Tapasvini, Tapasvinī: 7 definitions
Introduction:
Tapasvini means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Tapasvinī (तपस्विनी) refers to a “female performer of penance” and is used to describe Pārvatī (i.e., Goddess Śivā), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.8.—Accordingly, Nārada said to Himavat:—“[..] O lord of mountains, she will be the wife of Śiva and will remain his favourite always. She will be a chaste lady of good rites. She will increase the pleasure of her parents. Performing a penance [i.e., tapasvinī] she will fascinate Śiva’s mind towards herself. He too will marry none else except her. A love akin to this pair will not be found anywhere. Never in the past was it seen nor will it occur in future. Nor it is current now. [...]”.
Tapasvinī (तपस्विनी).—The third daughter of Bhangakāra, married to Kṛṣṇa.*
- * Vāyu-purāṇa 96. 55.
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Tapasvinī (तपस्विनी) refers to a “woman who is practicing austerities”, according to the Yogakhaṇḍa of the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, [while discussing the Hagiography of Siddha Bauddhadeva]: “[...] [After throwing a lotus in the Ganges river ...]: A divine virgin girl resided there who, observing a vow, practised austerities. The lotus reached where the girl who practised austerities (tapasvinī) was. Seeing it and taking it in (her) hand, she placed it around her neck. She saw Śiva and Śakti emerge from the centre of the calyx. [...]”.
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.
In Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Tapasvinī (तपस्विनी) is the name of a Ḍākinī who, together with the Vīra (hero) named Tapasvicinta forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Vākcakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the vākcakra refers to one of the three divisions of the nirmāṇa-puṭa (emanation layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs [viz., Tapasvinī] and Vīras are reddish madder in color; they each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum, and a knife.
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)
Tapasvini [तपस्विनी] in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Sphaeranthus indicus L. from the Asteraceae (Sunflower) family. For the possible medicinal usage of tapasvini, you can check this page for potential sources and references, although be aware that any some or none of the side-effects may not be mentioned here, wether they be harmful or beneficial to health.
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
Sanskrit dictionary
1) Tapasvinī (तपस्विनी):—[=tapas-vinī] [from tapas-vin > tapas > tap] f. a female devotee, poor wretched woman, [Nalopākhyāna; Rāmāyaṇa iii, 2, 7; Śakuntalā; Daśakumāra-carita]
2) [v.s. ...] Nardostachys Jaṭā-māṃsī, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) [v.s. ...] Helleborus niger, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [v.s. ...] = mahāśrāvaṇikā, [Bhāvaprakāśa]
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Tapasvini (ತಪಸ್ವಿನಿ):—[noun] a woman who leads a life of contemplation and extreme self-denial for realising the ultimate truth and principles of being.
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)
Partial matches: Vini, Tapas, Tapasa.
Full-text: Tapasvin, Varatta, Tapasvani, Ghosha, Tapasvicinta, Prasuti, Shatarupa, Mahas, Matali, Vakcakra.
Relevant text
Search found 28 books and stories containing Tapasvini, Tapasvinī, Tapas-vini, Tapas-vinī; (plurals include: Tapasvinis, Tapasvinīs, vinis, vinīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rāmāyaṇa, Vālmīki: Yuddhakāṇḍa, Trans. by Goldman et al., Princeton < [Volume 71 (2010)]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
The body in early Hatha Yoga (by Ruth Westoby)
Kuṇḍalinī technique: From striking to seizing < [Chapter 5 - Kuṇḍalinī: the matter of emotion]
Tapas in the longue durée: gestative or terminative < [Chapter 2 - Begin by cooking yourself]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 836 < [Hindi-Gujarati-English Volume 1]
Page 852 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Page 851 < [Hindi-Kannada-English Volume 1]
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda (by Srila Narayana Maharaja)
Conversations and Dialogues (From the Diary of a Disciple): VIII < [Conversations and Dialogues (From the Diary of a Disciple)]
Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)
Chapter 5 - On the Gāyatrī Stotra < [Book 12]
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