In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Vajrakaṇṭaka (वज्रकण्टक).—Śālmali—one of the twenty-eight hells. Here the punishment is by piercing one with śālmali thorns for beastliness.^*

• * Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 26. 7 and 21.

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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.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

Vajrakaṇṭaka (वज्रकण्टक) refers to one of the thirty hells (naraka) mentioned in the Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa 8.21 (on the narrative of hells). The hells are destinations where dead beings brought by messengers of Yama (the God of the Pitṛs), and get punished by him according to their karmas and faults.

The Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa or Śrīmad-devī-bhāgavatam (mentioning Vajrakaṇṭaka), is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, a type of Sanskrit literature containing cultural information on ancient India, religious/spiritual prescriptions and a range of topics concerning the various arts and sciences. The whole text is composed of 18,000 metrical verses, possibly originating from before the 6th century.

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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.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

Vajrakaṇṭaka (वज्रकण्टक) is another name for Kokilākṣa, a medicinal plant identified with Astercantha longifolia Nees., a synonym of synonym of Hygrophila auriculata (Schumach.) Heine from the Acanthaceae or “acanthus” family of flowering plants, according to verse 4.191-193 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fourth chapter (śatāhvādi-varga) of this book enumerates eighty varieties of small plants (pṛthu-kṣupa). Together with the names Vajrakaṇṭaka and Kokilākṣa, there are a total of fourteen Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

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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.

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Vajrakantaka in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. from the Cactaceae (Cactus) family having the following synonyms: Cactus chinensis, Cactus indicus, Opuntia dillenii. For the possible medicinal usage of vajrakantaka, you can check this page for potential sources and references, although be aware that any some or none of the side-effects may not be mentioned here, wether they be harmful or beneficial to health.

Vajrakantaka [वज्र कंटक] in the Hindi language is the name of a plant identified with Euphorbia antiquorum L. from the Euphorbiaceae (Castor) family.

Vajrakantaka [वज्रकाण्टक] in the Sanskrit language, ibid. previous identification.

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

1) Vajrakantaka in India is the name of a plant defined with Hygrophila auriculata in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Teliostachya lanceolata Nees var. crispa Nees (among others).

2) Vajrakantaka is also identified with Opuntia stricta It has the synonym Cactus strictus Haw. (etc.).

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

· Cytologia (1983)
· Supplementum Plantarum Succulentarum (1819)
· Enumeratio Plantarum Zeylaniae (1860)
· Current Science (1980)
· Proceedings of the Indian Science Congress Association (1980)
· Plantae Asiaticae Rariores (Wallich) (1832)

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

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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.

Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

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

Vajrakaṇṭaka (वज्रकण्टक).—m.

(-kaḥ) Euphorbia. E. vajra a thunder-bolt, and kaṇṭaka a thorn.

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

1) Vajrakaṇṭaka (वज्रकण्टक):—[=vajra-kaṇṭaka] [from vajra > vaj] m. idem, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

2) [v.s. ...] Asteracantha Longifolia, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Vajrakaṇṭaka (वज्रकण्टक):—[vajra-kaṇṭaka] (kaḥ) 1. m. Euphorbia.

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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Vajra, Kantaka.

Starts with: Vajrakantakashali, Vajrakantakashalmali.

Full-text: Vajrakantakashalmali, Vaccirakantakam, Kokilaksha, Naraka.

Relevant text

Search found 2 books and stories containing Vajrakantaka, Vajrakaṇṭaka, Vajra-kantaka, Vajra-kaṇṭaka; (plurals include: Vajrakantakas, Vajrakaṇṭakas, kantakas, kaṇṭakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

The Devi Bhagavata Purana (by Swami Vijñanananda)

Chapter 21 - On the narrative of hells < [Book 8]

Chapter 22 - On the narrative of the sins leading to hells < [Book 8]

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The Bhagavata Purana (by G. V. Tagare)

Chapter 26 - Description of Hells (Naraka) < [Book 5 - Fifth Skandha]

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