Astadasa (Eighteen; eighteenth in ordinal use): Meaning and Definition
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Astadasa (eighteen; eighteenth in ordinal use)
- Devanagari: अष्टादश
- IAST: aṣṭādaśa
- Pronunciation: ush-TAA-duh-shuh. The second syllable contains a long a sound, as in father. The first consonant cluster combines an sh-like sound with a retroflex t.
- Alternate spellings: Ashtadasha, Ashtadasa, Astadasha, Ashtadashan
Definition
Astadasa means “eighteen” in Sanskrit. In yoga, Astadasa is usually a counting term used in Sanskrit descriptions, chapter numbers, lists, and compounds rather than a distinct philosophical concept. Depending on its grammar and context, Astadasa can also mean “eighteenth.”
Astadasa is the Sanskrit number eighteen, formed from the words for eight and ten. Yoga students are most likely to encounter it when studying Sanskrit terminology, numbered teachings, sacred texts, mantra descriptions, or ritual lists.
What does Astadasa literally mean?
Astadasa combines asta, meaning “eight,” with Dasa, meaning “ten.” In this compound, the final vowel of asta is lengthened, producing the form shown in IAST as aṣṭādaśa. Its literal numerical value is eight plus ten, or eighteen.
Astadasa belongs to the Sanskrit number series from eleven through nineteen. These numerals are built in relation to dasa, the word for ten, as seen in Ekadasa for eleven, Saptadasa for seventeen, and Navadasa for nineteen.
How is Astadasa used in yoga?
In yoga, Astadasa refers to the number eighteen whenever Sanskrit is used to count chapters, teachings, practices, offerings, syllables, or other items. It does not name a widely recognized asana or a single philosophical principle.
A familiar textual connection is the Bhagavad Gita, which is arranged in eighteen chapters. Astadasa may therefore appear in Sanskrit discussion of the text, especially when identifying its total number of chapters or referring to its eighteenth chapter.
The number eighteen also occurs in broader Hindu literary and ritual classifications. The importance assigned to the number varies by text and tradition, so Astadasa should not automatically be treated as having one universal symbolic meaning.
Does Astadasa mean eighteen or eighteenth?
Astadasa can be encountered with either a cardinal or ordinal meaning. A cardinal number answers “how many?” so the primary translation is “eighteen.” An ordinal number identifies position in a sequence, giving the translation “eighteenth.”
Some Sanskrit dictionaries cite the cardinal stem as astadasan and reserve astadasa as the ordinal headword. In actual Sanskrit forms and modern teaching materials, astadasa is also commonly presented and encountered as “eighteen.” The surrounding noun, case ending, and sentence structure determine the intended meaning.
The expanded ordinal form astadasama may also be used for “eighteenth.” Readers should therefore translate Astadasa from context rather than assuming that every occurrence has the same grammatical function.
How do you pronounce Astadasa?
Astadasa is approximately pronounced “ush-TAA-duh-shuh.” The long vowel in the second syllable should be held longer than the surrounding short vowels.
The first sh-like consonant and the following t are retroflex, produced with the tongue slightly curled back. The final consonant is another sh-like Sanskrit sound. English speakers may pronounce both as “sh” while learning, though they represent different letters in precise Sanskrit pronunciation.
