Damshtrala, Daṃṣṭrālā, Daṃṣṭrāla, Ḍaṃṣṭrālā: 9 definitions
Introduction:
Damshtrala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
The Sanskrit terms Daṃṣṭrālā and Daṃṣṭrāla and Ḍaṃṣṭrālā can be transliterated into English as Damstrala or Damshtrala, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Wisdom Library: The Matsya-purāṇaDaṃṣṭrālā (दंष्ट्राला) is the name of a mind-born ‘divine mother’ (mātṛ), created for the purpose of drinking the blood of the Andhaka demons, according to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.8. The Andhaka demons spawned out of every drop of blood spilled from the original Andhakāsura (Andhaka-demon). According to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.35, “Most terrible they (e.g., Daṃṣṭrālā) all drank the blood of those Andhakas and become exceedingly satiated.”
The Matsyapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 20,000 metrical verses, dating from the 1st-millennium BCE. The narrator is Matsya, one of the ten major avatars of Viṣṇu.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexDaṃṣṭrālā (दंष्ट्राला).—A Mind-born mother.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 179. 23.
The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramDaṃṣṭrālā (दंष्ट्राला) refers to “she who has big fang-like teeth”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, while describing the visualization of Koṅkaṇā: “[...] She is the unfailing Koṅkaṇā, the Kaula Weapon (who holds a) bow, arrow, club, thunderbolt, and javelin. (She has big) fang-like teeth [i.e., daṃṣṭrālā]. (Her tongue protrudes) licking up and destroying (the worlds). (Her) face is deformed, her form ferocious and (her) gaze is (turned) upwards. Her nature Time, she is in a mad frenzy. She laughs loudly and she sits on the (hexagram which is her) thunderbolt lotus seat”.
Source: Kamakoti Mandali: The Yoginis of Narasimha VyuhaDaṃṣṭrālā (दंष्ट्राला) is the name of a Mātṛkā-Śakti created by Mahārudra in order to control the plague of demons created by Andhakāsura.—Accordingly, Andhaka-Asura tried to kidnap Umā (Devī Pārvatī), and was fiercely attacked by Mahārudra who shot arrows at him from his mahāpināka. when the arrows pierced the body of Andhakāsura, drops of blood fell to earth and from those drops, thousands of Andhakas arose. To control this plague of demons, Mahārudra created Mātṛkā-Śaktis [viz., Daṃṣṭrālā] and ordered them to drink the blood of the demons and drain them dry.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra TantraDaṃṣṭrala (दंष्ट्रल) refers to “(having) tusks”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 9.19cd-26, while instructing to visualize Sadāśiva in order to worship the formless Amṛteśa]—“[He] resembles the swelling moon, a heap of mountain snow. [...] [Sadāśiva has] a shield, a mirror, a bow, a citron tree, and a water jar. At his head is a half moon. [He who meditates of Sadāśiva] should perceive the Eastern face as yellow; the Southern a wrathful, terrible black [that has] an unnatural, tusked mouth (daṃṣṭrala—daṃṣṭralaṃ vikṛtānanam). [...]”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Languages of India and abroad
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryDaṃṣṭrāla (दंष्ट्राल).—a. Having large tusks.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Daṃṣṭrāla (दंष्ट्राल):—[from daṃṣṭrā > daṃś] mfn. 1. tusked, [Harivaṃśa; Rāmāyaṇa]
2) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a Rakṣas, [v, 12, 13.]
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
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