Mala, Māla, Mālā, Māḻā, Māḷa, Maḻa: 55 definitions

Introduction:

Mala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi, biology, Tamil. 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 term Māḷa can be transliterated into English as Mala or Malia, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

Alternative spellings of this word include Maal.

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In Hinduism

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram (shaivism)

Mālā (माला) (or Sragdāman) refers to a “garland”, according to the Śrīmatottara-tantra, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult. Accordingly, “O goddess, Svacchanda is in the middle, within the abode of the triangle. Very powerful, he has five faces with three times five flaming eyes. [...] O fair lady, my attributes—trident, dagger, sword, the king of the snakes, and rosary—adorn the right (arms). O beloved, a skull, double-headed drum, javelin, noose and goad—(these) are my divine, brilliant and very auspicious weapons that (are held) in the left (hands). The king of snakes (hangs) on the shoulder and a garland of skulls [i.e., kādya-mālā] hangs (from the neck). There is a necklace of scorpions around the throat and the ears are adorned with snakes. [...]”.

Source: bhagavadgitausa.com: Kashmir Saivism

Mala refers to “impurities” and are of three kinds and common to Saiva Siddhanta and Kashmir Saivism. They are Anava Mala (para or the subtlest Impurity), Mayiya Mala (Suksma or subtle Impurity), Karma Mala (Sthula or Gross Impurity.

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions

Mālā (माला) refers to a “belt”, according to the Guhyasūtra chapter 9.—Accordingly, “[...] [The Lord spoke]:—[...] On one half, there should be a forehead mark; on one half a [forehead] eye. A ring [should be] in one ear; a [pendant] ear-ornament in one ear. He should put a trident in his right hand and a breast on his left side, a girdle on the left half, a bangle on the left arm, a woman’s anklet on the left leg, a man’s anklet on the right leg and a muñja-grass belt (muñja-mālā). At the hips, he should put a loin-cloth on the right and wear a woman’s garment on the left.”.

Shaivism book cover
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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.

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Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

Mala is a medical term used in Ayurveda meaning "excrement".

Source: Google Books: Essentials of Ayurveda

Mala (मल, “excreta”):—Urine, faeces, sweat etc. are malas formed from the ingested food. They are devoid of essence, are collected in their sites and thrown out by their respective passages. Malas are also formed from dhātus as the gross product while the finer portion of them leads to the formation successive dhātus.

Source: archive.org: Vagbhata’s Ashtanga Hridaya Samhita (first 5 chapters)

Mala (मल) refers to “dirt” and is mentioned in verse 1.13 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Mala and dri-ma properly signify “dirt, impurity”. As in the case of doṣa and ñes-pa, however, their original meaning has become somewhat obliterated in medical usage. Both terms now denote the waste products or “secretions” of the elements, which are respectively phlegm, choler, dirt in the apertures, sweat, nails & hair, fat of eyes, skin & feces, and vital essence (Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā  113.63 sq.; cf. Jolly, Medicin p. 43).

Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of terms

Mala (मल):—The waste products of the body formed during various stages of digestion and metabolism. Mala is one of the fundamental constituent of the human body along with Doṣa and Dhātu. They are of two classes: Āhāramala and Dhātumala. Āhāramala are: Mūtra (Urine) and Purīṣa (faeces). Following are the Dhātumalas: Kapha from Rasa, Pitta from Rakta, nose mucus and ear wax from the Māṃsa, Sveda (perspiration) from the Meda, nails and hair from the Asthi, rheum of the eye from the Majja.

Ayurveda book cover
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Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.

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Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Google Books: The Theory of Citrasutras in Indian Painting

Mālā (माला, ‘rosary’) is a weapon (āyudha or bādhra) according to the Vāstusūtra Upaniṣad.

Shilpashastra book cover
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Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra

1) Mālā (माला, “garland”) refers to one of the thirty-six “characteristic features” (lakṣaṇa) of perfect ‘poetic compositions’ (kāvyabandha) and ‘dramatic compositions’ (dṛśyakāvya, or simply kāvya). According to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 17, these thirty-six lakṣaṇas act as instructions for composing playwrights. The term is used throughout nāṭyaśāstra literature.

(Description of Mālā): When for the purpose of accomplishing a desired object one (lit. learned men) suggests to a person his many needs that may be met, it is an instance of Series of Offers (mālā, lit. “garland”).

2) Mālā (माला) refers to one of the ten kinds of yamaka, according to Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 17. Yamaka is one of the four “figures of speech” (alaṃkāra), used when composing dramatic compositions (kāvya).

3) Mālā (माला) is the name of a meter belonging to the Dvipadā-caturasra class of Dhruvā (songs) described in the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 32:—“the metre which has in its feet of sixteen syllables all long, is mālā”.

Natyashastra book cover
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Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Varāha-purāṇa

Mālā (माला).—Name of a river (nadī) situated near the seven great mountains on the western side of mount Naiṣadha, according to the Varāhapurāṇa chapter 83. These settlements consume the water flowing from these seven great mountains (Viśākha, Kambala, Jayanta, Kṛṣṇa, Harita, Aśoka and Vardhamāna). Niṣadha (Naiṣadha) is one of the seven mountains located in Jambūdvīpa, ruled over by Āgnīdhra, a grandson of Svāyambhuva Manu, who was created by Brahmā, who was in turn created by Nārāyaṇa, the unknowable all-pervasive primordial being.

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Māla (माल).—A place of habitation of ancient India. (Śloka 39, Chapter 9, Bhīṣma Parva).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1) Māla (माल).—A Janapada of the East.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 45. 123.

2) Mālā (माला).—(Cintāmaṇi)—Kubera's wedding present to Kāmeśvara.*

  • * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 15. 22.
Purana book cover
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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.

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Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammar

Mālā (माला).—A variety of the utterance of the Veda-Samhita (वेदपाठ (vedapāṭha)); a kind of Krama-Patha, one of the eight artificial recitations.

Vyakarana book cover
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Vyakarana (व्याकरण, vyākaraṇa) refers to Sanskrit grammar and represents one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas. Vyakarana concerns itself with the rules of Sanskrit grammar and linguistic analysis in order to establish the correct context of words and sentences.

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Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)

Source: Shodhganga: a concise history of Sanskrit Chanda literature

1) Mālā (माला) is the alternative name of a Sanskrit metre (chandas) mentioned by Hemacandra (1088-1173 C.E.) in his auto-commentary on the second chapter of the Chandonuśāsana. Mālā corresponds to Pramitā. Hemacandra gives these alternative names for the metres by other authorities (like Bharata), even though the number of gaṇas or letters do not differ.

1) Mālā is also the name of a Sanskrit metre (chandas) (according to Piṅgala) to which Hemacandra (1088-1173 C.E.) assigned the alternative name of Srak.

2) Mālā (माला) refers to one of the seventy-two sama-varṇavṛtta (regular syllabo-quantitative verse) mentioned in the 334th chapter of the Agnipurāṇa. The Agnipurāṇa deals with various subjects viz. literature, poetics, grammar, architecture in its 383 chapters and deals with the entire science of prosody (e.g., the mālā metre) in 8 chapters (328-335) in 101 verses in total.

Chandas book cover
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Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.

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Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Isvara Samhita Vol 5

Mālā (माला) or Mālāmudrā is the name of a mudrā described in the Īśvarasaṃhitā 24.27-29.—Accordingly, “this mudrā of Kaustubha is stated. Listen now to mālāmudra. Four fingers of the two hands are to be brought at their tips not far from each other, hanging gently while being seated or standing. The two arms, O Brahmin, are to be kept hanging down between the thighs with the two wrists being kept down up to the wrists. This is described as mālāmudrā”. Mūdra (eg., Mālā-mudrā) is so called as it gives joy to the tattvas in the form of karman for those who offer spotless worship, drive out the defects which move about within and without and sealing up of what is done.

Source: Universität Wien: Sudarśana's Worship at the Royal Court According to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā

Mālā (माला) refers to a “garland” (e.g., of flames), according to the Ahirbudhnyasaṃhitā, belonging to the Pāñcarātra tradition which deals with theology, rituals, iconography, narrative mythology and others.—Accordingly, “[...] If the female Demon born of the enemy’s aggressive ritual takes possession of the King, the latter would die on the spot just after having seen her, there is no doubt about that. [The King’s] sons, ministers, chief Queen as well as the city itself, the Demoness, clad in a garland of flames (jvālā-mālājvālāmālāvilā), destroys everything in just a second”.

Pancaratra book cover
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Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

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Vedanta (school of philosophy)

Source: Shodhganga: Siva Gita A Critical Study

Mala (मल) refers to “impurity”. An important term in Śaivism referring to three bonds, called Pāśa—āṇava, karma and māyā—which limit the soul, preventing it from knowing its true, divine nature.

Vedanta book cover
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Vedanta (वेदान्त, vedānta) refers to a school of orthodox Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. There are a number of sub-schools of Vedanta, however all of them expound on the basic teaching of the ultimate reality (brahman) and liberation (moksha) of the individual soul (atman).

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Kavyashastra (science of poetry)

Source: Shodhganga: Bhismacaritam a critical study

Mālā (माला) is the name of a Sanskrit metre (chandas) [defined as उ.उ.इ.इ] of the Upajāti type as employed in the Bhīṣmacarita (Bhishma Charitra) which is a mahākāvya (‘epic poem’) written by Hari Narayan Dikshit.—We find ten examples of Mālā variety of Upajāti metre in the Bhīṣmacarita. The example of it is verse IV.18. [...] The other examples are as follows: X.29, XI.8, XI.24, XIV.1, XIV.20, XIV.39, XIV.42, XIV.53 and XIV.60.

Kavyashastra book cover
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Kavyashastra (काव्यशास्त्र, kāvyaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian tradition of poetry (kavya). Canonical literature (shastra) of the includes encyclopedic manuals dealing with prosody, rhetoric and various other guidelines serving to teach the poet how to compose literature.

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Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: OpenEdition books: Architectural terms contained in Ajitāgama and Rauravāgama

Mālā (माला) refers to “frieze of the entablature § 3.26.”.—(For paragraphs cf. Les enseignements architecturaux de l'Ajitāgama et du Rauravāgama by Bruno Dagens)

Vastushastra book cover
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Vastushastra (वास्तुशास्त्र, vāstuśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science (shastra) of architecture (vastu), dealing with topics such architecture, sculpture, town-building, fort building and various other constructions. Vastu also deals with the philosophy of the architectural relation with the cosmic universe.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Mala (मल) refers to “impurities”, according to the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Even though the Command [i.e., ājñā] itself is purifying, the degrees in which it manifests depends on the purity of the recipient: the “descent of power” of one who has been purified of his previous Karma is very pure. He quickly attains an intense “descent of power”. It is very weak for one whose body is full of impurity (mala). The transmission of the Command from the teacher to his or her disciple serves to remove this impurity. This is the first step and the first form of the Command.

Shaktism book cover
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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.

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Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Google Books: Studies in the History of the Exact Sciences (Astronomy)

Mala (मल) refers to “dirt” (that may be in the water of the basin).—(Cf. Astronomical instruments in Bhāskarācārya’s Siddhāntaśiromaṇi).—According to Munīśvara (1603 A.D.) in his Marīci commentary on Bhāskara II: “The bowl should be so made that it has a large hole (pṛthu-chidra = mahārandhra) at the bottom. Through this statement it is indicated that the hole should be made in such a manner that, when the bowl is placed on the water of the basin and when water enters [the bowl], the hole is not blocked by any dirt [i.e., mala] that may be in the water of the basin. Because of the possibiliy of a small hole getting blocked by dirt an the like [i.e., mala-ādika], assuming here a coalescene of the vowel a (akāra-praśleṣa) [by reading apṛthu] is not proper”.

Jyotisha book cover
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Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.

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Kavya (poetry)

Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (kavya)

Mālā (माला) refers to a “garland”, according to Bāṇa’s Kādambarī (p. 224-228).—Accordingly, “[Going ahead a little, he then sees that the Goddess Caṇḍikā] was enclosed by a door made from the ivory of wild elephants, as yellowish-white as fragments of ketakī filaments, and an iron architrave bearing an ornamental garland (maṇḍa-mālā) of black iron mirrors surrounded by a row of red yak tail whisks resembling a garland of Śabara heads (śabaramukha-mālā) horrific with tawny hair”.

Kavya book cover
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Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

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Yoga (school of philosophy)

Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason Birch

Mala (मल) refers to “that which has impurity” (as opposed to Amala or Nirmala), according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise which deals absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—The Amanaska referred to (or qualified) Samādhi with several terms, which are all negative; [e.g., it has no impurity (amala/nirmala);] [...] The fact that such terminology is found in the Amanaska indicates that descriptions of Śiva and the void-like meditative states in Mantramargic Śaivism, were the basis of the descriptions of Samādhi and Paratattva (the highest reality) in this treatise. The Amanaska Yoga was consistent with the Pātañjala Yogaśāstra’s definition of Yoga, yet it described Samādhi in terms different to those of Pātañjalayoga; such as Amala/Nirmala—“that which has no impurity”.

Yoga book cover
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Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).

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Mantrashastra (the science of Mantras)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa (mantra)

Mālā (माला) refers to “mantras with more than 20 letters”, and represents a particular classification of mantras (“that which is chanted by people to obtain their spiritual aspirations”), according to the Nityatantra (bhūmikā, p. 13. mantramahodadhi).—The Nitya Tantra asserts that a single-syllable mantra is known as piṇḍa, while two-syllable mantras are called kartarī. Mantras with three to nine syllables are called bīja. Those with 10 to 20 letters are called mantras. Mantras with more than 20 letters are called Mālā.

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Mantrashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, mantraśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mantras—chants, incantations, spells, magical hymns, etc. Mantra Sastra literature includes many ancient books dealing with the methods reciting mantras, identifying and purifying its defects and the science behind uttering or chanting syllables.

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Shaiva philosophy

Source: archive.org: Chittanubodha Shastram By Bhaskara Kantha

Mala (मल) refers to the “dirt” (covering the luminous nature of Śiva in us), according to the Pratyabhijñā (lit. “divine recognition”) philosophical branch of Kashmir Śaivism.— According to the Pratyabhijñā doctrine the only way to liberation is the recognition of our own divine nature. There is no question of becoming something which we were not already, but of removing the veil and the dirt (mala) covering the luminous nature of Śiva in us. The aim is nothing but jīvanmukti (liberation in this life itself), which means living in the uninterrupted consciousness of Śiva as our very own nature.  This is the realization of our true ‘I’, the fullness of I-consciousness. In such a state the jīvanmukta lives in the awareness that everything is his own self. This corresponds to a state of universal love. For the supreme state of bliss is not a subjective enjoyment, but universal bliss.

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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist Iconography

Mālā (माला) or Mālyā refers one of four dance-deities, commonly depicted in Buddhist Iconography, and mentioned in the 11th-century Niṣpannayogāvalī of Mahāpaṇḍita Abhayākara.—Her Colour is red; her Symbol is the garland; she has two arms.—All these four deities (viz., Mālā) are popular in the Vajrayāna pantheon and are described times without number both in the Sādhanamālā as well as in the Niṣpannayogāvalī.

Mālā is described in the Niṣpannayogāvalī (pañcaḍāka-maṇḍala) as follows:—

“Mālā is of red colour and holds in her two hands the garland of jewels”.

[All these dance-deities are violent in character with garland of severed heads, and dance in pratyālīḍha. They show the tarjanī against the chest as the common gesture.]

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Mala (मल) or “filth” is associated with Prabhāmatī and Kaṅkāla, according to the Cakrasaṃvara-maṇḍala or Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—The Cakrasaṃvara mandala has a total of sixty-two deities. [...] Three concentric circles going outward, the body, speech and mind wheels (kāya-vāka-citta), in the order: mind (blue), speech (red), and body (white), with eight Ḍākinīs each in non-dual union with their Ḍākas, "male consorts".

Associated elements of Prabhāmatī and Kaṅkāla:

Circle: kāyacakra (mind-wheel) (blue);
Ḍākinī (female consort): Prabhāmatī;
Ḍāka (male consort): Kaṅkāla;
Bīja: oṃ;
Body-part: right ear;
Pīṭha: Oḍiyāna;
Bodily constituent: tvaṅ-mala (skin/filth);
Bodhipakṣa (wings of enlightenment): mīmāṃsā-ṛddhipāda (power of analysis).

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

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Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: academia.edu: A Study and Translation of the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā

Mālā (माला) refers to a “necklace” (of jewels), according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly, “The great vehicle (mahāyāna) is made with four wheels (cakra), namely with the means of attraction, the spokes (ara) are well fitted as the roots of good have been transformed with intention, [...] it is powered by the power of understanding four holy truths, it has the power of a thousand well-bred horses (ājanya), it goes to all buddha-fields by four magical feet (ṛddhipāda), the horns (śṛṅga) of recollection are bound with the string of a jewel necklace (ratna-mālā), it roams widely and broadly since it contains all living beings, it fulfills its function as it subdues enemies and the Māras, [...]”.

Mahayana book cover
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Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

1) Mala (मल) refers to “personal uncleanliness” and represents one of the hardships (parīṣaha), or “series of trials hard to endure” according to the Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra 10.1 (Incarnation as Nandana). While practicing penance for a lac of years, Muni Nandana also endured a series of trials hard to endure (e.g., mala). Nandana is the name of a king as well as one of Mahāvīra’s previous births.

2) Mala (मल) refers to “impurity” and represents one of the seven magic powers, according to chapter 4.7 [sanatkumāra-cakrin-caritra].—Accordingly:—“[...] Magic powers were acquired by him enduring all the trials hard to endure, indifferent to any expedient for relief. The seven magic powers, namely: phlegm, vipruṣ, dried perspiration (jalla), impurity (mala), excrement, touch, and also ‘everything’, are called remedies”.

Note: Jalla (Pravacanasāroddhāra, p. 430b), is defined as “mala arising from the ear, mouth, nose, eye, tongue, and from the body”. Mala is defined in the same way in Yogaśāstra 1.8 com. and Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra 1.1.845. It is hard, therefore, to see just what distinction to make between jalla and mala. From the Rājendra, Pāiasaddamahaṇṇavo and Ardha-Māgadhī Koṣa, I think perhaps that jalla is limited to ‘dried perspiration,’ when a distinction must be made. In the other enumerations of the labdhis which I know, either jalla or mala is given, but not both; neither are vipruṣ and viṣṭa named together. In the Prakrit version, vippa and jala occur. Sarvauṣadhi means that the nails, hair, teeth, and every part of the body are medicines.

Source: Shodhganga: A cultural study on the jain western Indian illustrated manuscripts

Mālā (माला, “flower garland”).—The fifth of “fourteen dreams” of Triśalā.—The fragrant flower garland that fell from the skies was predominantly white in color and had as many as twenty five types of flowers tied in bunches.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 6: Influx of karmas

Mālā (माला).—Why are there 108 beads in the rosary (mālā)? Multiplying the different types of passions (A.VI.8.1) gives 108 subtypes. Empirical souls while living and involved in auspicious or inauspicious activities are invariably associated with one of these passions (Kaṣāya). To purify from each of these passions and so there are 108 beads in the rosary.

Source: Encyclopedia of Jainism: Tattvartha Sutra 3: The Lower and middle worlds

Mala (मल, “excretion”) refers to one of the eight types of extraordinary healing (auṣadhi), which itself is a subclass of the eight ṛddhis (extraordinary powers). These powers can be obtained by the Ārya (civilized people) in order to produce worldly miracles. The Āryas represent one of the two classes of human beings according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra 3.46, the other being Mleccha (barbarians).

What is meant by extraordinary power to heal by excretion’s (mala-riddhi)? It is the extraordinary power by which the air which touches the excretions from teeth, ears, nose and eyes of an ascetic cures a patient when it touches his body.

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

1) Mālā (माला) refers to a “series (of clouds)”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “Connections with pleasing sense objects, whose impressions are full of deceit like dreams, perish immediately. Families, armies, empires, decorations and wealth are asserted by the great seers as acting like a series of clouds (ghana-mālā-anukārin)”.

2) Mala (मल) refers to “impurity”, according to the Jñānārṇava.—Accordingly, “If this body were not covered with skin, then who would be able to protect [it] from flies, worms and crows? The structure of the body of embodied souls is always filled with diseases, always the abode of impurity [com.mala] [and] always destined for death”.

Synonyms: Aśuci.

Source: SOAS Research Online: Prekṣā meditation: History and Methods

Mala (मल) refers to “sinful”; as opposed to Amala—“ sinless” which refers to one of the 46 qualities of the soul to be meditated on in the “Practice of Meditation on Liberated Souls (Siddhas)”, according to Jain texts like Ācārāṅga (5.6.123-140), Ṣaṭkhaṇḍāgama (13.5.4.31) and Samayasāra (1.49).—The pure soul can be recognised by meditation on its true nature, represented by the liberated souls of the Siddhas. [...] The qualities of the soul to be meditated on as truly mine are: [e.g., My soul is sinless (a-mala)] [...] The meditation on such extended fourty-five qualities of the pure soul presents the niśacaya-naya, which is aligned with Kundakunda’s approach.

General definition book cover
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Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

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India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Māla.—(EI 22), an elevated ground. Note: māla is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

Source: Singhi Jain Series: Ratnaprabha-suri’s Kuvalayamala-katha (history)

Mālā (माला) refers to one of the Eighteen types of Horses commonly known to ancient Indian society, according to Uddyotanasūri in his 8th-century Kuvalayamālā (a Prakrit Campū, similar to Kāvya poetry).—The Kuvalayamala (779 A.D.) is full of cultural material which gains in value because of the firm date of its composition. [...] At page 23.22 of the Kuvalayamālā there is an enumeration of 18 kinds of horses, [e.g., Mālā], [...].—Also see the Samarāīccackahā of Haribhadrasūri from  the beginning of the 8th century A.D.

India history book cover
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The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

1) Mala in India is the name of a plant defined with Anaphalis marcescens in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices.

2) Mala is also identified with Bryonopsis laciniosa It has the synonym Bryonopsis laciniosa var. typica Domin (etc.).

3) Mala is also identified with Lobelia nicotianaefolia It has the synonym Lobelia nicotianifolia Roth ex Schultes (etc.).

4) Mala is also identified with Spatholobus parviflorus It has the synonym Butea parviflora DC. (etc.).

5) Mala in Philippines is also identified with Elaeocarpus grandiflorus It has the synonym Elaeocarpus grandiflorus Bojer ex Baker, nom. illeg. (etc.).

6) Mala in Senegal is also identified with Zea mays It has the synonym Zea glumacea Larrañaga (etc.).

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· Catalogo del Real Orto Botanico di Napoli (1845)
· A Manual of Botany for the Northern States (1818)
· The Flora of British India (1881)
· Landwirthschaftliche Flora (1866)
· Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique (1829)
· Kew Bulletin (1962)

If you are looking for specific details regarding Mala, for example extract dosage, diet and recipes, chemical composition, health benefits, side effects, pregnancy safety, have a look at these references.

Biology book cover
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This sections includes definitions from the five kingdoms of living things: Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists and Monera. It will include both the official binomial nomenclature (scientific names usually in Latin) as well as regional spellings and variants.

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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Māḷa, (& Māla) (Non-Aryan, cp. Tamil māḍam house, hall) a sort of pavilion, a hall D. I, 2 (maṇḍala°, same at Sn. p. 104, which passage SnA 447 explanations as “savitānaṃ maṇḍapaṃ”); Vin. I, 140 (aṭṭa, māla, pāsāda; explained at Vin. III, 201. In the same sequence of Vbh. 251 explained at VbhA. 366 as “bhojana-sālā-sadiso maṇḍala-māḷo; Vinay’aṭṭha-kathāyaṃ pana eka-kūṭasaṅgahito caturassa-pāsādo ti vuttaṃ”); Miln. 46, 47.—Cp. mālaka.—(The BSk. form is either māla, e.g. MVastu II. 274, or māḍa, e.g. Mvyut 226, 43. ) (Page 531)

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Māla, (māḷa) (?) 1. mud (is it mis-spelling of mala?), in pakka-m°-kalala (boiling mud) J. VI, 400. Kern, Toev. s. v. believes to see the same word in phrase mālā-kacavara at J. II, 416 (but very doubtful).—2. perhaps= froth, dirty surface, in pheṇa° Miln. 117 (cp. mālin 2), where it may however be māla (“wreaths of foam”). ‹-› 3. in asi° the interpretation given under asi (as “dirt” see above p. 88) has been changed into “sword-garland, ” thus taking it as mālā. (Page 530)

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Mālā, (f.) (cp. Epic Sk. mālā) garland, wreath, chaplet; collectively=flowers; fig. row, line Sn. 401; Pug. 56; Vism. 265 (in simile); Pv. II, 316 (gandha, m. , vilepana, as a “lady’s” toilet outfit); II, 49 (as one of the 8 or 10 standard gifts to a bhikkhu: see dāna, deyyadhamma & yañña); PvA. 4=J. III, 59 (ratta-kaṇavera° a wreath of red K. flowers on his head: apparel of a criminal to be executed. Cp. ratta-māla-dhara wearing a red garland J. III, 179, an ensign of the executioner); PvA. 51, 62.—asi °-kamma the sword-garland torture (so correct under asi!) J. III, 178; Dāvs III, 35; dīpa° festoons of lamps Mhvs 5, 181; 34, 77 (°samujjota); nakkhatta° the garland of stars VvA. 167; puppha° a garland or wreath of flowers Mhvs 5, 181.—On mālā in similes see J. P. T. S. 1907, 123. In compn māla° sometimes stands for mālā°.

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Mala, (nt.) (Vedic mala, see etym. under malina. The Dhtm (395) only knows of one root mal or mall in meaning “dhāraṇa” supporting, thus thinking of māḷaka) anything impure, stain (lit. & fig.), dirt. In the Canon mostly fig. of impurities. On mala in similes see J. P. T. S. , 1907, 122.—S. I, 38 (itthi malaṃ brahmacariyassa), 43 (id.); A. I, 105 (issā°); Sn. 378, 469, 962, 1132 (=rāgo malaṃ etc. Nd2 500); Nd1 15, 478 sq.; Dh. 239 sq.; Vbh. 368 (tīṇi malāni), 389 (nava purisa-malāni); Pv. II, 334 (macchera°); PvA. 45 (id.), 80 (id.), 17 (citta°); Sdhp. 220.—Compar. malatara a greater stain A. IV, 195=Dh. 243.—See also māla.

Pali book cover
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Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.

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Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

mala (मल).—m n (S) Dirt, filth, foulness. 2 Excretion of the body; as serum, semen, blood, marrow, urine, fæces, earwax, nails, phlegm, tears, rheum, sweat. 3 Dregs, sediment, dross, rust, feculence or recrement gen. 4 fig. Evilmindedness or evil intent, malignity, moral corruption. Mem. For compounds besides those occurring below in order see under maḷa.

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maḷa (मळ).—m (mala S) Dirt, filth, feculence, foulness. For compounds besides those occurring below see under mala.

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maḷa (मळ).—f R (Usually maḷī) A roll of the sordes or scurf of the body.

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maḷā (मळा).—m (mālā S) A plantation of fruits or vegetables, an orchard &c.: also a tract of ground fit to be so used, i.e. alluvial or rich and low and level. 2 A species of sesamum.

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māla (माल).—m ( A) Property or possessions. 2 Goods, wares, merchandise, commodities. 3 An article or a thing considered with relation to worth or value. Ex. hā āṭhā rupayāñcā māla āhē. mālacā māla (The commodity or thing itself; the article exactly in statu quo ante.) A phrase used of money, goods &c. of which, after such application or employment as might augment or improve, or diminish or injure it or them, no change has taken place whether for better or for worse.

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mālā (माला).—f (S) A garland, a string or wreath of flowers. 2 A string of beads, a necklace, a rosary. 3 A line or row.

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mālā (माला).—m (Or mālū) A whitish and unctuous earth with which writing-boards &c. are rubbed.

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māḷa (माळ).—f (mālā S) A garland, a wreath, a string of flowers. 2 A row of petals, a corol. Esp. in comp. with the numerals; as ēkamāḷa, dumāḷa, timāḷa. 3 A string of gems or beads; a necklace; a rosary. 4 fig. A string, line, series; a regular succession or concatenation of things in general (as of waterpots around a waterwheel, of laborers to pass from hand to hand, of persons, legend-expounders, priests &c. to officiate by turns): also the rope of a waterwheel to which the pots are fastened. v lāva, lāga. 5 A day of the navarātra;--because a fresh string of flowers is used every day of this period. Ex. ājacī kitavī māḷa āhē. 6 The roll of sūta around the wheel passing on to the cāta or whirler. In spinning or drawing threads.

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māḷa (माळ).—m An elevated and extended tract of ground, esp. as somewhat stony or sterile; a plain, a down, a heath. 2 A loft. It is floored with bamboos, thus differing from māḍī & māḷā.

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māḷā (माळा).—m The room formed by overlaying with slight sticks the cross beams of a house, a loft. 2 An erection or a stand in a cornfield for the person that watches it: also a stand generally to see or look out from. 3 Scaffolding (of a building).

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

mala (मल).—m n Dirt. Dregs. Excretion of the body. Fig. Evil-mindedness.

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maḷa (मळ).—m Dirt, filth.

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maḷā (मळा).—m An orchard.

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māla (माल).—m Goods; property.

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mālā (माला).—f A garland. A rosary. A row.

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māḷa (माळ).—f See mālā. m A plain. A loft.

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māḷā (माळा).—m A loft; scaffolding (of a building).

context information

Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Mala (मल).—a. [mṛjyate śodhyate mṛj-kala ṭilopaḥ Tv.]

1) Dirty, foul; आमिषं यच्च पूर्वेषां राजसं च मलं भृशम् (āmiṣaṃ yacca pūrveṣāṃ rājasaṃ ca malaṃ bhṛśam) Rām.7.74.16.

2) Mean, covetous.

3) Unbelieving, infidel, godless.

4) Wicked.

-laḥ, -lam 1 Dirt, filth, impurity, dust, any impure matter; मलदायकाः खलाः (maladāyakāḥ khalāḥ) K.2; छाया न मूर्छति मलोपहतप्रसादे शुद्धे तु दर्पणतले सुलभावकाशा (chāyā na mūrchati malopahataprasāde śuddhe tu darpaṇatale sulabhāvakāśā) Ś.7.32.

2) Dregs, refuse, sediment, excrement, feces, dung.

3) Dross (of metals), rust, alloy.

4) Moral taint or impurity, sin; फलैधःकुसुमस्तेयमधैर्यं च मलावहम् (phalaidhaḥkusumasteyamadhairyaṃ ca malāvaham) Manusmṛti 11.7.

5) Any impure secretion of the body; (according to Manu these excretions are twelve:-vasā śukramasṛṅ majjā mūtraviḍ ghrāṇakarṇaviṭ | śleṣmāśrudūṣikā svedo dvādaśaite nṛṇāṃ malāḥ Manusmṛti 5.135).

6) Camphor.

7) Cuttle-fish bone.

8) Tanned leather; a leather-garment.

9) The three humours of the body (vāta, pitta and kapha).

-lam A kind of base metal.

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Māla (माल).—1 Name of a district in the west or south-west of Bengal.

2) Name of a tribe of barbarians, a mountaineer.

3) Name of Viṣṇu.

-lam 1 A field.

2) A high ground, rising or elevated ground (mālamunnatabhūtalam); क्षेत्रमारुह्य मालम् (kṣetramāruhya mālam) Meghadūta 16 (śailaprāyamunnatasthalam Malli.).

3) A wood near a village.

4) Fraud, deceit.

Derivable forms: mālaḥ (मालः).

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Mālā (माला).—[mal saṃjñāyāṃ kartari ghañ]

1) A garland, wreath, chaplet; अनधिगतपरिमलापि हि हरति दृशं मालतीमाला (anadhigataparimalāpi hi harati dṛśaṃ mālatīmālā) Vās.

2) A row, line, series, succession; गण्डोट्टीनालिमाला (gaṇḍoṭṭīnālimālā) Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 1.1; आवद्धमालाः (āvaddhamālāḥ) Meghadūta 9.

3) A group, cluster, collection.

4) A string, necklace; as in रत्नमाला (ratnamālā).

5) A rosary, chain; as in अक्षमाला (akṣamālā).

6) A streak; as in तडिन्माला, विद्युन्माला (taḍinmālā, vidyunmālā).

7) A series of epithets.

8) (In dramas) The offering of several things to obtain a wish.

9) A vocabulary, dictionary.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Māla (माल).—(1 = Sanskrit mālā, garland, as prior member of [compound], so also in Sanskrit, see [Boehtlingk and Roth]: samantajvālā-māla-parye- ṣitām (Tārām) (Ārya-)Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa 65.14;) (2) = māḍa, hall, pavilion, [Page431-b+ 71] in maṇḍala-māḍa, °māla, q.v. Perhaps this same word is to be recognized in the [bahuvrīhi] [compound] candana-māla, having halls of sandalwood, epithet of prāsāda, palace, in Divyāvadāna 43.1, 7; 49.27 ff., and of a vihāra in Karmavibhaṅga (and Karmavibhaṅgopadeśa) 64.1. But Lévi in his note ad loc. identifies (3) -māla here with mālā, q.v., and supports his theory with the [compound] mālā- vihāra, q.v.; he may be right (in that case, having tops or crowning pavilions of sandālwood); the matter seems to me doubtful.

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Mālā (माला).—(1) (compare AMg. id., ‘upper deck or storey on a ship’, [Ardha-Māgadhī Dictionary]; see mālikā in Acharya, Dict. Hind. Arch. s.v., and compare mālāvihāra, -māla 3), upper part, top, crown, of a building; in navachadanā āveśana-mālā (so mss. each time; Senart em. °śālā) Mahāvastu i.328.6, 9, 10, 12, 14, 20; 329.1, the newly-thatched crown (top) of a (potter's) work- shop. The AMg. meaning could be derived from a meaning pavilion (on top), so cabin (on the deck of a ship); (2) name of a goddess or yoginī (Garland personified): Sādhanamālā 324.6 (replacing Mālyā of 157.12 etc.).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mala (मल).—mfn.

(-laḥ-lā-laṃ) 1. Dirty. 2. Miserly, niggardly. mn.

(-laḥ-laṃ) 1. Excretion of the body, as serum, semen, blood, marrow, urine, fæces, ear-wax, nails, phlegm, tears, rheum, and sweat. 2. Sin. 3. dirt, filth. 4. Dreg, sediment. 5. Rust. 6. Camphor. 7. Cuttlefish-bone. 8. Tanned leather. n.

(-laṃ) A particular base metal. f.

(-lā) A plant, (Flacourtia cataphracta:) see jhaṭāmalā. E. mal to hold or contain, (in the body.) aca aff.; or mṛj to cleanse, Unadi aff. kala, and the penultimate and final radical rejected.

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Māla (माल).—n.

(-laṃ) 1. A field. 2. Rising round. 3. Fraud, deceit. m.

(-laḥ) 1. A man. 2. A mountain, a barbarian, one of a particular tribe. 3. A country, lying west and south-west of Bengal: Ramghur, &c., or according to Wilford, Malbhum in Midnapur. 4. A name of Vishnu. f.

(-lā) 1. A line, a row. 2. A gar land, a string or wreath of flowers. 3. A chaplet of flowers. 4. A string of beads, a rosary. 5. (In rhetorical or poetical description,) a series or string of epithets, smiles, &c. E. fortune, to get or be, affs. aṅ and ṭāp; or to measure, Unadi aff. ra, and ra changed to la; or mala-saṃjñāyāṃ karttari ghañ .

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mala (मल).—I. adj. 1. Dirty. 2. Niggardly. Ii. (m. and) n. 1. Dirt, filth, Dāśak. in Chr. 184, 9. 2. Sediment, dregs. 3. Filthy refuse, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 11, 93. 4. Excretion of the body, as fæces, etc., [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 5, 132. 5. Sin, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 2, 102. 6. Defilement, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 11, 70. 7. Rust. 8. Camphor. 9. Cuttle fishbone.

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Māla (माल).—I. m. 1. A name of a barbarous tribe, [Lassen, Anthologia Sanskritica.] 38, 14. 2. The name of a country, [Meghadūta, (ed. Gildemeister.)] 16. 3. Viṣṇu. Ii. i. e. mala + a, f. . 1. A line. 2. A garland, a necklace, [Hitopadeśa] i. [distich] 174, M. M. (dhṛta-kanaka-māla, adj. Bearing a gold necklace). 3. A chaplet of flowers. 4. A rosary. 5. A chain, [Pañcatantra] 255, 19. Iii. n. A field.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Mala (मल).—[neuter] [masculine] dirt, impurity (lit. & [figuratively]); a dirty garment (only [neuter]).

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Māla (माल).—[masculine] [Name] of a country, [plural] of a people; [feminine] ā wreath, garland, chaplet, necklace, row, line, collection, [especially] of words, dictionary; [neuter] field, garland (only °—).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Mala (मल):—n. (in later language also m.; [probably] [from] √mlai) dirt, filth, dust, impurity (physical and moral), [Atharva-veda] etc. etc.

2) (in med.) any bodily excretion or secretion ([especially] those of the Dhātus q.v., described as phlegm from chyle, bile from the blood, nose mucus and ear wax from the flesh, perspiration from the fat, nails and hair from the bones, rheum of the eye from the brain; cf. also the 12 impurities of the body enumerated in [Manu-smṛti v, 135]), [Suśruta; Vāgbhaṭālaṃkāra] etc.

3) (with Śaivas), original sin, natural impurity, [Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha]

4) camphor, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

5) Os Sepiae, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

6) m. the son of a Śūdra and a Mālukī, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

7) Malā (मला):—[from mala] f. Flacourtia Cataphracta, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

8) Mala (मल):—n. tanned leather, a leathern or dirty garment (?), [Ṛg-veda x, 136, 2]

9) a kind of brass or bell-metal, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

10) the tip of a scorpion’s tail, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.] ([varia lectio] ala)

11) mfn. dirty, niggardly, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

12) unbelieving, godless, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

13) cf. [Greek] μέλας; [Latin] mălus; [Lithuanian] mólis, mélynas.

14) Māla (माल):—m. (derivation doubtful) Name of a district (lying west and south-west of Bengal), [Meghadūta]

15) of one of the 7 islands, of Antara-dvīpa; [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.], of Viṣṇu, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

16) of the son of a Śūdra and a Sūta, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

17) [plural] Name of a barbarous tribe or people, [Mahābhārata]

18) Mālā (माला):—[from māla] a f. See [column]3

19) Māla (माल):—n. a field, [Inscriptions; Mahābhārata]

20) a forest or wood near a village, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

21) fraud, artifice, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

22) (in some [compound]) = mālā, a wreath, garland.

23) Mālā (माला):—[from māla] b f. a wreath, garland, crown, [Gṛhya-sūtra and śrauta-sūtra; Mahābhārata] etc.

24) [v.s. ...] a string of beads, necklace, rosary, [Kāvya literature; Pañcatantra] (cf. akṣaand ratna-m)

25) [v.s. ...] a row, line, streak, [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.

26) [v.s. ...] a series, regular succession (with nāmnām, a collection of words arrayed in a series, a vocabulary, dictionary; cf. nāma-m)

27) [v.s. ...] a kind of Krama-pātha (cf. krama-mālā)

28) [v.s. ...] Name of various metres, [Colebrooke]

29) [v.s. ...] (in [rhetoric]) a series of epithets or similes, [Horace H. Wilson]

30) [v.s. ...] (in [dramatic language]) a series of offerings for obtaining any object of desire ([Śakuntalā iii, 17]), [Sāhitya-darpaṇa]

31) [v.s. ...] (in [astrology]) a [particular] Dala-yoga (q.v.), [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā [Scholiast or Commentator]]

32) [v.s. ...] Trigonella Corniculata, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

33) [v.s. ...] Name of a river, [Mahābhārata]

34) [v.s. ...] of a glossary.

35) c mālin See p. 813, col. 3.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Mala (मल):—[(laḥ-laṃ)] 1. m. n. Any excretion of the body, dirt; sin. f. () Rust; a plant. a. Dirty; miserly.

2) Māla (माल):—(laṃ) 1. n. A field. m. A man; a mountaineer; a country; Vishnu. f. A row; garland; rosary.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Mala (मल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Mala, Māla, Mālā, Māliā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Mala in German

context information

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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Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

1) Mala (मल) [Also spelled mal]:—(nm) faeces, stool, excrement; sewage; rubbish, filth, dirt; ~[kūpa] a sink; ~[tyāga] excretion of faeces; ~[dvāra] the anus; —[parīkṣā] stool test; ~[pātra] a commode; —[māsa] an intercalary month; -[mūtra] urine and faeces, excrement; [rodhaka] constipative; -[visarjana] excretion of facces; ~[śuddhi] purgation.

2) Māla (माल) [Also spelled maal]:—(nm) goods; commodity; things, articles; effects; stuff; merchandise; cargo; produce; stock; wealth, riches; property; public revenue; dainties; (slang) a youthful and good-looking woman; (nf) a wide highway; garland; series; —[adālata] a revenue court; ~[khānā] warehouse, storehouse; ~[gāḍī] a goods train; ~[gujāra] a tenant, one who pays land revenue; ~[gujārī] land revenue, rent; ~[godāma] a godown, warehouse; store-house; -[ṭāla] wealth, riches, money; assets; ~[dāra] wealthy, rich; opulent; ~[puā] a kind of sweet cake fried in ghee; -[maṃtrī] revenue minister; —[matā] assets, riches, wealth; effects; ~[masta] money-proud, arrogant on account of opulence; ~[mastī] money-pride, arrogance inspired by opulence; —[mahakamā] the department of revenue; —[sūcī] the stock list; goods inventory; —[ugalavānā/nikalavānā] to recover (stolen) things; —[uḍānā] to consume dainties, to take rich meals; to misappropriate; to spend lavishly; —[e-muphta dile berahama] freely got is lavishly spent; —[kāṭanā] to eat dainties, to take rich meals; to earn large amounts through dubious means; to be amassing wealth; —[barāmada honā] (stolen) things to be recovered; —[māranā] to embezzle, to misappropriate, to usurp somebody’s money.

3) Mālā (माला):—(nf) a garland; wreath; rosary, string of beads; series; chain, row, line; ~[kāra] a garland-maker; circular; —[japanā/pheranā] to tell beads, to remember God by feeling the beads of a rosary one by one; —[pahanānā] to garland.

context information

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Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

1) Mala (मल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Mal.

2) Mala (मल) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Mala.

3) Māla (माल) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Māl.

4) Māla (माल) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Māla.

5) Mālā (माला) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Mālā.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Mala (ಮಲ):—[adjective] (used in composition only) combining form related through the remarriage of a parent.

--- OR ---

Mala (ಮಲ):—[noun] the tree Flacourtia jongamans ( = F. cataphracta) of Flacourtiaceae family.

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Mala (ಮಲ):—

1) [noun] dirt; filth; dust; impurity.

2) [noun] any of the bodily excretions as faeces, sweat, phlegm, etc.

3) [noun] the red or orange coating that forms on the surface of iron when exposed to air and moisture; rust.

4) [noun] an offence against god; any act regarded as such a transgression, esp. a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle; a sin.

5) [noun] any flaw, defect or shortcoming; a blemish.

6) [noun] that which is unfit for religious purpose.

7) [noun] a hole or cavity in a diamond, considered as a defect.

8) [noun] any of the three humours of the body, wind, bile or phlegm.

9) [noun] that which corrupts the soul and keep in ignorance.

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Maḷa (ಮಳ):—

1) [noun] dirt; filth; dust; impurity.

2) [noun] any of the bodily excretions as faeces, sweat, phlegm, etc.

3) [noun] the red or orange coating that forms on the surface of iron when exposed to air and moisture; rust.

4) [noun] an offence against god; any act regarded as such a transgression, esp. a willful or deliberate violation of some religious or moral principle; a sin.

5) [noun] any flaw, defect or shortcoming; a blemish.

6) [noun] that which is unfit for religious purpose.

7) [noun] a hole or cavity in a diamond, considered as a defect.

8) [noun] any of the three humours of the body, wind, bile or phlegm.

9) [noun] that which corrupts the soul and keep it in ignorance.

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Māla (ಮಾಲ):—

1) [noun] an open field.

2) [noun] an extent of land elevated well above the lands surrounding it; a mound.

3) [noun] a wood by the side of a village.

4) [noun] the act or an instance of cheating.

--- OR ---

Māḷa (ಮಾಳ):—[noun] a male cat; (2) (fig.) a big, slow, fat person; a lubber.

--- OR ---

Māḷa (ಮಾಳ):—

1) [noun] a wide extent of level country; a plain land.

2) [noun] a field wehre salt is made from sea-water.

3) [noun] a heap of salt.

--- OR ---

Māḷa (ಮಾಳ):—[noun] = ಮಾಹಳ [mahala].

--- OR ---

Māḷa (ಮಾಳ):—

1) [noun] an open field.

2) [noun] an extent of land elevated well above the lands surrounding it; a mound.

3) [noun] a wood by the side of a village.

4) [noun] the act or an instance of cheating.

--- OR ---

Māḻa (ಮಾೞ):—[noun] name of a country.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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Tamil dictionary

Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil Lexicon

Maḻa (மழ) noun

1. cf. மாழை. [mazhai.] Youth, infancy, tender age; இளமை. [ilamai.] (தொல். சொல். [thol. sol.] 311.)

2. Infant, young child; குழந்தை. அழுமழப்போலும் [kuzhanthai. azhumazhappolum] (திருக்கோவையார் [thirukkovaiyar] 147).

3. Confusion of mind; மன மயக்கம். மழகுழக்காகின்றே [mana mayakkam. mazhaguzhakkaginre] (கலித்தொகை [kalithogai] 108).

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Māḻā (மாழா) [māḻāttal] 12 intransitive verb cf. மாழ்கு-. [mazhku-.]

1. To be fascinated; to be confused, bewildered; மயங்குதல். மனங்கவல் பின்றி மாழாந் தெழுந்து [mayanguthal. manangaval pinri mazhan thezhunthu] (பத்துப்பாட்டு: பொருநராற்றுப்படை [pathuppattu: porunararruppadai] 95).

2. To fade; to become dim; ஒளிமழுங்குதல். நாண்மதியே . . . மாழாந்து தேம்புதியால் [olimazhunguthal. nanmathiye . . . mazhanthu thembuthiyal] (நாலாயிர திவ்யப்பிரபந்தம் திருவாய்மொழி [nalayira thivyappirapandam thiruvaymozhi] 2, 1, 6).

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Māḷa (மாள) particle An expletive used with verbs in second person; ஒரு முன்னிலையசை. [oru munnilaiyasai.] (தொல். சொல். [thol. sol.] 298, உரை. [urai.])

context information

Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.

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