Sveshta, Sveṣṭa, Sva-ishta: 6 definitions

Introduction:

Sveshta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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.

The Sanskrit term Sveṣṭa can be transliterated into English as Svesta or Sveshta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Sveṣṭa (स्वेष्ट) refers to “one’s favourite deity”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.53 (“Description of Śiva’s return journey”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated to Nārada: “Then Viṣṇu and other gods, the sages and ascetics sent message to the mountain about their intention to leave after finishing their immediate duties. Then the lord of mountains finished his ceremonial ablution and the worship of his favourite deity (sveṣṭa). Calling his kinsmen in the city, he came to the audience hall joyously. There he worshipped the lord with pleasure and requested him to stay in his house for a few days more along with all the people. [...]”.

Purana book cover
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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.

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Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: Google Books: Consecration Rituals In South Asia

Sveṣṭa (स्वेष्ट) or Sveṣṭaliṅga refers to “one’s own liṅga”, as discussed in the section dealing with Jīrṇoddhāra (“renovation”) in verse 119cd-124 of the Prāyaścittasamuccaya of Trilocanaśiva: a 12thcentury Śaiva manual on expiations.—Accordingly, “If one’s own liṅga [e.g., sveṣṭa-liṅga] is dropped, destroyed, burnt, stolen or taken away by a rat, kite, crow, dog or monkey, one will be purified after reciting one lakh of aghora, [and] after installing, according to the rules, another liṅga. And the same [rule] applies for the piṇḍikā. But if the liṅga falls from one’s hand into flowing or stagnant water, in that case too one should recite [aghora] one lakh times and [the liṅga] requires re-inauguration. [...]”

Vastushastra book cover
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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.

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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (tantric Buddhism)

Sveṣṭa (स्वेष्ट) refers to “one’s own chosen (deity)”, according to Kuladatta’s Kriyāsaṃgrahapañjikā, a text within Tantric Buddhism representing a construction manual for monasteries.—Accordingly, [kalaśādhivāsanā, chapter 3]—“If an Ācārya does not have a strong conviction in the Vajradhātu, there is no obstacle to his doing all the rites from purification of the site to consecration [of images etc.] with a strong conviction in his own chosen deity (sveṣṭa-devatā)”.

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Sveṣṭa (स्वेष्ट).—[adjective] dear to one’s self, nearest to one’s heart.

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

1) Sveṣṭa (स्वेष्ट):—[from sva] a mfn. dear to one’s self

2) b svaitu, svaiṣa See p. 1277, col. 3.

[Sanskrit to German]

Sveshta in German

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.

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See also (Relevant definitions)

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