Chala: 22 definitions
Introduction:
Chala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Jainism, Prakrit, Hindi, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Chhala.
Ambiguity: Although Chala has separate glossary definitions below, it also represents an alternative spelling of the word Cala. It further has the optional forms Chalā and Chāla.
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: Wisdom Library: Nāṭya-śāstraChala (छल, “deception”) refers to one of the thirteen types of vīthi, according to the Nāṭyaśāstra chapter 20. Vīthi represents one of the daśarūpa or, “ten kinds of dramatic plays”, which are said to have originated from the various styles (vṛtti), discussed in chapter 22 of the same work.
Source: archive.org: Natya ShastraChala (छल).—One of the thirteen types of vīthi;—When after alluring one by replies, something opposite is done through those very replies being considered meaningless, it is an instance of Deception (chala).

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (śāstra) of performing arts, (nāṭya, e.g., 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) and poetic works (kavya).
Nyaya (school of philosophy)
Source: Wisdom Library: NyāyaChala (छल) refers to “quibbling”. It is one of the sixteen categories of discussion (padārtha) according to the doctrine of the Nyāya-sūtras by Akṣapāda. The sixteen padārthas represent a method of intellectual analysis and categorize everything that is knowable and nameable.
Source: Shodhganga: A study of Nyāya-vaiśeṣika categoriesChala (छल, “quibbling”) refers to the fourteenth of the sixteen padārthas (“categories”) in the first chapter of Gautama’s Nyāyasūtra (2nd century CE). Chala is a kind of playing upon words, ideas and metaphors. One says a sentence in a certain meaning, but the opponent changes the meaning of the sentence to show it as fallacious. It is known as chala. Gautama says that chala is the opposition to a statement by the assumption of an alternative meaning.
Nyaya (न्याय, nyaya) refers to a school of Hindu philosophy (astika), drawing its subject-matter from the Upanishads. The Nyaya philosophy is known for its theories on logic, methodology and epistemology, however, it is closely related with Vaisheshika in terms of metaphysics.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of termsChala (छल):—[chalam] Fraudulent or delusive statements and unmeaning verbosity

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: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English TranslationChala (छल) refers to “deceitful”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.25 (“The seven celestial sages test Pārvatī”).—Accordingly, as Śiva said to the seven Sages: “[...] O brahmins, she is desirous of attaining me as her husband. She is being served by her maids. She has discarded all other desires. She is determined in her resolve. O excellent sages, you go there at my bidding. With love in mind, conduct the test of her resolve. O virtuous ones of good rites, at my bidding, you need not hesitate to employ even deceitful [i.e., chala-saṃyukta] and critical remarks”.

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.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: WikiPedia: HinduismChala (चल): A Kaurava warrior.
India history and geography
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical GlossaryChala.—(IE 8-8), meaning uncertain; probably, a pretext. (EI 30), probably, a plea, or persecution, prosecution. Note: chala is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as 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.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarychala (छल).—m n (S) Disguise; an assumed form; a counterfeit appearance. 2 A sham, pretence, feint. 3 Teasing, harassing, annoying. 4 Fraud, trickery, circumvention.
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chaḷa (छळ).—m (chala S) Teasing, tormenting, harassing, persecuting. 2 Confounded with chala q. v. chaḷīṃ chaḷaṇēṃ To torment.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishchala (छल).—m n Disguise. A pretence. Fraud. Teasing.
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 dictionaryChala (छल).—[chal-ac]
1) Fraud, trick, deceit, deception; विद्महे शठ पलायनच्छलानि (vidmahe śaṭha palāyanacchalāni) R.19.31; छलमत्र न गृह्यते (chalamatra na gṛhyate) Mk. 9.18; Y.1.61; Manusmṛti 8.49,187; Amaruśataka 16; Śiśupālavadha 13.11.
2) Roguery, knavery.
3) A plea, pretext, guise, semblance (often used in this sense to denote an utprekṣā); असुरक्षाहि बहुच्छलाः श्रियः (asurakṣāhi bahucchalāḥ śriyaḥ) Kirātārjunīya 2.39; परिखावलयच्छलेन या न परेषां ग्रहणस्य गोचरा (parikhāvalayacchalena yā na pareṣāṃ grahaṇasya gocarā) N.2.95; प्रत्यर्प्य पूजामुपदाच्छलेन (pratyarpya pūjāmupadācchalena) R.7.3; 6.54;16.28; Bhaṭṭikāvya 1.1; Amaruśataka 15; Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 9.1.
4) Intention.
5) Wickedness.
6) A family.
7) Design, device.
8) Fiction, circumvention.
9) Deceitful disputation, perverting the sense of words; विधर्मः परधर्मश्च आभास उपमा छलः । अधर्मशाखाः पञ्चेमा धर्मज्ञोऽधर्मवत् त्यजेत् (vidharmaḥ paradharmaśca ābhāsa upamā chalaḥ | adharmaśākhāḥ pañcemā dharmajño'dharmavat tyajet) Bhāgavata 7.15.12.
1) Difficult subject; ब्रह्म हि प्रचुरच्छलम् (brahma hi pracuracchalam) Mahābhārata (Bombay) 12.328.6.
Derivable forms: chalaḥ (छलः), chalam (छलम्).
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Chāla (छाल).—Bark; a bark-garment.
Derivable forms: chālaḥ (छालः), chālam (छालम्).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryChala (छल).—n.
(-laṃ) 1. Wickedness. 2. Fraud, circumvention, trick, stratagem. 3. Design, device. E. chala to cut, alac affix, and the radical finai rejected.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryChala (छल).— (cf. vb. skhal), 1. Fraud, [Rāmāyaṇa] 4, 57, 10. 2. Artful management, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 8, 49. 3. Pretext, [Śiśupālavadha] 9, 48. 4. Intention, Mārk. P. 25, 10.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryChala (छल).—[neuter] ([masculine]) fraud, deceit, pretence, delusion, appearance, fiction. °— & [instrumental] with fraud, deceitfully; chalatas under the disguise of (—°).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Chala (छल):—[from chal] n. (√skhal) (exceptionally m., [Bhāgavata-purāṇa vii, 15, 12]; [gana] ardharcādi) fraud, deceit, sham, guise, pretence, delusion, semblance, fiction, feint, trick, fallacy (often ifc., e.g. upadā-chalena, ‘under pretence of gifts of honour’ id est. with feigned gifts, [Raghuvaṃśa vii, 27]; rajaś-chalena, ‘under the semblance of dust’, [xvi, 28]; See kanyakā-, dharma-, vāk-), [Manu-smṛti viii, 49 and] (a-cch, [negative]), [187; Mahābhārata] etc. (ifc. f(ā). , [Kathāsaritsāgara lxii, 164])
2) [v.s. ...] deceitful disputation, perverting the sense of words, [Nyāyasūtra i, 51 ff.; Sarvadarśana-saṃgraha]
3) [v.s. ...] wickedness, [Horace H. Wilson]; for sthala, [Mahābhārata xiii. 7257]
4) [v.s. ...] m. Name of a son of Dala, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa iv, 4, 47];
5) Chalā (छला):—[from chala > chal] f. ifc. in names of several treatises or chapters belonging to, [Sāma-veda] (e.g. -ūha-, ūhya-, etc., qq.vv.)
6) Chāla (छाल):—m. ([gana] ardharcādi, not in [Kāśikā-vṛtti] and, [Gaṇaratna-mahodadhi]) Cyprinus Rohita, [Demetrius Galanos’s Lexiko: sanskritikes, anglikes, hellenikes]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryChala (छल):—(laṃ) 1. n. Wickedness, deception.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Chala (छल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Chala.
[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.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary1) Chala (छल) [Also spelled chhal]:—(nm) guile, deception; trick, ruse; sham; -[kapaṭa] dodge and duplicity; ~[ghāta] assassination; ~[ghātī] an assassin; -[chaṃda] guile and wile; ~[chaṃdī] fraudulent, deceitful; -[chidra] guile and wile; -[bala se] by hook or crook, by fair means or foul; fraudulently.
2) Chāla (छाल) [Also spelled chhal]:—(nf) bark.
3) Chālā (छाला) [Also spelled chhala]:—(nm) a blister, burn; [chāle paḍanā/honā] to have blisters.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary1) Chala (छल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Chala.
2) Chala (छल) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Chala.
3) Chāla (छाल) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Chāga.
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 corpusChala (ಛಲ):—
1) [noun] the quality of being firmly resolved, determined; firmness of the mind; resoluteness.
2) [noun] the quality or state of being obstinate or being unreasonably adhering to one’s purpose, opinion; stubbornness.
3) [noun] a firm hold or control.
4) [noun] a resolute, determined man.
5) [noun] ಛಲದಂಕ [chaladamka] chaladanka (used as a title) one who achieves something, working for it resolutely despite odds; 2. a man who is unreasonably obstinate; ಛಲದಂಕ ಮಲ್ಲ [chaladamka malla] chaladanka malla = ಛಲದಂಕ [chaladamka].
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Chala (ಛಲ):—
1) [noun] a false reason or motive put forth to hide the real one; an excuse; a pretext.
2) [noun] an instance of cheating; deceit; fraud; trickery.
3) [noun] (in a court of law) the act of passing severe judgement, censuring or faultfinding in another’s statement or argument.
4) [noun] (pros.) a skilful statement, remark or complimentary that is nicely phrased with pleasing words, but, in fact, meant to be a condemning remark.
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Chaḷa (ಛಳ):—[noun] = ಛಲ [chala]2.
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)
Starts with (+81): Calalinga, Chalabhijatiya Sutta, Chalabhinna, Chalacetana, Chalachabila, Chalachala, Chalachalana, Chalachali, Chalachalisu, Chalachanchu, Chalachchhika, Chalachchhikha, Chalachhada, Chalachitta, Chalachittata, Chaladala, Chaladanga, Chaladruma, Chaladvisha, Chaladyuta.
Ends with (+141): Acchala, Achala, Achalachala, Addachala, Adhikaranavichala, Agnichala, Akutachala, Anchala, Aparapanchala, Apicchala, Aranacchala, Archala, Arunachala, Ashtakulachala, Astachala, Avichachala, Ayachala, Bahicchala, Bahucchala, Bhumichala.
Full-text (+30): Vakchala, Chalin, Kanyakachala, Chalana, Kathachala, Chalikya, Chalata, Chalakarin, Chaladyuta, Chalakaraka, Chalapata, Chalaja, Chalokti, Chalavac, Chaga, Gochala, Dvatrimshakchalabhanjika, Dvatrimshacchalabhanjika, Samanyacchala, Chalaksharasutra.
Relevant text
Search found 33 books and stories containing Chala, Chaḷa, Chalā, Chāla, Chālā; (plurals include: Chalas, Chaḷas, Chalās, Chālas, Chālās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
A History of Indian Philosophy Volume 2 (by Surendranath Dasgupta)
Part 13 - Logical Speculations and Terms relating to Academic Dispute < [Chapter XIII - Speculations in the Medical Schools]
Part 14 - Did Logic Originate in the Discussions of Āyurveda Physicians < [Chapter XIII - Speculations in the Medical Schools]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 2.13.27 < [Chapter 13 - The Deliverance of Jagāi and Mādhāi]
Verse 1.1.111 < [Chapter 1 - Summary of Lord Gaura’s Pastimes]
Verse 1.2.233 < [Chapter 2 - The Lord’s Appearance]
Dasarupaka (critical study) (by Anuru Ranjan Mishra)
Part 3-6 - Vīthī rules < [Chapter 7 - Vīthī (critical study)]
Part 8 - Styles (vṛttis) of the Nāṭaka < [Chapter 1 - Nāṭaka (critical study)]
Part 3-6 - Samavakāra rules < [Chapter 6 - Samavakāra (critical study)]
Buddhist records of the Western world (Xuanzang) (by Samuel Beal)
Chapter 13 - Country of ’O-hi-chi-ta-lo (Ahikshetra) < [Book IV - Fifteen Countries]
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 23 < [Chapter 4 - Caturtha-yāma-sādhana (Madhyāhna-kālīya-bhajana–ruci-bhajana)]
Philosophy of Charaka-samhita (by Asokan. G)
Dialectical terms (22): Quibble (chala) < [Chapter 7 - Logic and Dialectical Speculations]
Fundamental Categories (padārtha or tattva) [in Charaka philosophy] < [Chapter 2 - Fundamental Categories]
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