Pravala, Pravāla: 16 definitions

Introduction:

Pravala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Marathi. 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.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Pravāla (प्रवाल, “Coral”):—One of the nine gems (navaratna) according to the 13th century Rasaprakāśasudhākara. It is also known as Vidruma (विद्रुम).

The Ruby (pravāla) has the following Pharmaco-therapeutic properties:

  • It pacifys pitta and rakta-doṣa,
  • destroys svāsa, kāsa etc. diseases and durnivāra-viṣa (severe poison), bhūtonmāda (eye diseases).
  • It is also claimed as dīpana (digestive stimulent) and pacana (digestive/appatizer)

Superior: The Coral is considered superior when the following properties can be described about the form of the gem: Snigdha (greasy), sthūla (thick), pakva-biṃbīphalābha (red like ripe biṃbīphalas), vṛtta (round), dīrgha (long), nirbraṇa (without fissures), nāti-dīrgha (not very long). The Coral which is free from the doṣas (bad qualities) is recommended for use in all purpose.

Inferior: When possessed of the following characteristics, the Ruby is considered inferior and is not considered good and not recommended for bhakṣaṇa (internal use) and dhāraṇa (bearing purpose): Rūkṣa (rough on surface), sveta (white in colour), savraṇa (associated with fissures), dhūsara (brownish), nirbhāra (having less weight), associated with doṣas (bad characteristics) and koṭarai-rāvṛta (full of holes/fissure).

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa

Pravāla (प्रवाल) refers to the “filaments” (of a herb or plant), according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—Kāśyapa prescribes various antidotes to quell the poison by administering them through nasal drugs, collyrium, ointment, herbal drinks and diet. According to Kāśyapasaṃhitā (verse VIII.13)—“The root of white variety of Arka, the inner filaments (gṛha-pravāla) of Girikarṇikā (śyāmādi gaṇa) and a pod of garlic, if given as nasal snuff or powder can even revive a person all but killed by the poison of Vāsuki’s bite”.

Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)

Source: Shodhganga: Drumavichitrikarnam—Plant mutagenesis in ancient India

Pravāla (प्रवाल) refers to “coral”, and is used in a recipe for producing fragrance (gandha-samutpatti), according to the Vṛkṣāyurveda by Sūrapāla (1000 CE): an encyclopedic work dealing with the study of trees and the principles of ancient Indian agriculture.—Accordingly: “An ordinary mango tree gets the good quality of a high class mango tree and puts forth fragrant blossom attracting the bees if it is smeared with the thick paste of Syzygium cumini, coral [e.g., Pravāla], Cyperus hexastachys communis and the roots of Vetiveria zizanioides and then sprinkled with the water from the same paste”.

Ayurveda book cover
context information

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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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstra

Pravāla (प्रवाल) is a Sanskrit word referring to “coral”. When constructing the plinth of the stage (raṅgaśīrṣa), of a playhouse (nāṭyamaṇḍapa), there should be jewels and precious stones be placed underneath by expert builders, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra 2.72-74. Accordingly, coral (pravāla) is to be put in the north (uttarā).

Natyashastra book cover
context information

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: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Pravāla (प्रवाल) or Pravālamaya refers to “coral”, representing the material of the liṅga of Śeṣanāga, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.12, where the Devas and Viṣṇu requested Viśvakarman for liṅgas for the achievement of the desires of all people:—“[...] at our bidding Viśvakarmā made liṅgas and gave them to the devas according to their status. [...] Great Brahmins and their wives chose liṅgas of earth. Maya took a liṅga of sandalwood and Śeṣanāga took a coral-made liṅga (Pravāla-liṅga). [...] Thus different kinds of liṅgas were given to them by Viśvakarmā which the devas and the celestial sages worship regularly. After giving the devas the various liṅgas from a desire for their benefit, Viṣṇu explained the mode of worship of Śiva to me, Brahmā”.

Purana book cover
context information

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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In Buddhism

Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

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

Pravāla (प्रवाल) (also, Pravāḍa, Vidruma) (Tibetan: byi ru or byu ru) refers to “red coral” (a type of jewel or precious stone, according to the Gaganagañjaparipṛcchā: the eighth chapter of the Mahāsaṃnipāta (a collection of Mahāyāna Buddhist Sūtras).—Accordingly: “[...] Then the Bodhisattva Ratnavyūha said to the Bodhisattva Gaganagañja: ‘Son of good family, please pour down rain of all kinds of jewels from the sky’. Immediately after his words, the great rain of immeasurable, incalculable amount of jewels, equal to Mount Sumeru in size, with various kinds of names and colors, poured down from ten directions. To wit, [...] conch shell, crystal, red coral (pravāla), sapphire, Guṇākara gem, calm light gem, water-light gem, water-like gem, transparent gem, earthy light gem, indestructible gem, blinding gem, Śakra-holding gem, victor’s gem, the great victor’s gem, [...]”.

Mahayana book cover
context information

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: Wisdom Library: Jainism

Pravāla (प्रवाल, “sprout”).—One of the ten kinds of “plant-bodies” (vanaspati) a soul (jīva) can be reborn as due to karma. Pravāla and other plant-bodies are within the animal world (tiryag-gati) which is one of the four divisions of saṃsāra where souls are reborn.

General definition book cover
context information

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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Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

pravāla (प्रवाल).—n S Coral. pravālabhasma n S Calx of coral.

--- OR ---

pravāḷa (प्रवाळ).—n (pravāla S) Coral.

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

pravāla (प्रवाल).—n Coral pravālabhasma n Calx of coral.

--- OR ---

pravāḷa (प्रवाळ).—n Coral.

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

Pravāla (प्रवाल).—1 A sprout, shoot, new leaf; अपि (api)......प्रवालमासामनुबन्धि वीरुधाम् (pravālamāsāmanubandhi vīrudhām) Kumārasambhava 5.34;1.44;3.8; R.6.12;13.49.

2) Coral; शुद्धं दृढं घनं वृत्तं स्निग्धं पात्र- सुरङ्गकम् । समं गुरु सिराहीनं प्रबालं धारयेच्छुभम् (śuddhaṃ dṛḍhaṃ ghanaṃ vṛttaṃ snigdhaṃ pātra- suraṅgakam | samaṃ guru sirāhīnaṃ prabālaṃ dhārayecchubham) || Rājanighaṇṭu.

3) The neck of the Indian lute.

-laḥ 1 A pupil.

2) An animal.

Derivable forms: pravālaḥ (प्रवालः), pravālam (प्रवालम्).

See also (synonyms): prabāla.

--- OR ---

Pravāla (प्रवाल).—See प्रबाल (prabāla).

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

Pravāla (प्रवाल).—[masculine] [neuter] shoot, sprout, coral.

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

1) Pravāla (प्रवाल):—[=pra-vāla] mn. ([probably] [from] √val, but also written pra-bāla; ifc. f(ā). ) a young shoot, sprout, new leaf or branch (to which feet and lips are often compared), [Mahābhārata; Kāvya literature] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] coral, [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc. (in this sense also written pra-vāḍa)

3) [v.s. ...] the neck of the Indian lute, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

4) [v.s. ...] m. an animal, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

5) [v.s. ...] a pupil, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

6) [v.s. ...] mfn. having shoots or sprouts, [Dharmaśarmābhyudaya]

7) [v.s. ...] having long or beautiful hair (= prakṛṣṭa-keśa yukta), [ib.]

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

Pravāla (प्रवाल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Pavāla.

[Sanskrit to German]

Pravala 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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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Pravaḷa (ಪ್ರವಳ):—[adjective] flowing (as a liquid); moving forward and downward smoothly.

--- OR ---

Pravāla (ಪ್ರವಾಲ):—

1) [noun] a young shoot; a sprout.

2) [noun] a young leaf or bunch of young leaves.

3) [noun] a piece of red coral used in jewelry.

4) [noun] the neck of vīṇe, the indian lute.

5) [noun] hair.

6) [noun] the green colour.

7) [noun] the red colour.

--- OR ---

Pravāḷa (ಪ್ರವಾಳ):—[noun] = ಪ್ರವಾಲ [pravala].

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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