Svarna, Svarṇa, Svarṇā: 25 definitions
Introduction:
Svarna means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Swarn.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण, “Gold”) is a synonym for Suvarṇa. Gold is a variation of ‘metal’ (dhātu/loha) from the sub-group named Śuddhaloha, according to the Rasaprakāśasudhākara: a 13th century Sanskrit book on Indian alchemy, or, Rasaśāstra.
Svarna refers to “gold”. (see Bhudeb Mookerji and his Rasajalanidhi)
Svarna, the Sara Lauha is an important, noble metal known to Indians since antiquity. References can be traced back to Charaka and Sushruta Samhita where the noble metal has been attributed with a wide range of applications. The ‘Bhasma’ form of Gold is in metallic state. Various formulations of ‘Svarna’ are useful: Vrishya, Balya, Rasayana, Medhya, Ayushya, Ojo Vardhaka, Vayah sthapaka etc. and disease alleviators particularly in chronic debilitating diseases like Raja Yakshma, Swasa, Kasa, Pandu etc. Normal dose levels given for ‘Svarna Bhasma’ is 15 mg. to 30 mg.
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) refers to “golden-colored (flowers)”, which were commonly created using a recipe for manipulating the colour of flowers or fruits (on the tree) [varṇa-pravartana], according to the Vṛkṣāyurveda by Sūrapāla (1000 CE): an encyclopedic work dealing with the study of trees and the principles of ancient Indian agriculture.—Accordingly, “The white flowers of a tree turn into a golden colour (svarṇa-nibha) if it is smeared at the roots with the mixture of Rubia cordifolia, red lead, milk, a kind of fragrant earth and flesh of pigeon”.
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)
Svarṇā (स्वर्णा).—A celestial woman. By the blessings of Krauñca a daughter named Vṛndā was born to Svarṇā. There were none who were not fascinated by her beauty. Once Śukra asked Svarṇā, and obtained Vṛndā, for the asura named Jalandhara. (Padma Purāṇa, Uttara Khaṇḍa, Chapter 4).
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) refers to “gold”, representing a type of material for construction of a Liṅga, according to the Śivapurāṇa 1.22 while explaining the importance of the partaking of the Naivedya of Śiva:—“[...] with regard to the following phallic images viz:—[...] liṅgas made of gold (Svarṇa-liṅga) [...], the partaking of the Naivedya of Śiva is on a par with the rite of Cāndrāyaṇa. Even the slayer of a brahmin if he partakes of the remains of the food offered to the God quells all his sins immediately [...]”.
Svarṇā (स्वर्णा).—A daughter of Samudra and wife of Prācīnabarhis.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 63. 25.
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) [=Svarṇaka?] refers to “gold”, representing the material to be used for the images (pratimā) of the planets Mercury and Jupiter, according to the grahaśānti (cf. grahayajña) section of the Yājñavalkyasmṛti (1.295-309), preceded by the section called vināyakakalpa (1.271-294), prescribing a rite to be offered to Vināyaka.—[Images of and offerings to grahas]—The materials which are used to compose the images (pratimā) of the grahas are prescribed: red copper (Sun), crystal (Moon), red sandal-wood (Mars), gold (Mercury and Jupiter) [i.e., svarṇaka—svarṇakād ubhau], silver (Venus), iron (Saturn), lead (Rāhu) and white copper (Ketu). Such prescriptions for the planetary images are not found in gṛhya texts except in the Āśvalāyanagṛhyapariśiṣṭa (2.3) where the materials are almost the same as those in Yājñavalkyasmṛti, the only difference being the use of saffron for Mercury instead of gold. According to the Śāntikalpa (13.3), red copper (Sun and Mars), gold (Mercury and Jupiter), silver (Moon and Venus), and black iron (Saturn, Rāhu, and Ketu) are used.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Shaivism
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) refers to “gold”, according to the 13th-century Matsyendrasaṃhitā: a Kubjikā-Tripurā oriented Tantric Yoga text of the Ṣaḍanvayaśāmbhava tradition from South India.—Accordingly, “[The intercourse (saṃga)]:—[...] The Yogin who has had sex with Māyā should rub his semen mixed with gold (svarṇa), camphor and saffron on his own body: [his] beauty will become moon-like. [...]
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) refers to “gold (ornaments)”, 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 11.1-24ab, while describing the appearance and worship of Tumburu]—“[...] The Devīs are white, red, yellow, and black, four-faced, four armed, three eyed, and in [their] hands bear golden hatchets, sticks and rosaries. [...] Seated on horseback, the Great Devī [Aparājitā] is adorned with many ornaments and resembles a broken sapphire [i.e., black]. [She is] adorned with four faces, four arms, three eyes, and holds a grass noose, a jewel, a bowl, and a mace. [She] stands firmly on a divine seat, clothed in gold clothes and gold ornaments (svarṇa-bhūṣaṇa-bhūṣitā). [...] [When one] worships and meditates on [the Devīs, as they] stand in the cardinal directions, [the Devīs grant the practitioner] the fruits of siddhi. [...]”.
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.
Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) refers to a “gold coin.”, and represents a technical term occurring in the Gaṇitasāra-saṅgraha—an ancient Sanskrit text dealing with ancient Indian algebra and mathematical problems written by Mahāvīra (Mahāvīrācārya) in the 9th century.—See note to II-53 and 54.
Ganita (गणित) or Ganitashastra refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) refers to “gold”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “In reality, there is no unity of the forms of matter and consciousness with regard to mundane bondage and the connection of these two is without a beginning like gold and a flaw in gold (svarṇa—śleṣaḥ svarṇakālikayor iva). In this world, the body which is material, absolutely immobile [and] without that which is conscious, becomes confused, through ignorance, with that which is conscious, formless and mobile”.
Synonyms: Kāñcana.
Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.
India history and geography
Svarṇa.—cf. śoṇa-vari (SITI), svarṇa-vari, explained as ‘tax payable in gold'; same as Tamil pŏn-vari; but cf. also suvarṇa- daṇḍa, profession-tax payable by the goldsmiths. Note: svarṇa is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
svarṇa (स्वर्ण).—and other compounds with svarṇa See under the common word suvarṇa.
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
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण).—[suṣṭhu arṇo varṇo yasya]
1) Gold.
2) A golden coin.
3) A kind of red chalk (gaurika); असृक्क्षरन्ति धाराभिः स्वर्णधारा इवाचलाः (asṛkkṣaranti dhārābhiḥ svarṇadhārā ivācalāḥ) Rām.7.7.15.
4) A kind of plant (Mar. dhotrā).
Derivable forms: svarṇam (स्वर्णम्).
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण).—n.
(-rṇaṃ) 1. Gold. 2. A gold coin. E. su excellent, ṛṇ to go or be, aff. ac .
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण).—i. e. su-varṇa, n. Gold, [Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, (ed. Burnouf.)] 4, 25, 14; a gold coin, [Kathāsaritsāgara, (ed. Brockhaus.)] 22, 97.
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण).—( = suvarṇa) [neuter] gold (also ka [neuter]) or a cert. weight of gold (also [masculine]).
1) Svarṇa (स्वर्ण):—m. (contracted from su-varṇa) a [particular] Agni, [Harivaṃśa]
2) n. gold (as a weight = one Karṣa of gold), [Yājñavalkya; Kāvya literature; Kathāsaritsāgara] etc.
3) a kind of red chalk, [Rāmāyaṇa]
4) a kind of plant ([according to] to [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.], ‘a kind of herb’, = gaura-suvarṇa ‘the thorn-apple’, ‘a kind of cocoa palm’, and ‘the flower of Mesua Roxburghii’), [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण):—(rṇaṃ) 1. n. Gold.
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण):—(aus suvarṇa)
1) n. Gold [Amarakoṣa 2, 9, 94. 2, 6, 3, 6] [?(pl.!). Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 2, 9, 31. Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1043. Halāyudha 2, 18. Ratnamālā 87. Spr. (II) 6140.] bhārairalabhyam [7321.] [WEBER, Rāmatāpanīya Upaniṣad 324.] [Rājataraṅgiṇī 4, 475.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 4, 25, 14. 8, 12, 8.] steya [Oxforder Handschriften 281,b,11.] [WEBER, Rāmatāpanīya Upaniṣad 355.] haraṇa [356.] dhuryam Gold und ein Lastthier [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 1, 210.] kūṭa verfälschtes Gold [2, 297.] —
2) m. n. als Gewicht ein Karṣa Gold: daśasvarṇasya kāraṇāt [Mṛcchakaṭikā 34, 15.] bahusvarṇalakṣamūlya [Kathāsaritsāgara 22, 97. 35, 25.] śata 33. —
3) eine Art Röthel (vgl. gairika): dhārāḥ [Rāmāyaṇa 7, 7, 15.] —
4) n. Bez. verschiedener Pflanzen: Stechapfel [Śabdakalpadruma] = gaurasuvarṇaśāka [Rājanirghaṇṭa 7, 151.] = nāgakesara [6, 179] (das Metrum verlangt aber suvarṇa). — [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 4, 6, 16.] —
5) m. Name eines Agni [Harivaṃśa 10467.] — Vgl. rāja und suvarṇa .
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Soṇṇa.
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
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण) [Also spelled swarn]:—(nm) gold; ~[kaṇa/kaṇikā] a gold-particle; ~[kāra] a goldsmith; ~[kārī] goldsmithy; —[jayaṃtī] golden jubilee: ~[juhī] yellow jasmine; -[taskara] a gold smuggler; —[taskarī] gold-smuggling; -[patra] golden leaf; -[mudrā] a gold coin; -[yuga] the golden age; ~[varṇa] (of) golden (colour); ~[varṇā] (a woman) of golden colour.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Svarṇa (ಸ್ವರ್ಣ):—
1) [noun] gold.
2) [noun] riches; wealth.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Svarṇa (स्वर्ण):—n. gold;
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 (+26): Svarna-adaya, Svarna-adayam, Svarna-Bhairava, Svarna-bhandarin, Svarna-danda, Svarna-divasa, Svarna-jayanti, Svarnabandha, Svarnabandhaka, Svarnabha, Svarnabhaj, Svarnabhringara, Svarnabhumika, Svarnabhushana, Svarnabhushita, Svarnabimala, Svarnabindu, Svarnacuda, Svarnacudaka, Svarnacula.
Full-text (+233): Svarnakara, Svarnamakshika, Svarnakshiri, Svarnapushpa, Svarnakrit, Svarnavarna, Svarnagairika, Kutasvarna, Svarnakaya, Svarnacuda, Svarnaja, Svarnayuthi, Svarnabhringara, Svarnarekha, Svarnari, Svarnapaksha, Svarnadidhiti, Svarnapadma, Svarnabindu, Rajasvarna.
Relevant text
Search found 92 books and stories containing Svarna, Svarṇa, Svarṇā; (plurals include: Svarnas, Svarṇas, Svarṇās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 3.1.29 < [Chapter 1 - The Worship of Śrī Girirāja]
Verses 2.20.31-32 < [Chapter 20 - The Rāsa-dance Pastime]
Verse 6.7.14 < [Chapter 7 - The Marriage of Śrī Rukmiṇī]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 282 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 3]
Page 300 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 3]
Page 398 < [Hindi-Malayalam-English Volume 3]
Yajnavalkya-smriti with Mitakshara and Viramitrodaya (by J. R. Gharpure)
Verse 1.210 < [Chapter 9 - On Gifts]
Verse 2.187 < [Chapter 15 - Transgression of a Compact]
Verse 2.181 < [Chapter 13 - Rescission of Purchase]
Ganita-sara-sangraha by Mahavira-Acharya (by M. Rangacharya)
Chapter 6 - Pascamah misraka vyavaharah < [Part 2 - Sanskrit text]
Chapter 5 - The Rule-of-three (trairashika) < [Part 1 - English translation]
Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)
Chapter 4 - Jālandhara’s Marriage and Consecration < [Section 6 - Uttara-Khaṇḍa (Concluding Section)]
Historical Elements in the Matsya Purana (by Chaitali Kadia)
The River Gaṅgā or Ganges < [Chapter 4 - Geographical history in the Matsya-Purāṇa]