Sthanu, Sthānu, Sthāṇu: 27 definitions
Introduction:
Sthanu means something in 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
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: ŚāktismSthāṇu (स्थाणु, “Standing Firmly, Motionless”):—One of the male offspring from Mahākālī (tamas-form of Mahādevī). Mahākālī is one of the three primary forms of Devī, the other two being Mahālakṣmī and Mahāsarasvatī. Not to be confused with Kālī, she is a more powerful cosmic aspect (vyaṣṭi) of Devi and represents the guṇa (universal energy) named tamas. Also see the Devī Māhātmya, a Sanskrit work from the 5th century, incorporated into the Mārkaṇḍeya-Purāṇa.
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramSthāṇu (स्थाणु) refers to one of the eight Bhairavas (bhairava-aṣṭaka) associated with Avyaktapīṭha (i.e., ‘the unmanifest seat’ representing the act of churning—manthāna), according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—[...] The eight Bhairavas (bhairavāṣṭaka): Nitya, Nāda, Aja, Kāraṇa, Avyaya, Sarvaga, Śāśvata, Sthāṇu.—(Note the variant Bhānu)

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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia1) Sthāṇu (स्थाणु).—Śiva, the son of Brahmā. The eleven Rudras were born from Sthāṇu. (Mahābhārata, Ādi Parva, Chapter 66).
2) Sthāṇu (स्थाणु).—One of the eleven Rudras. (Mahābhārata Ādi Parva, Chapter 66, Verse 6).
3) Sthāṇu (स्थाणु).—A hermit. This hermit shines in the palace of Indra. (Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, Chapter 7, Verse 17).
Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationSthāṇu (स्थाणु) is another name for Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.5.—Accordingly, as Menā eulogised Śivā (i.e., Umā/Durgā):—“[...] You are the great power latent in fire; you are the burning power of the sun’s rays; you are the pleasing power of the extensive moonlight. O Goddess, I bow to you. To good women you manifest yourself as their beloved; to persons of perfect self-control and sublimation you manifest yourself as eternal; to the entire universe you manifest as desire; as of Viṣṇu you are the Māyā so you are of Śiva. You assume different forms as you please for the purpose of creation, sustenance and annihilation and give birth to the bodies of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva [i.e., sthāṇu-śarīra—brahmācyutasthāṇuśarīrahetussā]. You, of such potentiality, be pleased. Obeisance to you again”.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Sthāṇu (स्थाणु).—The name of Vāmadeva who was prevented from proceeding with the work of creation;1 praised by the Gods before the swallowing of Kālakūṭa.2
1b) Ety. from sthā, to stand; after creating Rudras, Mahadeva stood as ūrdva reta (brahmacāri's life) upto the pralaya; his ten qualities are knowledge, vairāgya, aiśvarya, tapas, satya, patience, courage, the quality of creation, knowledge of self and the quality of establishing;1 gave up protection work and hence sthāṇu.2
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and placesSthāṇu (स्थाणु) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. IX.44.23, XIV.8.14, XIV.8) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Sthāṇu) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.
Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study1) Sthāṇu (स्थाणु) or Sthāṇuliṅga is the name of a liṅga situated near Kurukṣetra, one of the various Tīrthas (holy places) mentioned in the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—In Kurukṣetra-tīrtha there is the liṅga named Sthāṇu. Brahmā is said to have achieved brahmatva by undergoing penance at this tīrtha. The Vālakhilya sages got siddhi at this place.
2) Sthāṇu (स्थाणु) is the deity to be worshipped in the month Caitra for the Anaṅgatrayodaśī-Vrata, according to the Saurapurāṇa.—Accordingly, the Anaṅgatrayodaśī-vrata is observed in honour of Śiva for acquiring virtue, great fortune, wealth and for destruction of sins [...] This vrata is to be performed for a year from Mārgaśīra.—In Caitra, the tooth-brush is udumbara, no food, deity is Sthāṇu and the result is that of aśvamedha.

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: Wisdom Library: ŚaivismSthāṇu (स्थाणु) is the Sanskrit name of a deity presiding over Kurukṣetra, one of the sixty-eight places hosting a svāyambhuvaliṅga, which is one of the most sacred of liṅgas according to the Śaivāgamas. The list of sixty-eight svāyambhuvaliṅgas and presiding deities (e.g., Sthāṇu) is found in the commentary on the Jirṇoddhāra-daśaka by Nigamajñānadeva. The word liṅga refers to a symbol used in the worship of Śiva and is used thoughout Śaiva literature, such as the sacred Āgamas.
Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of ŚivaSthāṇu (स्थाणु) or Sthāṇvāgama refers to one of upāgamas (supplementary scriptures) of the Candrajñānāgama which is one of the twenty-eight Siddhāntāgama: a classification of the Śaiva division of Śaivāgamas. The Śaivāgamas represent the wisdom that has come down from lord Śiva, received by Pārvatī and accepted by Viṣṇu. The purpose of revealing upāgamas (e.g., Sthāṇu Āgama) is to explain more elaborately than that of mūlāgamas (e.g., Candrajñāna-āgama) and to include any new idea if not dealt in mūlāgamas.
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric TraditionsSthāṇu (स्थाणु) refers to the “firm ones (who know the Tantras)”, according to the Jayadrathayāmala, Ṣaṭka 1 verse 13.3–18::—Accordingly, “And that [initiation] is either a Samayadīkṣā or Nirvāṇādīkṣā, divided into two because it has two natures. Now the Samayadīkṣā is further twofold because of a difference in the result. [The first] bestows adhikāra [and] follows the practices of jñāna and yoga, [the second] destroys the latent impressions of that [soul?] and bestows a state of eternal pervasion [with the deity]. [That is known] by the firm ones (sthāṇu) who know the Tantras. [...]

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.
Vastushastra (architecture)
Source: Wisdom Library: Vāstu-śāstraSthāṇu (स्थाणु) is another name (synonym) for stambha, a Sanskrit technical term referring to “pillar”. These synonyms are defined in texts such as Mayamata (verse 15.2), Mānasāra (verse 15.2-3), Kāśyapaśilpa (verse 8.2) and Īśānaśivagurudevapaddati (Kriya, verses 31.19-20).
Source: Google Books: Indian Temple Architecture: Form and TransformationSthānu (स्थानु).—One of the names of Śiva-Rudra is Sthānu, ‘Pillar’, and he is described as sthānu-bhīta, ‘whose essence is a pillar’. The identification of Śiva and the pillar as axis mundi is the main significance of the liṅga, pre-eminent symbol of the god.
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (architecture)Sthāṇu (स्थाणु) [=sthāṇuja?] refers to a “stump”, according to the Devyāmata (in the section śalyoddhāra-paṭala or “excavation of extraneous substances”).—Accordingly, “[...] If [someone] is seen to scratch his knee, there is an extraneous thing, i.e. a stump (sthāṇuja) or a knee bone at a depth of one cubit. [The officiant] should remove it. If [someone] touches his shank, [the officiant] should prognosticate a bone of the shank [at a depth of] eleven digits underground in that place. There is no doubt about this. [...]”.

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.
Shilpashastra (iconography)
Source: Google Books: The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu IconographySthāṇu (स्थाणु) refers to “immovable” or “standing firmly”.—A particular posture adopted by some holy men (sādhus) who vow to remain for months or years perfectly motionless. Sthāṇu is also an epithet applied to Śiva. It refers to his great ascetic practices (tapas), when he remains motionless like a post, until the dissolution of the universe (pralaya).

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and SubjectsSthāṇu (स्थाणु) in the Rigveda and later denotes a ‘stump’ or ‘post’ of wood.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarysthāṇu (स्थाणु).—m n S A pillar or post. Ex. sthāṇūcē ṭhāyīṃ disē cōra ||. 2 A stake, a long peg, a naked and bare trunk: also the trunk of a tree generally.
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sthāṇu (स्थाणु).—a S Firm, fixed, steady.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishsthāṇu (स्थाणु).—m n A naked and bare trunk; a post. a Firm.
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 dictionarySthāṇu (स्थाणु).—a. [sthā-nu pṛṣo° ṇatvam] Firm, fixed, steady, stable, immoveable, motionless; नित्यः सर्वगतः स्थाणुरचलोऽयं सनातनः (nityaḥ sarvagataḥ sthāṇuracalo'yaṃ sanātanaḥ) Bhagavadgītā (Bombay) 2.24; Mahābhārata (Bombay) 1.34.5.
-ṇuḥ 1 An epithet of Śiva; स स्थाणुः स्थिरभक्तियोगसुलभो निःश्रेयसायास्तु वः (sa sthāṇuḥ sthirabhaktiyogasulabho niḥśreyasāyāstu vaḥ) V.1.1.
2) A stake, post, pillar; अपि स्थाणुवदासीनः (api sthāṇuvadāsīnaḥ) Pañcatantra (Bombay) 1.49; किं स्थाणुरयमुत पुरुषः (kiṃ sthāṇurayamuta puruṣaḥ).
3) A peg, pin; स्थाणौ निषङ्गिण्यनसि क्षणं पुरः (sthāṇau niṣaṅgiṇyanasi kṣaṇaṃ puraḥ) Śiśupālavadha 12.26.
4) The gnomon of a dial.
5) A spear, dart.
6) A nest of white ants.
7) A drug or perfume called Jeevaka.
8) Stump, trunk; लता वल्लीश्च गुल्मांश्च स्थाणूनश्मन एव च (latā vallīśca gulmāṃśca sthāṇūnaśmana eva ca) Rām.2.8.6.
9) A particular posture in sitting. -m., n. A branchless trunk or stem, any bare stalk or stem, pollard.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionarySthāṇu (स्थाणु).—mfn. (-ṇuḥ-ṇaḥ-ṇu) Firm, fixed, steady, stable. m.
(-ṇuḥ) 1. Siva. 2. A stake, a pin. 3. A post. 4. A spear, a dart. 5. A nest of white ants. 6. The gnomon of a dial. 7. Jivaka, the drug and perfume. mn. (-ṇuḥ-ṇu) 1. The trunk of a tree of which the branches have been lopped off. 2. The branchless trunk or stem of any tree. E. ṣṭhā to stand, Unadi aff. nu .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionarySthāṇu (स्थाणु).— (vb. sthā), I. adj. Firm, steady, fixed, immovable,
Sthāṇu (स्थाणु).—[adjective] standing, firm, immovable; [masculine] trunk or stem of a tree, post, pillar, [Epithet] of Śiva.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Sthāṇu (स्थाणु):—[from sthā] mfn. ([according to] to some for sthalnu) standing firmly, stationary, firm, fixed, immovable, motionless, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] m. (or n. [gana] ardharcādi) a stump, stem, trunk, stake, post, pile, pillar (also as symbol of motionlessness), [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc.
3) [v.s. ...] m. a kind of spear or dart, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] a [particular] part of a plough, [Kṛṣisaṃgraha]
5) [v.s. ...] the gnomon of a dial, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
6) [v.s. ...] a [particular] perfume (= jīvaka), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [v.s. ...] a nest of white ants, [Horace H. Wilson]
8) [v.s. ...] Name of Śiva (who is supposed to remain as motionless as the trunk of a tree during his austerities), [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc. ([Religious Thought and Life in India 63])
9) [v.s. ...] of one of the 11 Rudras, [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa]
10) [v.s. ...] of a Prajā-pati, [Rāmāyaṇa]
11) [v.s. ...] of a serpent-demon, [Rāmatāpanīya-upaniṣad]
12) [v.s. ...] of a Rākṣasa, [Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa]
13) [v.s. ...] n. anything stationary or fixed, [Mahābhārata] etc.
14) [v.s. ...] a [particular] posture in sitting, [Catalogue(s)]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionarySthāṇu (स्थाणु):—(ṇuḥ) 2. m. Shiva; a stake; a spear; nest of white ants. m. and n. Trunk with branches lopped off. a. Fine, steady.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Sthāṇu (स्थाणु) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Khāṇu, Khāṇuya, Thāṇu.
[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 dictionarySthāṇu (स्थाणु):—(nm) a pillar; trunk of a tree; an epithet of Lord Shiv.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusSthāṇu (ಸ್ಥಾಣು):—[adjective] stable; fixed; no moving or wavering.
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Sthāṇu (ಸ್ಥಾಣು):—
1) [noun] Śiva.
2) [noun] the stem or trunk of a tree (of which branches, twigs, etc. are severed).
3) [noun] a pillar, post.
4) [noun] a nail, pin or peg (of metal or wood).
5) [noun] an unhewn piece of a felled tree or a similar rough mass of wood.
6) [noun] a spear; a javelin.
7) [noun] Brahma.
8) [noun] Viṣṇu.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+6): Sthanubhrama, Sthanubhuta, Sthanuccheda, Sthanuchchheda, Sthanucheda, Sthanuchheda, Sthanucoranyaya, Sthanudatta, Sthanudish, Sthanugudha, Sthanugudhapura, Sthanuja, Sthanujati, Sthanuka, Sthanukarni, Sthanulinga, Sthanumati, Sthanunandin, Sthanuroga, Sthanusharira.
Ends with: Koshthanu, Sabhasthanu, Yajnasthanu.
Full-text (+56): Yajnasthanu, Sthanucheda, Sthanuvat, Sthanumati, Sthanubhrama, Sthanudish, Sthanubhuta, Sthanuccheda, Sthanava, Sthanuvata, Khanu, Sthanutirtha, Sthanuvanaukas, Khadaka, Sthanukarni, Sthanuroga, Sthanv, Alanika, Sthanaviya, Thanu.
Relevant text
Search found 37 books and stories containing Sthanu, Sthānu, Sthāṇu; (plurals include: Sthanus, Sthānus, Sthāṇus). 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)
Rig Veda 10.40.13 < [Sukta 40]
Shrimad Bhagavad-gita (by Narayana Gosvami)
Verses 2.24-25 < [Chapter 2 - Sāṅkhya-yoga (Yoga through distinguishing the Soul from the Body)]
Mahabharata (English) (by Kisari Mohan Ganguli)
The Matsya Purana (critical study) (by Kushal Kalita)
Part 4.3a - Kṛṣṇāṣṭamī-vrata < [Chapter 4 - Religious aspects of the Matsyapurāṇa]
Part 4.2b - Śivacaturdaśī-vrata < [Chapter 4 - Religious aspects of the Matsyapurāṇa]
Part 2.2 - Different names of Śiva < [Chapter 4 - Religious aspects of the Matsyapurāṇa]
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)
Verse 2.1.203 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]
The backdrop of the Srikanthacarita and the Mankhakosa (by Dhrubajit Sarma)
Part 7 - Comparison [of the Maṅkhakośa] with other koṣas < [Chapter V - The Maṅkhakośa]