Ucchvasa, Ucchvāsa: 15 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
1. Shaktism
2. Purana
3. Yoga
In Jainism
1. General definition
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Ucchvasa means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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 Uchchhvasa.

In Hinduism

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास) refers to “in-breathing”, according to the Śrīmatottara-tantra, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, “[...] Thus, it is beyond Form (rūpa) and Part (pada) and its sphere (of existence) is beyond the beyond. It is not an object of meditation. It is not involved in concentration, meditation or Yoga. There is no exhalation, no inhalation or retention of the breath. It is free of in-breathing and out-breathing [i.e., ucchvāsa-svāsa-nirmukta] and it has no form or characterizing feature. It resides in the teacher's lotus mouth -it cannot be obtained otherwise (except from there)”.

context information

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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास) refers to the “breath”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.28 (“Description of the fraudulent words of the Brahmacārin”).—Accordingly, as Pārvatī said to Śiva (in guise of a Brahmacārin): “[...] Sadāśiva is the support and receptacle of all lores. Of what avail is learning to Him who is perfect and the supreme soul? At the beginning of the Kalpa, all the Vedas were given by Śiva to Viṣṇu in the form of breath [i.e., ucchvāsa-rūpa]. Who can be a good lord equal to Him? How can He be measured in age, He who is primordial to everything and everyone. Even primordial nature (Prakṛti) is born of Him. Of what avail is then Energy to Him? [...]”.

context information

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.

Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास) refers to “expiration”, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise dealing with meditation, absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Vāmadeva: “[...] [Now], I shall define the nature of that highest, mind-free absorption which arises for those devoted to constant practice. [...] Remaining in absorption for the [following] times; moments, breaths, Palas, Nāḍīs, Praharas, days, months and years, [the Yogin] then goes to the highest reality. A breath consists of an inspiration and expiration (ucchvāsa). A palas is regarded as six breaths. A ghaṭikā corresponds in time to sixty palas. [...]”.

context information

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 8: Bondage of karmas

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास, “respiration”) refers to one of the various kinds of Nāma, or “physique-making (karmas)”, which 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 respiration (ucchvāsa) body-making karma? The karmas rise of which cause breathing activity are respiration body-making karmas.

context information

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास).—m Breathing. An air-hole or spiracle (of a water conduit).

context information

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

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास).—

1) Breath, exhalation, breathing out; मुखोच्छ्वासगन्धम् (mukhocchvāsagandham) V.4.22; Ṛtusaṃhāra 1.3; Meghadūta 14.

2) Support of life, being alive; तदद्याप्युच्छ्वासो भवति (tadadyāpyucchvāso bhavati) Uttararāmacarita 3.3; R.158.

3) A sigh.

4) Consolation, encouragement; Amaruśataka 13.

5) Expiring, dying.

6) An air-hole.

7) A division or chapter of a book, as of the Harṣa-charita; cf. अध्याय (adhyāya).

8) Froth, foam; सिन्धोरुच्छ्वासे पतयन्तमुक्षणम् (sindhorucchvāse patayantamukṣaṇam) Ṛgveda 9.86.43.

9) Swelling up, rising, increasing.

Derivable forms: ucchvāsaḥ (उच्छ्वासः).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास).—m.

(-saḥ) 1. Breath, breathing, inspiration. 2. A sigh. 3. Consolation, encouragement. 4. Division of a book. E. ut up, and śvas to breathe, ghañ aff.

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

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास).—i. e. ud-śvas + a m. 1. Breathing, [Rāmāyaṇa] 1, 65, 7. 2. Growing a little more conspicuoes (of a colour), [Śākuntala, (ed. Böhtlingk.)] [distich] 142. 3. Breath, [Vikramorvaśī, (ed. Bollensen.)] [distich] 105. 4. Sighing, [Meghadūta, (ed. Gildemeister.)] 100. 5. A division of a book, [Daśakumāracarita] in Chr. 179, 4.

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

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास).—[masculine] = [preceding] [neuter] + exhaling, expiring, draught (in drinking); sigh, death.

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

1) Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास):—[=uc-chvāsa] [from uc-chvas] m. breathing out

2) [v.s. ...] breath, deep inspiration, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra; Suśruta; Śakuntalā; Prabodha-candrodaya] etc.

3) [v.s. ...] expiration, death, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra]

4) [v.s. ...] sigh, [Mahābhārata; Meghadūta; Amaru-śataka]

5) [v.s. ...] froth, yeast, foam, [Ṛg-veda ix, 86, 43]

6) [v.s. ...] swelling up, rising, increasing

7) [v.s. ...] consolation, encouragement, [Horace H. Wilson]

8) [v.s. ...] pause in a narration, division of a book (e.g. of the Daśakumāra-carita)

9) [v.s. ...] an air-hole, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ussāsa.

[Sanskrit to German]

Ucchvasa 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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Ucchvāsa (उच्छ्वास) [Also spelled uchchhaps]:—(nm) exhalation, aspiration; sigh; chapter (of a book), hence ~[sita] (a); ~[sī] (a).

context information

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Ucchvāsa (ಉಚ್ಛ್ವಾಸ):—

1) [noun] the act of breathing out; exhalation.

2) [noun] the air that breathed out.

3) [noun] the act of taking the breath in.

4) [noun] a main division of a book; a chapter.

5) [noun] the act of selling; an instance of it.

6) [noun] cessation of life; death.

7) [noun] (Jain.) a unit of time.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 29 books and stories containing Ucchvasa, Ucchvāsa, Uc-chvasa, Uc-chvāsa; (plurals include: Ucchvasas, Ucchvāsas, chvasas, chvāsas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Part 2 - On measurable time < [Chapter 7]

Part 3 - On the commencement of rainfall < [Chapter 1]

Part 1 - On respirations (ucchvāsa) < [Chapter 1]

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Part 17 - Four kinds of Pramana (measure) < [Introduction]

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Chapter 123 - Description of the Svarodayacakra, etc.

Chapter 337 - Description of the characteristics of a kāvya (kāvylakṣaṇa)

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Verse 4.6.10 < [Part 5 - Dread (bhayānaka-rasa)]

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Part 5(a): Brief Note on the Harṣacarita < [Chapter 1 - Introduction]