Smita: 14 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Natyashastra
2. Ayurveda
3. Purana
4. Shaivism
In Buddhism
1. Mahayana
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Smita 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.

In Hinduism

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra

Smita (स्मित) refers to “slight smile” and represents an element of a siddhi (success) expressed vocally (vāṅmayī), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 27. The siddhis in a dramatic production (nāṭaka) arise from words, sattva and gestures and relate to the various bhāva (psychological states) and rasa (sentiments). They can be broadly divided into divine (daivikī) and human (mānuṣī) which are made up of sattvas expressed vocally or physically.

Accordingly, “when actors produce the comic sentiment (hāsya-rasa) slightly dependent on words of double entendre, the spectators should always receive the same with a slight smile (smita)”.

context information

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).

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Wisdom Library: Raj Nighantu

Smita (स्मित) refers to “blooming” (viz., of a flower), as mentioned in a list of twenty-six synonyms, according to the second chapter (dharaṇyādi-varga) of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu (an Ayurvedic encyclopedia). The Dharaṇyādi-varga covers the lands, soil, mountains, jungles and vegetation’s relations between trees [viz., Smita] and plants and substances, with their various kinds.

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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Smita (स्मित) refers to a “smile”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.8.—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Sage Nārada:—“O sage, all these details you mentioned to the lord of mountains. You told the previous history of Pārvatī that increased her pleasure and on hearing which, the lord of mountains, his wife and children were freed from all suspicions. On hearing the story from Nārada, Pārvatī bent down her head in bashfulness but her smile [i.e., smita] heightened the beauty of her face. [...]”.

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.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Smita (स्मित) refers to a “(faint) smile”, according to the 13th-century Matsyendrasaṃhitā: a Kubjikā-Tripurā oriented Tantric Yoga text of the Ṣaḍanvayaśāmbhava tradition from South India.—Accordingly, “[Visualisation of Parameśvara]:—[...] His heart is agitated with sexual desire. His lotus face displays a faint smile (smita—īṣāsmitamukhāmbujam). This is how the Yogin should visualise his body for a long time, as transformed into Śiva. All his limbs are perfumed with sandal, aloe, camphor, musk and saffron. He has a beautiful face. He is surrounded by millions of gem islands, in a chamber on a fine bed”.

context information

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.

In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Smita (स्मित) refers to a “smile”, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “Then the Lord smiled (smita), and the venerable Ānanda asked the meaning of smiling: ‘O Lord, as the Tathāgata does not smile for no reason, what is the reason for smiling?’ The Lord said: ‘Ānanda, the bodhisatva Gaganagañja received five hundred robes by those five hundred monks, put them into the treasury of open space, sprinkled on the world-sphere called Kāṣāyadhvaja. In this way he performed the Buddha-activities in the Buddha-field of the Tathāgata Parvatarāj [...]’.

context information

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 Dictionary

smita (स्मित).—n S A smile.

--- OR ---

smita (स्मित).—p S Smiling. 2 Blown or expanded;--as a flower, a bud.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

smita (स्मित).—n A smile. p Smiling. Blown.

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: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Smita (स्मित).—p. p.

1) Smiled, smiling.

2) Expanded, blown, blossomed; एकेन स्मितपाटलाधररुचो जल्पन्त्यनल्पाक्षरम् (ekena smitapāṭalādhararuco jalpantyanalpākṣaram) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.136.

-tam A smile, gentle laugh; सस्मितं (sasmitaṃ) 'with a smile'; सविलक्षस्मितम् (savilakṣasmitam) &c.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Smita (स्मित).—mfn.

(-taḥ-tā-taṃ) 1. Smiling. 2. Blown, (as a flower.) n.

(-taṃ) A smile, a gentle laugh. E. ṣmi to smile, aff. kta.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Smita (स्मित).—[adjective] smiling, expanded, blown; [neuter] a smile.

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

1) Smita (स्मित):—[from smi] mfn. smiled, smiling, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] expanded, blown, blossomed, [Śiśupāla-vadha; Pañcatantra]

3) [v.s. ...] n. a smile, gentle laugh (taṃ-√kṛ, ‘to smile’), [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature etc.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Smita (स्मित):—(taṃ) 1. n. A smile. a. Blown, blossomed; smiling.

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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Smita (स्मित) [Also spelled smit]:—(nf) a smile; (a) smiling.

context information

...

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Smita (ಸ್ಮಿತ):—

1) [adjective] smiled; laughted gently.

2) [adjective] (said of flowers) blown; expanded.

--- OR ---

Smita (ಸ್ಮಿತ):—

1) [noun] a smile; a smiling gesture.

2) [noun] the act of (a flower) blowing, expanding.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 19 books and stories containing Smita; (plurals include: Smitas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Verse 4.1.16 < [Part 1 - Laughing Ecstasy (hāsya-rasa)]

Verse 2.1.362 < [Part 1 - Ecstatic Excitants (vibhāva)]

Verse 3.3.4 < [Part 3 - Fraternal Devotion (sakhya-rasa)]

+ 21 more chapters / show preview

Verse 1.12.28 < [Chapter 12 - Description of Śrī Nanda’s Festival]

Verses 1.13.11-12 < [Chapter 13 - The Liberation of Pūtanā]

Verse 4.3.15 < [Chapter 3 - The Story of the Mithilā Women]

+ 7 more chapters / show preview

Act 1.2: The Buddha smiles a first time with his whole body < [Chapter XIV - Emission of rays]

Act 2: The Buddha smiles a second time with all the pores of his skin < [Chapter XIV - Emission of rays]

Third aṅga (member): Vyākaraṇa (prediction) < [Part 2 - Hearing the twelve-membered speech of the Buddha]

+ 1 more chapters / show preview