Alabu, Alābu, Alābū, Ālābu, Ālābū: 20 definitions
Introduction:
Alabu means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, Marathi, Jainism, Prakrit, biology. 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)
Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)
Source: Shodhganga: Dietetics and culinary art in ancient and medieval India1) Alabu (अलबु) refers to the “bottle gourd”, representing a type of vegetable according to the Atharvaveda IV.34.5, and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra or Pākakalā.—Among vegetables cucumber (urvāruka) and lotus stalks (bisa) were referred to in Ṛgveda. Atharvaveda refers to the usage of lotus roots (śāluka), bottle gourd (alabu) and Trapa bispinosa (śaphaka) in food articles.
2) Ālābu (आलाबु) refers to the “pumpkin gourd” and is mentioned in a list of potential causes for indigestion in the 17th century Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana).—A complete section in Bhojanakutūhala is devoted for the description of agents that cause indigestion [viz., ālābu (pumpkin gourd) or brahmataru kṣārodaka]. These agents consumed on a large scale can cause indigestion for certain people. The remedies [viz., siddhārthaka (mustard)] for these types of indigestions are also explained therewith.
Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)
Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgrahaĀlābu (आलाबु) refers to the medicinal plant known as “Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standley” and is dealt with in the 15th-century Yogasārasaṅgraha (Yogasara-saṅgraha) by Vāsudeva: an unpublished Keralite work representing an Ayurvedic compendium of medicinal recipes. The Yogasārasaṃgraha [mentioning ālābu] deals with entire recipes in the route of administration, and thus deals with the knowledge of pharmacy (bhaiṣajya-kalpanā) which is a branch of pharmacology (dravyaguṇa).
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany1) Alābu (अलाबु) is a Sanskrit word referring to Lagenaria siceraria (calabash), a plant species in the Cucurbitaceae family. Certain plant parts of Alābu are eaten as a vegetable (śāka), according to Caraka in his Carakasaṃhitā sūtrasthāna (chapter 27), a classical Ayurvedic work. The plant is therefore part of the Śākavarga group of medicinal plants, referring to the “group of vegetables/pot-herbs”. Caraka defined such groups (vargas) based on the dietic value of the plant.
According to the Rājanighaṇṭu (verse 3.56), the same plant (Lagenaria siceraria) is identified with Kaṭutumbī.
2) Alābu can also refer to a vessel made from the calabash gourd (Lagenaria siceraria).

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.
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexAlābu (अलाबु).—Gourds unfit for śrāddha.*
- * Viṣṇu-purāṇa III. 16. 8.

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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: archive.org: Isvara Samhita Vol 5Alābu (अलाबु) refers to “bottle-gourd” and represents a type of vegetables fit for use in oblation offerings, according to verse 25.121b-125 of the Īśvarasaṃhitā.

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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)Alabu in India is the name of a plant defined with Lagenaria siceraria in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Cucurbita idolatrica Willd. (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Florula belgica (1827)
· Saggio sulla Storia Naturale del Chili (1782)
· J. Cytol. Genet. (1996)
· Publications of the Field Columbian Museum, Botanical Series (1930)
· Species Plantarum
· FBI (1879)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Alabu, for example side effects, pregnancy safety, chemical composition, extract dosage, diet and recipes, health benefits, have a look at these references.

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
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionaryalābu : (nt.) long white gourd.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryAlābu, (Sk. alābū f.) a long white gourd, Cucurbita Lagenaris M.I, 80 (tittaka°), 315 (id.); PvA.47 (id.); DhsA.405. — See also alāpu. (Page 79)

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.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionaryalābu (अलाबु).—m S A long white gourd, Cucurbita lagenaria.
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.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAlābu (अलाबु) or Alābū (अलाबू).—f. [na-lambate; na-lamb-u-ṇit nalopaśca vṛddhiḥ Tv] The bottle-gourd.
-bu (n.)
1) A vessel made of gourd.
2) A fruit of the gourd which is very light and floats in water; किं हि नामैतत् अम्बुनि मज्जन्त्यलाबूनि ग्रावाणः प्लवन्त इति (kiṃ hi nāmaitat ambuni majjantyalābūni grāvāṇaḥ plavanta iti) Mv.1; Manusmṛti 6.54.
Derivable forms: alābuḥ (अलाबुः), alābūḥ (अलाबूः).
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Ālābu (आलाबु) or Ālābū (आलाबू).—f. A pumpkin gourd; see अलाबु (alābu).
Derivable forms: ālābuḥ (आलाबुः), ālābūḥ (आलाबूः).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAlābu (अलाबु).—f.
(-buḥ) A long gourd. See the next word.
--- OR ---
Alābū (अलाबू).—f.
(-būḥ) The bottle gourd, (Cucurbita lagenaris.) E. a neg. laba to sink, ū Unadi affix, m is dropped, and the preceding vowel lengthened: what does not sink in water; floats, &c. are made of this gourd, especially when hollowed: also alabu and ālābu.
--- OR ---
Ālābu (आलाबु).—f.
(-buḥ) A pumpkin gourd: also ālābū, alābu and alābū, q. v.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryAlābu (अलाबु).—f. A long gourd, a gourd-bottle, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 6, 54.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryAlābu (अलाबु).—(alābū) [feminine] the bottle gourd; [masculine] [neuter] a vessel made of the b. [grammar]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Alābu (अलाबु):—f. the bottle-gourd (Lagenaria Vulgaris Ser), [Suśruta] etc.
2) mn. a vessel made of the bottle-gourd, [Atharva-veda] etc.
3) (used by Brāhmanical ascetics), [Manu-smṛti vi, 54; Jaina literature]
4) n. the fruit of the bottle-gourd, [Mahābhārata ii, 2196, etc.]
5) Alābū (अलाबू):—[from alābu] f. (= alābu above) the bottle-gourd, [Pāṇini 4-1, 66] [commentator or commentary] [Uṇādi-sūtra]
6) Ālābu (आलाबु):—f. the pumpkin gourd, Cucurbita Pepo, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Alābu (अलाबु):—(buḥ) 2. f. A long gourd.
2) Alābū (अलाबू):—(būḥ) 3. f. Idem.
3) Ālābu (आलाबु):—(buḥ) 2. f. A pumpkin gourd.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Alābu (अलाबु) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Alāu, Alāū, Alābū.
[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.
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionaryAlābū (अलाबू) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Alābū.
Alābū has the following synonyms: Alāū.
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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusAlabu (ಅಲಬು):—
1) [noun] any of the weeds, of Poaceae (grass) family.
2) [noun] a small plant Alysicalpus buplepurifolius of Papilionaceae family.
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Alābu (ಅಲಾಬು):—[noun] the plant Lagenaria vulgaris ( = Cucurbita lagenaria) of Cucurbitaceae family and its gourd; bottle gourd.
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Aḷabu (ಅಳಬು):—
1) [noun] the extent, dimensions, capacity, etc. of anything, esp. as determined by a standard; a measure.
2) [noun] the act of measuring; measurement.
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Ālābu (ಆಲಾಬು):—
1) [noun] the creeper Lagenaria vulgaris of Cucurbitaceae family.
2) [noun] its gourd like fruit; bottle gourd; calabash.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Ui, A, Lamba.
Starts with: Alabugandhi, Alabuka, Alabukata, Alabukeshvara, Alabukkudu, Alabulomasa, Alabumaya, Alabuni, Alabupatra, Alabupushpasankasha, Alabusa, Alabustana, Alabusuhrid, Alabuvallaki, Alabuvina.
Full-text (+19): Alabukata, Alabupatra, Alabuvina, Alabumaya, Alabusuhrid, Alabugandhi, Alau, Labuki, Labu, Alapu, Alapin, Alabalavu, Alabupushpasankasha, Tintaka, Nagalabu, Alabuka, Sovannakattarika, Alabukeshvara, Kulampa, Nihshrayanika.
Relevant text
Search found 33 books and stories containing Alabu, A-lamba-ui, Ā-lamba-uī, A-lamba-ui, Ā-lamba-uī, A-lamba-ui, Ā-lamba-uī, A-lamba-ui, Ā-lamba-uī, Alābu, Alābū, Ālābu, Ālābū, Aḷabu; (plurals include: Alabus, uis, uīs, Alābus, Alābūs, Ālābus, Ālābūs, Aḷabus). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
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