu. plu.
(-śunaḥ) A dog. f. (-śunī) A bitch. E. śvi to increase, Unadi aff. kanin, form irr.
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Svan (स्वन्).—r. 1st cl. (svanati) 1. To sound. 2. To sing. Caus. (svanayati-te) 1. To make to resound. 2. To sound. 3. To dress, to adorn, (in this sense more usually svānayati-te). With vi or ava prefixed, in a limited sense, the initial is changed, (avaṣvaṇati or viṣvaṇati) To make a noise whilst eating.
Śvan (श्वन्).— (probably from śvi), I. m. A dog, [Hitopadeśa] i. [distich] 112, M. M. Ii. f. śunī, A bitch.
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Svan (स्वन्).—i. 1, [Parasmaipada.] To sound, e. g. to sing, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 65, 5. Ptcple. of the pf. pass. I. svanita, Sounding. n. The noise of thunder. Ii. svānta, Sounded. [Causal.] svănaya, † 1. To cause to sound. 2. † To sound. 3. and svānaya, † To adorn.
— With the prep. ava ava, or vi vi, To make a noise when eating; in this signification the vb. is changed to ṣvaṇ.
— With ni ni, nisvanita, n. Noise, Mahābhārata 7, 324.
— Cf. [Latin] sonare.
Śvan (श्वन्).—[masculine] śunī [feminine] dog, bitch.
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Svan (स्वन्).—svanati svanate [participle] svanita (q.v.) sound, roar, cry, hum. [Causative] svanayati = [Simple]
1) Śvan (श्वन्):—1. śvan m. ([nominative case] sg. [dual number] [plural] śvā, śvānau, śvānas; weakest base śun cf. 2. śuna etc., p.1082; in some [compound] śvā for śva cf. below), a dog, hound, cur, [Ṛg-veda]; etc.
2) cf. [Zend] spā; [Greek] κύων; [Latin] canis; Lit. szú; [Gothic] hunds; [English] hound; [German] Hund.
3) 2. śvan ([probably] [from] √śvi) in ṛji-, durgṛbhi-, and mātari-śvan, qq.vv.
4) Svan (स्वन्):—1. svan [class] 1. [Parasmaipada] ([Dhātupāṭha xix, 79]) svanati (mc. also te; [perfect tense] sasvāna, 3. [plural] sasvanuḥ [Gr. also svenuḥ] [Mahābhārata] etc.; [Aorist] asvanīt, svānīt, [Ṛg-veda] [for [Aorist] [Parasmaipada] svani See adhiand anu-ṣvan]; [future] svanitā, svaniṣyati [grammar]; [infinitive mood] svanitum, [ib.]),
—to sound, make any noise, roar, yell, hum, sing, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.:—[Causal] svanayati ([Aorist] asisvanat), to sound, resound, [Ṛg-veda; Bhāgavata-purāṇa];
—to adorn (in this sense also svānayati), [Dhātupāṭha xix, 62] :—[Desiderative] sisvaniṣati [grammar]:—[Intensive] saṃsvanyate, saṃsvanti (cf. pari-ṣvan), [ib.]
5) cf. [Latin] sonit, sonus, sonare; [Anglo-Saxon] swin; [English] swan; [German] Schwan.
6) 2. svan See tuvi-ṣvan.
1) Śvan (श्वन्):—(śvā) 5. m. A dog; śunī a bitch.
2) Svan (स्वन्):—svanati 1. a. To sound. (ka) svanayati 10. a. To adorn. With prep. ava or vi to make a noise whilst eating.
Śvan (श्वन्):—
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Śvan (श्वन्):—2. in ṛji, durgṛbhi, mātari .
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Svan (स्वन्):—1. , svanati (śabde) [DHĀTUP. 17, 79.] svanate, sasvāna, sasvanus und svenus, sasvanitha und svenitha [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 6, 4, 125.] [Vopadeva’s Grammatik 8, 127.] asvanīt, svānīt, svani, schallen überh.; tosen, dröhnen, auch vom Ruf verschiedener Thiere: vārṇa pa.hā ra.hyeva svānīt wie Wasser in seinem Bett, wie ein Wagenross [Ṛgveda 2, 4, 6.] svanate śaṅkhaḥ [Mahābhārata 7, 4170.] rathāḥ svananti [8828.] sasvanurdevavādyāni [Rāmāyaṇa Gorresio 1, 50, 20.] [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 66, 26] (vādyāni sa zu schreiben). [116, 59. 128, 14] (vādyāni sa zu schreiben). śaṅkhā bheryo mṛdaṅgāḥ (sainye mit der neueren Ausg. zu lesen) [Harivaṃśa 15903.] [Bhaṭṭikavya 14, 3.] veṇavaḥ svanantyaniloddhatāḥ [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 5, 27.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1153.] mahī svanati gambhīram [Rāmāyaṇa Gorresio 2, 106, 7.] ūrmayaḥ [5, 74, 36.] svanadambhodhara [Ghaṭakarpara 4. 5.] Verwundete [Mahābhārata 6, 3955.] Vögel [Rāmāyaṇa 2, 65, 5.] Stier [KṚṢIS. 11, 4] (med.). svenurvānarāḥ [Bhaṭṭikavya 40, 70.] summen von der Biene [Śākuntala 22.] — partic. svanita (svānta s. bes.) [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 7, 2, 18, Scholiast]
1) adj. schallend u.s.w. [Amarakoṣa 3, 2, 44.] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha 3, 288.] —
2) n. das Rauschen: vastraparṇānām [Amarakoṣa 1, 1, 6, 2.] Donner [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1406.] — caus. svanayati (auch svā avataṃsane) [DHĀTUP. 19, 62.] = simpl.: a.ya śuṣmāsaḥ svanayan [Ṛgveda 10, 3, 6.] ārtasvareṇa svanayan [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 5, 26, 16.] — adhi darüber hin brausen: avye jī.āvadhi.ṣvaṇi über die Wolle braust es im Strom hin [Ṛgveda 9, 66, 9.] — anu nach —, zurufen: yadi.klośa.anu.ṣvaṇi [Ṛgveda 6, 46, 14.] — ava
1) herunter schreien: ava.yacchye.o asvanī.adha.dyoḥ [Ṛgveda 4, 27, 3.] —
2) avaṣvaṇati, avāṣvaṇat, avaṣaṣvāṇa mit Geräusch verzehren [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 8, 3, 63. fg. 69.] beim Gegessenwerden ein Geräusch bewirken: māṃsam [Vopadeva’s Grammatik 8,45. 127.] — Vgl. avaṣvāṇa, avasvanya . — ā erschallen: mṛdaṅgā dhīramāsvenuḥ [Bhaṭṭikavya 14, 4.] — partic. āsvanita und āsvānta (manas [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher, Scholiast]) [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 7, 2, 28.] [Vopadeva’s Grammatik 26, 113.] — ni, nisvanatyannam = svan mit ava
2) [Vopadeva’s Grammatik 8, 127.] scheinbar auch [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 66, 26. 128, 14.] wo aber vādyāni sasvanuḥ zu lesen ist. — Vgl. 2. nisvana, nisvanita (auch [Caurapañcāśikā 24]), nisvāna; überall richtiger niḥ . — nis s. niḥsvana . — pari klingen, intens.: go.hā pari saniṣvaṇat [Ṛgveda 8, 58, 9.] — pra caus. partic. tosend: sindhoriva.prasvanitāsa ū.mayaḥ [Ṛgveda 1, 44, 12.] — Vgl. prasvana, prasvāna . — prati zurückschallen: śabdaḥ pratisasvāna [Mahābhārata 7, 3888.] — caus. zurückschallen machen: svagarjitena kakubhaḥ pratisvanayatā [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 3, 13, 24.] — vi
1) schallen: visvanati mṛdaṅgaḥ [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 8, 3, 69, Scholiast] vīṇā [Vopadeva’s Grammatik 8, 127.] heulen, vom Schakal: vyasvanat [Śiśupālavadha 18, 77.] —
2) viṣvaṇati, vyaṣvaṇat, viṣaṣvāṇa = svan mit ava
2) [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 8, 3, 63. fg. 69.] [Vopadeva’s Grammatik 8, 25. 147.] kroṣṭā ḍimbaṃ vyaṣvaṇat verzehrte mit Geräusch [Śiśupālavadha 18, 77.] — Vgl. viṣvaṇa fg. und viṣvāṇa .
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Svan (स्वन्):—2. (= 1. svan) adj. schallend u. s. w. in tuviṣvan .
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Svan (स्वन्):—1. mit ā, āsvanita und āsvānta auch von einer Muschel [Patañjali] [?a. a. O.7,91,b.]
Śvan (श्वन्) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Sa.
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.
Tamil dictionary
Svāṉ (ஸ்வான்) noun probably from sva. See ஸ்வான்தார். [svanthar.] (நாலாயிர திவ்யப்பிரபந்தம் திருமாலை [nalayira thivyappirapandam thirumalai], 16, வ்யா. பக். [vya. pag.] 62.)
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+25): Shvabhiru, Shvadamshtra, Shvadayita, Shvadhurta, Shvagana, Shvaganika, Shvahan, Shvajivika, Shvakridin, Shvana, Shvanabali, Shvanaceshta, Shvanacillika, Shvanajnana, Shvanajnani, Shvanakula, Shvanala, Shvanalada, Shvanam, Shvanamaithuna.
Full-text (+163): Matarisvan, Shvapada, Shvapaca, Shvadamshtra, Shvavritti, Shvapaka, Shvakridin, Shvashva, Vanashvan, Aranyashvan, Shvanisha, Shvagana, Shvabhiru, Shvaphala, Shvavyaghra, Shvavat, Shvaganika, Shvanara, Shvapac, Svadha.
Relevant text
Search found 7 books and stories containing Shvan, Svaan, Śvan, Svāṉ; (plurals include: Shvans, Svaans, Śvans, Svāṉs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Chandogya Upanishad (Madhva commentary) (by Srisa Chandra Vasu)
Brihat Samhita (by N. Chidambaram Iyer)
Chapter 89 - Omens (4): On the circle of Dogs (śvacakra)
Chapter 62 - On the features of the Dog (śva or śvan-lakṣaṇa)
Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 27.24 < [Chapter 27 - The Character of the Drekkana]
Verse 27.13 < [Chapter 27 - The Character of the Drekkana]
Verse 7.5 < [Chapter 7 - Length of Life]
Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra (by Gelongma Karma Migme Chödrön)
The eight hot hells < [The world of transmigration]
II. How to meditate on the nine notions (navasaṃjñā) < [Part 1 - The nine notions according to the Abhidharma]
History of Indian Medicine (and Ayurveda) (by Shree Gulabkunverba Ayurvedic Society)
Chapter 20 - Veterinary Science < [Part 2-3 - Medical Institutions in Ancient India]
Rivers in Ancient India (study) (by Archana Sarma)
2. Descriptions of nature and natural objects < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]