Supta: 25 definitions
Introduction:
Supta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi, biology. 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Supt.
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Supta (सुप्त, “dreaming”).—One of the thirty-three ‘transitory states’ (vyabhicāribhāva), according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 7. These ‘transitory states’ accompany the ‘permanent state’ in co-operation. (Also see the Daśarūpa 4.8-9)
According to Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 8, when dreaming (supta), the gesture (āṅgika) made with the eyelids (puṭa) should be pihita (resting).
Supta (सुप्त, “dreaming”) is caused by determinants (vibhava) such as interruption of sleep, enjoying objects of senses, infatuation [of any kind], spreading the bed on the ground, dragging the bed over the ground and the like. The dreaming which occurs in sleep is to be represented by consequents (anubhāva) such as deep breathing, dullness of the body, closing the eyes, stupefaction of all the senses, dreams and the like.
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)
Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)
Supta (सुप्त) refers to a “half-closed/half-opnened bud” (of a flower), as mentioned in a list of ten 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., Supta] and plants and substances, with their various kinds.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Supta (सुप्त):—
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Supta (सुप्त, “asleep”) refers to one of the sixty defects of mantras, according to the 11th century Kulārṇava-tantra: an important scripture of the Kaula school of Śāktism traditionally stated to have consisted of 125.000 Sanskrit verses.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Śrī Devī: “For those who do japa without knowing these defects [e.g., supta—asleep], there is no realization even with millions and billions of japa. [...] Oh My Beloved! there are ten processes for eradicating defects in Mantras as described. [...]”.
Supta (सुप्त) refers to “sleeping”, according to the Mahābhārata 10.8.64–68.—Accordingly, “Good sir, they saw her, Kālarātri, standing, smiling, alone, blue-black in hue, with red mouth and eyes, garlands and unguents of crimson, red robes, a noose in one hand, a peacock feather [in her hair], binding men, horses and elephants with her horrifying fetters while she stood, capturing many headless ghosts trapped in her noose, leading those asleep (supta) in their dreams to other Nights. And at all times the best soldiers saw the son of Droṇa slaughtering. From the time when the battle between the Kuru and Pāṇḍava armies began, they saw [both] that evil spirit and the son of Droṇa. The son of Droṇa later felled those who had first been struck by this divinity [Kālarātri], terrorizing all creatures while shouting out ferocious bellows”.
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.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Supta (सुप्त) refers to “sleeping”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 19.94cd-99ab, while describing the ritual that protect the king and his kingdom]—“Then [the Mantrin] should venerate the water pot in order to protect the sleeping king (supta—tataḥ suptasya nṛpate). [The water pot is] made of silver and contains herbs, smeared with sandalwood and aloewood, filled with milk and water. He should worship Mṛtyujit with an all-white offering, with rice boiled in milk, guest water, incense, and flowers. [...]”.
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.
Sports, Arts and Entertainment (wordly enjoyments)
Supta (सुप्त) refers to “sleeping (animals)” (which were commonly the victim of hunters), according to the Śyainika-śāstra: a Sanskrit treatise dealing with the divisions and benefits of Hunting and Hawking, written by Rājā Rudradeva (or Candradeva) in possibly the 13th century.—Accordingly, “Hunting by the observation of footprints is It is of two kinds: [...] (b) Pūrvaśabditā or that in which the bowman himself searches out the prey with care and with various devices and then kills it, either sleeping (supta) or when it has just risen from sleep”.
This section covers the skills and profiencies of the Kalas (“performing arts”) and Shastras (“sciences”) involving ancient Indian traditions of sports, games, arts, entertainment, love-making and other means of wordly enjoyments. Traditionally these topics were dealt with in Sanskrit treatises explaing the philosophy and the justification of enjoying the pleasures of the senses.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Supta (सुप्त)refers to “sleeping”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.5.10 (“The burning of the Tripuras”).—Accordingly, as Tārakākṣa said to Śiva: “O sage, at the bidding of Śiva, those Asuras were burnt and reduced to ashes by the fire even as they were muttering thus. [...] Just as the universe is burnt at the end of a Kalpa so also every thing and every one there, whether woman or man or vehicles, was reduced to ashes by that fire. Some women were forced to leave their husbands necking them and were burnt by the fire. Some were sleeping (supta), some were intoxicated and some were exhausted after their sexual dalliance. All were burnt.
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.
Vedanta (school of philosophy)
Supta (सुप्त) refers to “being asleep”, according to the Aṣṭāvakragītā (5th century BC), an ancient text on spirituality dealing with Advaita-Vedānta topics.—Accordingly, [as Aṣṭavakra says to Janaka]: “[...] The wise man who is contented in all circumstances is not asleep (supta) even in deep sleep (suṣupti), not sleeping in a dream, nor waking when he is awake. [supto'pi na suṣuptau ca svapne'pi śayito na ca] The seer is without thoughts even when thinking, without senses among the senses, without understanding even in understanding and without a sense of responsibility even in the ego. [...]”.
Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Supta (सुप्त) refers to “sleepiness” (as opposed to Asupta—‘the absence of sleepiness’), according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, as Gaganagañja said to Ratnapāṇi: “Son of good family, those sixty-four dharmas are included in one hundred twenty-eight dharmas. What are those one hundred twenty-four? [...] 5) striving for the dharma is included in fulfilling one’s own promises and having no regret of others; (6) being interested in the dharma is included in being inclined towards the dharma and inclination towards the dharma; (7) the beautiful appearance is included in the absence of sleepiness (asupta) or bewilderment; (8) the beautiful mind is included in noble birth and eliminating the accidental vices; [...]’”.
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.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Supta (सुप्त) refers to “sleeping”, 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: [while explaining the body circle (kāyacakra)]: “[...] There are also other females [who are] headless and running, headless and dancing, and legless and sleeping (suptaka). [Some] have heads [in the shape] of beaks of a crow and other [birds] They also dance with joy because of being in a great meditative state. This way, he should make lunar mansions and so on [placed] in the middle of the ground. [They] should be known in [their] respective colors. Everyone has a vehicle. [...]”.
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Supta in India is the name of a plant defined with Flemingia macrophylla in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Moghania sericans (Kurz) Mukerjee (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Revisio Generum Plantarum (1891)
· Flowering Plants of Jamaica (1972)
· Hortus Kewensis (1812)
· Pl. Coromandel (1820)
· A Hand-book to the Flora of Ceylon (1931)
· Numer. List (5746)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Supta, for example side effects, health benefits, diet and recipes, pregnancy safety, extract dosage, chemical composition, have a look at these references.
This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
supta (सुप्त).—p S Sleeping, asleep. 2 Numb.
supta (सुप्त).—a A sleep. Numb.
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
Supta (सुप्त).—p. p. [svap-kartari kta]
1) Slept, sleeping, asleep; न हि सुप्तस्य सिंहस्य प्रविशन्ति मुखे मृगाः (na hi suptasya siṃhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ) H. Pr.36.
2) Paralyzed, benumbed, insensible; see स्वप् (svap).
3) Inactive, dull, latent.
-ptam Sleep, sound sleep.
Supta (सुप्त).—mfn. (-ptaḥ-ptā-pta) 1. Sleeping, asleep. 2. Senseless, numbed. n.
(-ptaṃ) Sleep, deep or sound sleep. E. ṣvap to sleep, kta aff., and the semivowel changed to its congener.
Supta (सुप्त).—[adjective] asleep, insensible, inactive; [neuter] sleep.
1) Supta (सुप्त):—[=su-pta] [from su > su-pakva] a mfn. ([from] su + ptā; for supta See p.1230) having beaut° braids of hair, [Kādambarī]
2) [v.s. ...] m. a wagtail with a black breast, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) b mfn. ([from] √svap; for su-pta See p. 1228, col. 2) fallen asleep, slept, sleeping, asleep, [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā] etc. etc.
4) lain down to sleep (but not fallen asleep), [Rāmāyaṇa v, 34, 10]
5) paralysed, numbed, insensible (See [compound])
6) closed (as a flower), [Kālidāsa]
7) resting, inactive, dull, latent, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
8) n. sleep, deep or sound sleep, [Kāvya literature; Kathāsaritsāgara]
9) [from svap] c See p.1230, [columns] 1, 2.
Supta (सुप्त):—(ptaṃ) 1. n. Sleep, deep sleep. a. Sleeping, benumbed.
[Sanskrit to German]
Supta (सुप्त) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Sutta, Sūiya.
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
Supta (सुप्त) [Also spelled supt]:—(a) asleep, dormant; (rendered) senseless; —[cetanā] dormant consciousness.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Supta (ಸುಪ್ತ):—
1) [adjective] fallen asleep; slept; asleep.
2) [adjective] having lost sensation; insensible; unconscious.
--- OR ---
Supta (ಸುಪ್ತ):—
1) [noun] he who is asleep.
2) [noun] insensibility; unconsciousness.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Supta (सुप्त):—adj. 1. asleep; sleeping; 2. inert; 3. numb; insensible;
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+19): Suptabaddhakonasana, Suptabhekasana, Suptacchavi, Suptacetana, Suptacitta, Suptacyuta, Suptadandasana, Suptagga, Suptaghataka, Suptaghna, Suptajana, Suptajnana, Suptakonasana, Suptakurmasana, Suptamalin, Suptamamsa, Suptamina, Suptapadangushthasana, Suptaprabuddha, Suptaprajne.
Full-text (+93): Prasupta, Sushupta, Asupta, Suptaghataka, Suptajnana, Suptajana, Suptata, Suptavijnana, Alikasupta, Suptatvac, Vyajasupta, Duhsupta, Bhuktasupta, Vishrabdhasupta, Lakshyasupta, Suptotthita, Suptaprabuddha, Avasupta, Samsupta, Sukhasupta.
Relevant text
Search found 76 books and stories containing Supta, Su-pta; (plurals include: Suptas, ptas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sahitya-kaumudi by Baladeva Vidyabhushana (by Gaurapada Dāsa)
Text 4.40 < [Chapter 4 - First-rate Poetry]
Yasastilaka and Indian culture (Study) (by Krishna Kanta Jandiqui)
Mudrarakshasa (literary study) (by Antara Chakravarty)
2. The Theory of rasa < [Chapter 2 - Delineation of Rasa in Mudrārākṣasa]
Journal of the European Ayurvedic Society (by Inge Wezler)
The Svastika antidote < [Volume 2 (1992)]
A Note on the Sanskrit Word Svastha < [Volume 4 (1995)]
Kshemendra’s Garbhavakranti Avadana < [Volume 5 (1997)]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)