Ashvakarna, Ashva-karna, Aśvakarṇa: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Ashvakarna means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit term Aśvakarṇa can be transliterated into English as Asvakarna or Ashvakarna, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण).—A place fit for śrāddha offering.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 15. 33.

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 BhāgavatamAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण) is the name of a tree found in maṇidvīpa (Śakti’s abode), according to the Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa 12.10. Accordingly, these trees always bear flowers, fruits and new leaves, and the sweet fragrance of their scent is spread across all the quarters in this place. The trees (e.g. Aśvakarṇa) attract bees and birds of various species and rivers are seen flowing through their forests carrying many juicy liquids. Maṇidvīpa is defined as the home of Devī, built according to her will. It is compared with Sarvaloka, as it is superior to all other lokas.
The Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa, or Śrīmad-devī-bhāgavatam, 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.

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)
Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)
Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgrahaAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण) refers to the medicinal plant known as “Terminalia paniculata Roth” 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 aśvakarṇa] 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).

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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Wisdom Library: HinduismAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण)—Sanskrit word for a plant “sal tree” (Shorea robusta?).
In Buddhism
General definition (in Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgrahaAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण) refers to the “horse’s ear mountain” and represents one of the “eight mountains” (parvata) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 125). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., aśvakarṇa). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: TrisastisalakapurusacaritraAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण) is the name of an Antaradvīpa, situated in the “middle world” (madhyaloka), according to chapter 2.3 [ajitanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.
Accordingly:—“The Mlecchas are free from (knowledge of) virtue and vice, and also those born in the Antaradvīpas. The 56 Antaradvīpas are as follows: Half of them are to the east and west of Kṣudrahimavat in the four intermediate directions, beginning with northeast. [...] Beyond them (i.e., after Aśvamukha, Hastimukha, Siṃhamukha, Vyāghramukha), at 700 yojanas in distance, with the same length and width are Aśvakarṇa, Siṃhakarṇa, Hastikarṇa, and Karṇaprāvaraṇa”.

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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and DrugsAshvakarna [ಅಶ್ವಕರ್ಣ] in the Kannada language is the name of a plant identified with Shorea robusta Gaertn. from the Dipterocarpaceae (Sal) family having the following synonyms: Dryobalanops robusta. For the possible medicinal usage of ashvakarna, 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.
Ashvakarna [अश्वकर्ण] in the Sanskrit language, ibid. previous identification.
Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)Asvakarna in India is the name of a plant defined with Plantago ovata in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Plantago argentea Brot. (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Botanisk Tidsskrift (1979)
· Catálogo de la Flora del Rif Oriental y principalmente de las cabilas limitrofes con Melilla/por F. Sennen [y] Mauricio. (1933)
· Fl. Lusit. (1804)
· Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy. Part B, Biological Sciences (1995)
· Cytologia (1987)
· Cytologia (1999)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Asvakarna, for example chemical composition, pregnancy safety, diet and recipes, side effects, health benefits, extract dosage, 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
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण).—
1) a kind of tree (Vatica Robusta; Mar. sāga, rāḷa) Rām.1.24.15; Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 9.
2) the ear of a horse.
3) a term in surgery for a particular fracture of the bones.
-rṇaḥ Name of a mountain.
Derivable forms: aśvakarṇaḥ (अश्वकर्णः).
Aśvakarṇa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms aśva and karṇa (कर्ण). See also (synonyms): aśvakarṇaka.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit DictionaryAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण).—m. (= Pali Assakaṇṇa), name of one of the 7 mountains surrounding Sumeru (Kirfel, [Kosmographie der Inder] 186): Mahāvastu ii.300.18; Mahāvyutpatti 4141; Divyāvadāna 217.6, 7; Daśabhūmikasūtra 96.4; (with Sumeru eight,) Dharmasaṃgraha 125.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण).—m.
(-rṇaḥ) A timber tree, commonly Sakwa or Sal (Shorea robusta.) E. aśva a. horse, and karṇa an ear, the leaves being compared to the ears of a horse.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण).—m. a timber tree, Vatica robusta, [Rāmāyaṇa] 1, 26, 15. Utkarṇa, i. e.
Aśvakarṇa is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms aśva and karṇa (कर्ण).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण).—1. [masculine] a horse’s ear.
--- OR ---
Aśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण).—2. [adjective] horse-eared; [masculine] [Name] of a tree.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Aśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण):—[=aśva-karṇa] [from aśva] m. the ear of a horse, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra]
2) [v.s. ...] mfn. ‘resembling the ear of a horse’, said of a particular fracture of the bones, [Suśruta]
3) [v.s. ...] m. the tree Vatica Robusta (so called from the shape of its leaves), [Rāmāyaṇa; Suśruta]
4) [v.s. ...] Name of a mountain, [Buddhist literature]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryAśvakarṇa (अश्वकर्ण):—[aśva-karṇa] (ṇaḥ) 1. m. The Sal tree.
[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.
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusAśvakarṇa (ಅಶ್ವಕರ್ಣ):—[noun] the tree Shorea robusta ( = S. talura, = Vatica robusta) of Dipterocarpaceae family; bastard sal tree; lac tree.
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: Ashva, Karna.
Starts with: Ashvakarnaka.
Full-text: Ashvakarnaka, Asvakarnah, Jaranadruma, Tarkshyaprasava, Salasaradi, Shala, Parvata, Eight Mountains, Simhakarna, Hastikarna, Karnapravarana, Ukamukha, Vidyuddanta, Meshamukha, Vidyujjihva, Meghamukha, Kusika, Kaushika.
Relevant text
Search found 39 books and stories containing Ashvakarna, Ashva-karna, Aśva-karṇa, Asva-karna, Aśvakarṇa, Asvakarna; (plurals include: Ashvakarnas, karnas, karṇas, Aśvakarṇas, Asvakarnas). 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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Chapter 76 - The Prowess of Angada and Kumbha: Kumbha is slain < [Book 6 - Yuddha-kanda]
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Verse 2.36 < [Book 2 - Vākya-kāṇḍa]
Verse 2.208 < [Book 2 - Vākya-kāṇḍa]
Verse 2.216-217 < [Book 2 - Vākya-kāṇḍa]
Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 3: Metals, Gems and other substances (by Bhudeb Mookerjee)
Part 6 - Process of preparing Sarva-kshara < [Chapter XXVIII - Kshara (akalis)]
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