Svati, Svātī, Svāti: 32 definitions
Introduction:
Svati means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil. 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 Swati.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Svāti (स्वाति):—Name for a particular section of the ecliptic. It is also known as Svātinakṣatra. Nakṣatra means “Lunar mansion” and corresponds to a specific region of the sky through which the moon passes each day. Svāti means “very good” and is associated with the deity known as Vāyu (God of breath/air). The presiding Lord of this lunar house is Rāhu (north lunar node).
Indian zodiac: |6°40'| – |20° Tulā|
Tulā (तुला, “balance”) corresponds to Libra.
Western zodiac: |2°40'| – |16° Scorpio|
Scorpio corresponds with Vṛścika (वृश्चिक, “scorpion”)
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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Svāti (स्वाति).—A grandson of Cākṣuṣa Manu. Ten sons were born to Cākṣuṣa Manu, by his wife Naḍvalā. Svāti was the son of his son Ūru by his wife Āgneyī. Śvāti had five brothers named Aṅga, Sumanas, Kratu, Aṅgiras and Gaya. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 18).
Svāti (स्वाति) is the name of a Nakṣatra mentioned in the Nīlamatapurāṇa verse 701 and 779. As regards the heavenly bodies, the Nīlamata refers to the sun, the moon, the planets and the stars. The divisions of the time are also mentioned as objects of worship.
1a) Svāti (स्वाति).—The performance of śrāddha in this nakṣatra, gives one profits in trade.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 18. 8; Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 130; 66. 49; 82. 8.
1b) A son of Meghasvāti (Andhra) ruled for 18 years.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 273. 6.
1c) A son of Dhvajinīvan and father of Ruśanku.*
- * Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 12. 2.
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.
Vastushastra (architecture)
Svāti (स्वाति) refers to the fifteenth of twenty-seven constellations (ṛkṣa), according to the Mānasāra. Ṛkṣa is the third of the āyādiṣaḍvarga, or “six principles” that constitute the “horoscope” of an architectural or iconographic object. Their application is intended to “verify” the measurements of the architectural and iconographic object against the dictates of astrology that lay out the conditions of auspiciousness.
The particular nakṣatra, also known as ṛkṣa (e.g., svāti) of all architectural and iconographic objects (settlement, building, image) must be calculated and ascertained. This process is based on the principle of the remainder. An arithmetical formula to be used in each case is stipulated, which engages one of the basic dimensions of the object (breadth, length, or perimeter/circumference). In the context of village planning and measurement, the text sates that among the stars (ṛkṣa), the ones that are pūrṇa (odd), are auspicious and the ones that are karṇa (even), inauspicious.
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.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Svāti (स्वाति) is the name of a sage who connected clouds with the sounds of drums (puṣkara) according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 33. Accordingly, “after seeing that the Mṛdaṅgas, Paṇavas and Dardaras have been made, the great sage Svāti brought about a similarity of their notes with those of clouds. The high sounding cloud named Vidyujjihva gave note to Vāma (Vāmaka), the great cloud named Airāvaṇa to Ūrdhvaka, the rain-cloud named Taḍit to Āliṅgya, the Puṣkara cloud to the Dakṣiṇa, and Kokila to the Vāma ( Vāmaka) and (the cloud named) Nandi to the drum named Āliṅgya and the cloud name Siddhi to Āṅkika and Piṅgala to Āliṅgya. Those who want Success of performances should make to these clouds, offerings which are dear to spirits (bhūta)”.
Svāti (स्वाति) is the name of an authority on Nāṭya (ancient Indian art of performance and theater), as mentioned in the Bharataśāstram, one of the works ascribed to Kohala (=Kohalācārya-Kavi)—a celebrated authority of the ancient period along with others such as Bharata, Yāṣṭika, Śārdūla, Kāśyapa etc.—The possibility of connecting Kohala as the author of a portion of this codex exists only in the unknown section. Therefore, it seems more than likely that Kohala was not the author of this section. [...] The nāndī-śloka is followed by verses of veneration of earlier authorities on nāṭya [e.g., Svāti] in chronological order. This entire passage with the exception of the final two lines, is an interpolation from Saṅgītaratnākara.
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)
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Svātī (स्वाती) (Nakṣatra) is considered negative for the recovery for a person to be bitten by snake, as taught in the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā, which represents the Ayurvedic study on Toxicology (Agadatantra or Sarpavidyā).—The malignant asterisms and baneful lunar phases and astral combinations, with reference to snake-bite, are discussed in the tail-end of the fourth Adhyāya. [...] The Kāśyapasaṃhitā mentions the following details regarding the Nakṣatras:—The stars of a malignant nature that determine the virulence of the poison of the snake bite are [e.g., Svātī] (Cf. verse IV.108)
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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Svātī (स्वाती) or Niṣṭyā is later clearly the brilliant star Arcturus or α Bootis, its place in the north being assured by the notice in the Śāntikalpa, where it is said to be ‘ever traversing the northern way’ (nityam uttara-mārgagam). The Taittirīya-brāhmaṇa, however, constructs an asterismal Prajāpati, giving him Citrā (α Virginis) for head, Hasta (Corvus) for hand, the Viśākhe (α and β Libræ) for thighs, and the Anūrādhās (β, δ, and π Scorpionis) for standing place, with Niṣṭyā for heart. But Arcturus, being 30° out, spoils this figure, while, on the other hand, the Arabic and Chinese systems have respectively, instead of Arcturus, ι, κ, and λ Virginis and κ Virginis, which would well fit into the Prajāpati figure.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Svāti (स्वाति) refers to one of the twenty-seven constellations (nakṣatra) according to according to Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XIV).—Svāti is the Sanskrit equivalent of Chinese K’ang, Tibetan Sa-ri and modern Bootis.
Svāti is classified in the third group: “The moon revolves around the earth in 28 days. If the moon enters one of the six following constellations (e.g., Svāti), then at that moment the earth trembles as if it would collapse, this trembling extends as far as the Garuḍa. Then there is no more rain, the rivers dry up, the year is bad for grain, the emperor (T’ien tseu) is cruel and the great ministers are unjust”.
Svāti (स्वाति) is the name of a Nakṣatra mentioned in chapter 18 of the Candragarbha: the 55th section of the Mahāsaṃnipāta-sūtra, a large compilation of Sūtras (texts) in Mahāyāna Buddhism partly available in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese.—Chapter 18 deals with geographical astrology and, in conversation with Brahmarāja and others, Buddha explains how he entrusts the Nakṣatras [e.g., Svāti] with a group of kingdoms for the sake of protection and prosperity.
The Svātinakṣatra comprises the following realms:
- A-lo-tch'a (Araṭa?),
- Ho-li-na (Hariṇa?),
- Chou-kia-lo (Śukara?),
- Po-lou-lo (Parura?),
- Fou-li-chö (Vṛśa? or Puriśa?),
- Na-mo-ti (Namati),
- Kiu-tche-so (Koṭisa? or Koṭiva?),
- Sou-lo-na (Suraṇa?),
- Chö-mo (Śama?),
- Po-t'o-p'o (Padava?).
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)
Svāti (स्वाति) refers to one of the various Nakṣatras mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Svāti).
Svātī (स्वाती) refers to the fifteenth of the 28 nakṣatras (“constellations”) of the zodiac, as commonly depicted in Buddhist Iconography, and mentioned in the 11th-century Niṣpannayogāvalī of Mahāpaṇḍita Abhayākara.—The nakṣatras are described collectively in the dharmadhātuvāgīśvara-maṇḍala of the Niṣpannayogāvalī. In this maṇḍala the nakṣatras are given one face and two arms, which are clasped against the chest in the añjalimudrā:—“the deities [viz., Svātī] are decked in bejewelled jackets and they all show the añjali-mudrā”.—In colour, however, they differ. [viz., Svātī is given the colour yellow].
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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Svāti (स्वाति) refers to an auspicious constellation for rain, according to chapter 1.1 [ādīśvara-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly,
“[...] after [Vajranābha] had circumambulated three times the Lord of the World and bowed to him, he sat down behind Śakra like a younger brother. Chief of the laymen, he listened to the sermon which resembled rain at the time of Svāti, producing the pearl of enlightenment in the pearl-oysters of the minds of the souls capable of emancipation”.
Note: Each constellation is supposed to have a specific influence on the rain fall. If rain falls at the pearl-beds near Ceylon at the time of Svāti, it turns into pearls in 9 days, according to tradition.
Svāti (स्वाति) refers to the “lower part alone symmetrical” and represents one of the six types of Saṃsthāna (structure karma), representing one of the various kinds of Nāma, or “physique-making (karmas)”, which in turn represents one of the eight types of Prakṛti-bandha (species bondage): one of the four kinds of bondage (bandha) according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra chapter 8. What is meant by ‘the lower part alone symmetrical’ (svāti) body (saṃsthāna) body-making (nāma) karma? The karmas rise of which causes only the lower part alone symmetrical structure of the body accomplished are called the only lower part symmetrical body-making karma.
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
Svāti (r. 37-19 BCE) is a king from the Sātavāhana dynasty of ancient India. The Sātavāhana lineage (known as Andhra in the Purāṇas) once ruled much of the Deccan region and several of the Ajantā caves at West-Khandesh (West-Khaṇḍeśa, modern Jalgaon) were carved in the 3rd century BCE when the region was ruled by kings (e.g., Svāti) and descendants of the Sātavāhana kings. Svāti was preceded by Meghasvāti and succeeded by Skandasvāti.
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
svātī (स्वाती).—f pl (S) The fifteenth lunar asterism or (as it consists but of one star) the star Arcturus. svātīcā pāūsa The rain which falls under this asterism. Said to produce pearls.
svātī (स्वाती).—f pl The 15th lunar asterism.
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
Svāti (स्वाति) or Svātī (स्वाती).—f. [svenaiva atati at in strītvapakṣe vā ṅīp]
1) One of the wives of the sun.
2) A sword.
3) An auspicious constellation.
4) The star Arcturus, considered as forming the fifteenth lunar asterism; स्वात्यां सागरशुक्तिसंपुटगतं सन्मौक्तिकं जायते (svātyāṃ sāgaraśuktisaṃpuṭagataṃ sanmauktikaṃ jāyate) Bhartṛhari 2.67.
Derivable forms: svātiḥ (स्वातिः).
Svāti (स्वाति).—(perhaps = Pali Sāti ?), name of a monk: Mahā-Māyūrī 219.28 et al.; Mūla-Sarvāstivāda-Vinaya i.202.13 ff.; 285.10; 286.13; 287.7.
Svāti (स्वाति).—f. (-tiḥ-tī) 1. One of the wives of the sun. 2. The star Arcturus, or fifteenth lunar asterism, consisting of but one star. 3. An auspicious constellation. 4. A sword. 5. A bird. E. su well, auspiciously, at to go or be, aff. in .
Svāti (स्वाति).—svātī or svātī, f. 1. One of the wives of the sun. 2. The star Arcturus, or fifteenth lunar asterism. 3. An auspicious constellation, [Bhartṛhari, (ed. Bohlen.)] 2, 57. 4. A sword.
Svāti (स्वाति).—[feminine] [Name] of a constellation.
--- OR ---
Svātī (स्वाती).—[feminine] [Name] of a constellation.
1) Svāti (स्वाति):—f. (of unknown derivation) Name of the star Arcturus (as forming the 13th and 15th lunar asterism; also svātī [plural] svātyaḥ), [Atharva-veda] etc. etc.
2) Name of one of the wives of the Sun, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) a sword, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) m. Name of a son of Uru and Āgneyī ([varia lectio] khyāti), [Harivaṃśa; Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
5) of Megha-svāti, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]
6) mfn. born under the star Arcturus, [Pāṇini 4-3, 34.]
Svāti (स्वाति):—[(tiḥ-tī)] 2. 3. f. One of the wives of the sun; Arcturus; a sword.
Svāti (स्वाति):—m. f. [Amarakoṣa 3, 6, 5, 38.] [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 3, 5, 16.]
1) f. ti und tī N. des 13ten (oder 15ten) Nakṣatra [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 112.] [Journ. of the Am. Or. S. 6, 335.] [Atharvavedasaṃhitā 19, 7, 3.] [Taittirīyasaṃhitā 4, 4, 10, 2.] [Śāṅkhāyana’s Gṛhyasūtrāṇi 1, 26.] [Pāraskara’s Gṛhyasūtrāṇi 1, 4.] — svāti [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 4, 3, 34.] [Mahābhārata 5, 3835.] [Harivaṃśa 4257.] [Rāmāyaṇa 5, 55, 2.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 21, 29. 102, 4. 105, 4.] yoga [?25, 5. 6. Viṣṇupurāṇa 226, Nalopākhyāna 21. Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 33, 12. Scholiast zu Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtrāṇi 21, 3, 3.] svātyām [Mahābhārata 13, 3269.] [Spr. (II) 6781 ] (v. l. svātau). svātau [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 9, 31. 10, 10. 15, 13. 25, 1. 2.] svātes 4. svātī [Matsyapurāṇa 251, 7] [?(nach AUFRECHT).] yoga [Mahābhārata 13, 4261.] citrāsvātyantare [6, 85.] svātyādya [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 9, 16. 22. 14, 19. 22, 2.] pl. : svātyo viśākhā maitraṃ ca [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 58, 33.] —
2) adj. unter diesem Nakṣatra geboren [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 4, 3, 34.] —
3) m. Nomen proprium eines Sohnes des Ūru von der Āgneyī [Harivaṃśa 73] (khyāti die neuere Ausg.). [Viṣṇupurāṇa 98] (khyāti der gedr. Text [1, 13, 7]). —
4) f. Nomen proprium einer Gemahlin des Sonnengottes [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 1, 1, 101.] —
5) Schwert [Dharaṇīkoṣa im Śabdakalpadruma] — Vgl. umā, megha, śiva, sauvāta .
Svāti (स्वाति) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Sāi.
Svātī (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 亢 [kàng]: “neck”..
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
Svāti (स्वाति) [Also spelled swati]:—[[~tī]] (nf) the fifteenth of the twenty-seven traditional nakshatras; ~[biṃdu] a rain drop in the [svāti nakṣatra.].
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Svāti (ಸ್ವಾತಿ):—[noun] a giant orange star in the constellation Boötes; the Arcturus.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Tamil dictionary
Svāti (ஸ்வாதி) noun < svāti. The 15th nakṣatra. See சோதி⁴. [sothi⁴.]
Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.
Nepali dictionary
Svāti (स्वाति):—n. Astrol. the fifteenth constellation (नक्षत्र [nakṣatra] );
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 (+0): Svati-suta, Svatigiri, Svatika, Svatikari, Svatikarna, Svatilaka, Svatimale, Svatimkari, Svatimukha, Svatinakshatra, Svatinam, Svatinattappu, Svatisharmarya, Svatishena, Svatishtanam, Svativarna, Svativarsha, Svativarusha, Svativatta, Svatiyoga.
Full-text (+215): Svatiyoga, Meghasvati, Shivasvati, Svatigiri, Svatimukha, Citrasvati, Svatinakshatra, Govithi, Nagavithi, Swati, Vayudeva, Svatishena, Nakshatra, Svati-suta, Svativarusha, Svativarsha, Svatikarna, Svatikari, Skandhasvati, Prabhanjana.
Relevant text
Search found 106 books and stories containing Svati, Svaathi, Svadhi, Svadi, Svathi, Svātī, Svāti; (plurals include: Svatis, Svaathis, Svadhis, Svadis, Svathis, Svātīs, Svātis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Agni Purana (by N. Gangadharan)
Chapter 121 - The science of Jyotiṣa (Astronomy and Astrology) [jyotiḥśāstra]
Chapter 126 - Combinations of good and bad asterisms (nakṣatra-nirṇaya)
Chapter 136 - The diagram of asterisms indicating the period for undertaking a journey
Bhesajjakkhandhaka (Chapter on Medicine) (by Hin-tak Sik)
Toxicology (Agadatantra) < [Chapter 5 - Diseases and Treatments in the Chapter on Medicine]
Brihat Jataka by Varahamihira [Sanskrit/English] (by Michael D Neely)
Verse 16.8 < [Chapter 16 - Results of the Nakṣatras]
Agriculture and Animal husbandry in the Puranas (by Purboshri Borpuzari)
Part 10 - Favourable Time for Various Methods of Agriculture < [Chapter 2 - Agriculture and its importance]
Narada Purana (English translation) (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 56.3 - Description of the Moon (Candracāra) < [Part 2 - Pūrva-bhāga: Dvitīya-pāda]
Chapter 56.14 - Description of the Asterisms (Nakṣatras) < [Part 2 - Pūrva-bhāga: Dvitīya-pāda]
Chapter 56.34 - Description of Marriage (Vivāha or Pāṇipīḍana) < [Part 2 - Pūrva-bhāga: Dvitīya-pāda]
Indian Astronomy (a source book) (by B. V. Subbarayappa)