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Shastra (Sanskrit: शास्त्र, romanized: Śāstra pronounced [ɕaːstrɐ]) is a Sanskrit word that means "precept, rules, manual, compendium, book or treatise" in a general sense.[1] The word is generally used as a suffix in the Indian literature context, for technical or specialized knowledge in a defined area of practice.[2]
Shastra has a similar meaning to English -logy, e.g. ecology, psychology, meaning scientific and basic knowledge on a particular subject. Examples in terms of modern neologisms include
- bhautikaśāstra 'physics',
- rasaśāstra 'chemistry',
- jīvaśāstra 'biology',
- vāstuśāstra 'architectural science',
- śilpaśāstra 'science of mechanical arts and sculpture',
- arthaśāstra 'science of politics and economics',[3] and
- nītiśāstra 'compendium of ethics or right policy'.
In Western literature, Shastra is sometimes spelled as Sastra,[4] reflecting a misunderstanding of the IAST symbol 'ś', which corresponds to the English 'sh'.
- ^ Monier Williams, Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, Article on zAstra
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
lochtefeldshastra626was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Boesche, Roger (January 2003). "Kautilya's Arthaśāstra on War and Diplomacy in Ancient India". The Journal of Military History. 67 (1). Society for Military History: 9–37. doi:10.1353/jmh.2003.0006. ISSN 0899-3718.
- ^ JDM Derrett (1973), Geschichte, Volume 1, Series Editor: Jan Gonda, Brill, ISBN 978-9004037403, pages 34–36