Shvitri, Śvitrī: 4 definitions
Introduction:
Shvitri means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 Śvitrī can be transliterated into English as Svitri or Shvitri, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: eScholarship: Chapters 1-14 of the Hayasirsa PancaratraŚvitrī (श्वित्री) or Śvitrin refers to “one who has white leprosy”, representing an undesirable characteristic of an Ācārya, according to the 9th-century Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra Ādikāṇḍa chapter 3.—The Lord said:—“I will tell you about the Sthāpakas endowed with perverse qualities. He should not construct a temple with those who are avoided in this Tantra. [...] Nor should he have leprosy, deformed nails, white leprosy (śvitrī), brown teeth,be a consumptive, one born in Kacchadeśa, or from Kāverī or Koṅkana. [...] A god enshrined by any of these named above (viz., śvitrī), is in no manner a giver of fruit. If a building for Viṣṇu is made anywhere by these excluded types (viz., śvitrī) then that temple will not give rise to enjoyment and liberation and will yield no reward, of this there is no doubt”.
Note: The text reads śvitrī. Apte tells us that svitram is white leprosy. According to Wikipedia white leprosy is the vitiliginous sort which attacks the face.
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.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Source: Google Books: Manusmṛti with the ManubhāṣyaŚvitrī (श्वित्री) refers to a “leper”, according to the Manusmṛti verse 8.177.—“the blind man, by looking, destroys the feeder’s reward for feeding ninety men, the one-eyed man of sixty, the leper (śvitrī) of one hundred, and the man afflicted with a foul disease of a thousand”.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Source: ISKCON Desire Tree: Shri HaribhaktivilasaŚvitrī (श्वित्री) refers to a “leper”, according to the Śrī-Haribhaktivilāsa 8.390.—“in the Varāha-purāṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead declares: ‘O beautiful one, a fool (mūrkha) who bows down before me when his entire body (deha) is completely covered with cloth (vastra) becomes a leper (śvitrī) for seven births (sapta-janmāni)’”.
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and SubjectsŚvitrī (श्वित्री) refers to the father of Śvaitreya which is identified with Daśadyu according to Ludwig.—Śvaitreya occurs in two passages of the Ṛgveda, where Sāyaṇa sees in the word the name of a man, a “descendant of Śvitrā” The first passage is almost identical with one in the sixth Maṇḍala of the Ṛgveda, where, however, Daśadyu appears alone without Śvaitreya. Ludwig identifies Daśadyu with Śvaitreya (‘son of Śvitrī’), and considers him a son of Kutsa. Bergaigne and Baunack think he is really Bhuyu. Geldner considers that he was a bull used for fighting, the son of a Śvitrā cow, but this is very doubtful, though the term śvaitreya is elsewhere applied to a bull. Śvitrya seems to have the same sense as Śvaitreya.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with: Shvitrin.
Full-text: Shvaitari, Shvitrya, Shvaitreya, Dashadyu, Shvitrin, Shvitra.
Relevant text
Search found 3 books and stories containing Shvitri, Śvitrī, Svitri; (plurals include: Shvitris, Śvitrīs, Svitris). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 3.177 < [Section VIII - Śrāddhas]
Expiatory Rites in Keralite Tantra (by T. S. Syamkumar)
4.2. Diseases and Expiatory Rites < [Chapter 1 - Expiatory Rites: Concept and Evolution]
The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 187 - Greatness of Rākṣasaprāpya Śrāddha < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]