# वासना (vāsanā)

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

वासना (vāsanā) is a Sanskrit word meaning perfuming, fumigating, infusing, or steeping, the same meaning, belonging to an abode, causing to abide or dwell, abiding, abode, a receptacle for water. Its 28 recorded definitions are grouped into 9 contexts, among them Mental Impressions, Memory, and Knowledge, Proper Nouns (Names), Abode or Dwelling.

- **SLP1:** `vAsanA`  **IAST:** vāsanā  **Devanagari:** वासना
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%81san%C4%81
- **Declensions:** 24 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vasana/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** वासन (vāsana), वसान (vasāna), वसन (vasana)

## Meanings by context

### Mental Impressions, Memory, and Knowledge (5 definitions)
- knowledge  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > knowledge, L. [ ID=192371 ]
- the unconscious mental impression of past perceptions and experiences  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 947,3] वासना (vāsanā) c f. the impression of anything remaining unconsciously in the mind, the present consciousness of past perceptions, knowledge derived from memory, Śaṃk.; Kāv.; Kathās. [ ID=192374 ]
- Knowledge derived from memory  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 0963-b ] 1 Knowledge derived from memory; cf. भावना (bhāvanā). [ ID=25548 ]
- the unconscious mental impression left by past actions that produces pleasure or pain  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 0963-b ] 2 Particularly, the impression unconsciously left on the mind by past good or bad actions, which therefore produces pleasure or pain. [ ID=25548 ]
- 1. The mental impression of past actions that produces pleasure or pain. 2. Imagination or fancy. 3. Ignorance. 4. Wish, desire, or inclination.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 656-13 ] वासना (vāsanā) f. 1. The impression on the mind of past good or evil actions which produces pleasure or pain; 2. imagination, fancy; 3. ignorance; 4. wish, desire, inclination, कंसारिरपि संसारवासना (vāsanā) बद्धशृंखलाम् (kaṃsārirapi saṃsāravāsanābaddhaśṛṃkhalām) Git.G. iii. [ ID=34554 ]

### Proper Nouns (Names) (5 definitions)
- a kind of metre  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a kind of metre, Col. [ ID=192380 ]
- an epithet of Durga  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of Durgā, BhP. [ ID=192381 ]
- of the wife of Arka  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of the wife of Arka, ib. [ ID=192382 ]
- of a commentator on the Siddhanta-shiromani  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Comm. on the Siddhānta-śiromaṇi. [ ID=192383 ]
- a wife of Arka, a Vasu  
  *The Purana Index*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 3-207 ] Vāsanā — a wife of Arka, a Vasu. Bhā. VI. 6. 13. [ ID=12647 ]

### Abode or Dwelling (4 definitions)
- belonging to an abode  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 947,3] 3. वासन (vāsana) mfn. belonging to an abode, fit for a dwelling, W. [ ID=192367 ]
- causing to abide or dwell  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > वासन (vāsana) n. causing to abide or dwell, Bālar. [ ID=192368 ]
- abiding, abode  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > abiding, abode, L. [ ID=192369 ]
- a receptacle for water  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a receptacle for water, L. [ ID=192370 ]

### Fancy, Imagination, or (False) Ideas (3 definitions)
- 1. Imagination or idea. 2. A false notion or mistake.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > fancy, imagination, idea, notion, false notion, mistake ( ifc., e.g. भेद - व् (bheda-v) ° (°), the mistake that there is a difference), ib.; Rājat.; Sarvad. &c. [ ID=192375 ]
- Fancy, imagination, idea  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 0963-b ] 3 Fancy, imagination, idea. [ ID=25548 ]
- False idea, ignorance  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 0963-b ] 4 False idea, ignorance. [ ID=25548 ]

### Liking, Regard, or Trust (3 definitions)
- liking, respectful regard  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > liking, respectful regard, Bhām. [ ID=192377 ]
- trust and confidence  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > trust, confidence, W. [ ID=192378 ]
- Regard, liking, respectful regard  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 0963-b ] 6 Regard, liking, respectful regard; तेषां ( पक्षिणां ) मध्ये (teṣāṃ (pakṣiṇāṃ) madhye) मम तु महती वासमा चातकेषु (mama tu mahatī vāsamā cātakeṣu) Bhāminīvilāsa (Bombay) 4. 17. [ ID=25548 ]

### Perfuming or Scenting (3 definitions)
- perfuming, fumigating, infusing, or steeping  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 947,2] 1. वासन (vāsana) n. the act of perfuming or fumigating, infusing, steeping, Gīt., Sch. [ ID=192295 ]
- the same meaning  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 947,2] वासना (vāsanā) a f. id., Śiś., Sch. [ ID=192296 ]
- Perfuming, scenting  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 0963-b ] 7 Perfuming, scenting. [ ID=25548 ]

### Desire, Longing, or Expectation (2 definitions)
- desire, expectation, inclination  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > thinking of, longing for, expectation, desire, inclination, Kathās. [ ID=192376 ]
- A wish, desire, expectation, or inclination  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वासना (vāsanā) [Printed book page 0963-b ] 5 A wish, desire, expectation, inclination; ससारवासना (vāsanā) बद्धशृखला (sasāravāsanābaddhaśṛkhalā) Gītagovinda 3. [ ID=25548 ]

### Specific Posture or Technical Term (2 definitions)
- a particular posture practiced during meditation, sitting on the ground with knees bent and feet turned backward  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a partic. posture (practised by ascetics during abstract meditation, and by others; described as sitting on the ground with the knees bent and the feet turned backwards), W. [ ID=192372 ]
- proof, demonstration  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (in math. ) proof, demonstration (= उपपत्ति (upapatti) ), Gol. [ ID=192379 ]

### Referential Entry (1 definition)
- See next.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2B) [Printed book page 947,3] वासना (vāsanā) b f. See next. [ ID=192373 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); The Purana Index; Vaidya 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