Iswara
/ɪˈʃwɑː.rə/noun
A variant transliteration of Ishvara, a Sanskrit title meaning the supreme lord or personal deity in Hindu philosophy.
Did you know?In Balinese Hinduism, Iswara is one of the nine directional deities, associated with the east, the color white, and the protective power of Shiva.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
īśvara
“lord, master, ruler, or supreme deity”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
īśvara
“a personal god or supreme governing principle, especially in Hindu philosophical texts”
Early Buddhist Sanskrit and Prakrit usage
Indic
issara / īśvara
“lord, powerful ruler, or deity”
Old Javanese and Balinese religious usage
Javanese/Balinese
Īśwara / Iswara
“a divine lord, especially a form or manifestation of Shiva”
Modern English and Southeast Asian usage
English/Indonesian
Iswara
“a transliteration variant and proper name referring to Ishvara or a Hindu deity”
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