Swami
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2008-07-03T12:36:55Z
Omnipedian
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'''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]]
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