# स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/svadhyaya

स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) is a Sanskrit word meaning reciting or repeating the Veda to oneself, repeating the Veda aloud, recitation or perusal of any sacred texts, name of a work, studying the Veda, to study, recite, or read. Its 17 recorded definitions are grouped into 7 contexts, among them Act of study or recitation of sacred texts, A day for resuming sacred recitation, Cross-reference entry.

- **Root:** 1. श्रु (1. śru)
- **Etymology:** E. स्व one's self, अध्याय reading — E. sva one's self, adhyāya reading
- **SLP1:** `svADyAya`  **IAST:** svādhyāya  **Devanagari:** स्वाध्याय
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sv%C4%81dhy%C4%81ya
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/svadhyaya/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Act of study or recitation of sacred texts (11 definitions)
- Reciting or repeating the Veda to oneself.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 1277,2] 1. स्वा (svā) ध्याय (dhyāya) m. reciting or repeating or rehearsing to o° 's self, repetition or recitation of the Veda in a low voice to o° 's self, ŚBr. &c. &c. [ ID=258348 ]
- repeating the Veda aloud  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > repeating the V° aloud ( acc. with caus. of √ 1. श्रु (śru), ‘to cause the V° to be repeated aloud’), Manu-smṛti (Title) iii, 232 [ ID=258349 ]
- recitation or perusal of any sacred texts  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > recitation or perusal of any sacred texts, W. [ ID=258350 ]
- Repeating to oneself or study of the Veda  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 373-1 ] स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) sva‿adhyāyá, m. repeating to oneself, study of the Veda; repetition of the Veda aloud: -ṃ śrāvaya, cause the Veda to be repeated aloud: -dhṛk, a. studying the Veda; -vat, a. id.. [ ID=20301 ]
- 1. Inaudible reading or muttering of prayers. 2. The Vedas. 3. Study of the Vedas.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्व (sva) ाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 965 ] स्व (sva) ाध्याय (svādhyāya) m. ( - यः (-yaḥ) ) 1 Inaudible reading or muttering of prayers. 2 The Vedas or scripture. 3 Perusal or study of the Vedas. E. स्व (sva) one's self, अध्याय (adhyāya) reading. [ ID=43779 ]
- 1. Muttering prayers. 2. The Vedas or their study.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 889-b ] स्वा _ ध्याय (svā_dhyāya) ( यः ) ((yaḥ)) 1. m. Muttering of prayers; Vedas; study of them. [ ID=43585 ]
- study of the Vedas or sacred books  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 819-14 ] स्व - अध्याय (sva-adhyāya) m. study of the Vedas, a sacred study, perusal of sacred books. [ ID=42596 ]
- 1. Inaudible reading or muttering of prayers. 2. The Vedas or scripture. 3. Study of the Vedas.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्व (sva) ाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 824-a ] स्व (sva) ाध्याय (svādhyāya) m. ( - यः (-yaḥ) ) 1. Inaudible reading or muttering of prayers. 2. The Vedas or scripture. 3. Perusal or study of the Vedas. E. स्व (sva) one's self, अध्याय (adhyāya) reading. [ ID=46364 ]
- repetition or study, especially of the Veda  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 654 ] स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) m. reading or repeating (to one's self), esp. study of the Veda. [ ID=39175 ]
- recitation to oneself or study of the Veda  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 284-a ] svādhyāyá, m. the reading or repeating to one's self, study (of the Veda). [ adhyāya. ] [ ID=4844 ]
- the study or repetition of Vedic texts  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 2-496 ] Svādhyāya (‘reciting to oneself’) in the Brāhmaṇas 1 denotes the study or repetition of the Vedic texts. The Sūtras give rules for it in great detail. Cf. Brāhmaṇa. [ Footnote: 1) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, iii. 4, 3, 6; iv. 6, 9, 6; xi. 5, 6, 3; 7, 1, 4, 7; Chāndogya Upaniṣad, i. 12, 1; 8, 15; Kauṣītaki Upaniṣad, i. 1.] [ ID=3769 ]

### A day for resuming sacred recitation (1 definition)
- a day on which sacred recitation is resumed after suspension  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a day on which sacred recitation is resumed after its suspension, MW. [ ID=258352 ]

### Cross-reference entry (1 definition)
- See page 1157  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) [Printed book page 1161-c ] स्वाध्याय (svādhyāya) svādhyāya, &c. See p. 1157. [ ID=53777 ]

### Name of a specific work (1 definition)
- Name of a work  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of wk. [ ID=258353 ]

### One who studies the Veda / Studying the Veda (adj.) (1 definition)
- studying the Veda  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > स्वा (svā) ध्याय (dhyāya) mfn. studying the V° (°) ( - तम (-tama), perhaps w.r. for स्वा (svā) ध्याय (dhyāya) ि - त् (dhyāyi-t) ° (°) ), Divyāv. [ ID=258354 ]

### The Veda or sacred scripture (1 definition)
- the Veda  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the Veda, L. [ ID=258351 ]

### To study or recite (verbal form) (1 definition)
- to study, recite, or read  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 1277,2] 2. स्वा (svā) ध्याय (dhyāya) Nom. P. ° यायति (°yāyati), to study, recite, read to ( acc. ), Divyāv.; SaddhP. [ ID=258360 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546