Swami 2468773 223290947 2008-07-03T12:36:55Z Omnipedian 6990438 provided IPA transcriptions {{otheruses}} {{Hinduism_small}} '''Swami (Sw.)''' ({{lang-sa|स्वामी}}, ''Svāmi'', [[Help:IPA|IPA]]: [sʋáːmi]) is primarily a [[Hindu]] honorific title, for either males or females. It is derived from [[Sanskrit]] and means "'''owner of oneself'''", or "free from the senses". It is a title added to one's name to emphasize learning and mastery of [[Yoga]], devotion to the gods, and devotion to the swami's spiritual master (a guru or another swami).{{Fact|date=January 2008}} In the [[Bengali language]], the word (pronounced ['ʃami]), while carrying its original meaning, has a dual meaning of 'husband'. The word also means 'husband' in a more distant language, the [[Malay language]] where it is spelled 'Suami'. Swami is also a surname shortened from [[Swaminarayan]], a sub-denomination of Hinduism. This surname was given to the initiates of the holy order by [[Bhagwan Swaminarayan]], the founder of the [[Swaminarayan]] denomination. [[Adi Shankaracharya]] is said{{Who|date=January 2008}} to have revived the ancient swami order the 7th Century B.C.E. [[Category:Honorifics]] [[Category:Titles and occupations in Hinduism]] {{hindu-stub}} [[de:Swami]] [[es:Swami]] [[fr:Swâmi]] [[it:Swami]] [[nl:Swami]] [[pl:Swami]] [[pt:Swami]] [[ru:Свами]]