Dantakashtha, Danta-kashtha, Dantakāṣṭha, Damtakashtha: 18 definitions
Introduction:
Dantakashtha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit term Dantakāṣṭha can be transliterated into English as Dantakastha or Dantakashtha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ) refers to “tooth-brush” or “tooth-pick”, as well as the name of the 85th chapter of the Bṛhatsaṃhita.
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ) refers to a “tooth brush”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 2), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “A true Astrologer is also one who has thoroughly mastered the Science of Saṃhitā. [...] It also treats of the prediction of events from the flight of the kañjana and from the appearance of various abnormal phenomena, of expiatory ceremonies; of miscellaneous planetary phenomena; of ghṛta-kambala; of the royal sword; of paṭa; of the features of a house cock, a cow, a sheep, a horse, an elephant, a man and a woman. It also treats of the treatment of women; of moles in the body; of injuries to shoes and clothes; of hairy fans; of walking sticks: of beds and seats; of lamplight; of tooth brush [i.e., dantakāṣṭha] and the like”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ, “tooth-brush”).—A man should leave his bed early in the morning and brush his teeth. The tooth-brush (danta-kashtha) should be made of a fresh twig of a tree or a plant grown on a commendable tract and it should be straight, not worm-eaten, devoid of any knot or at most with one knot only (on one side), and should be twelve fingers in length and like the small finger in girth. The potency and taste of the twig (tooth-brush) should be determined by or vary according to the season of the year and the preponderance of any particular Dosha in the physical temperament of its user. The twig of a plant possessed of any of the four tastes as sweet, bitter, astringent and pungent should be alone collected and used. Nimba is the best of all the bitter trees; Khadira of the astringent ones; Madhuka of the sweet; and Karanja of the pungent ones.
Note: A man of a kaphaja temperament should use a twig of a plant possessed of a pungent taste (tikta) in brushing his teeth. A man of a pittaja temperament should brush his teeth with a twig possessed of a sweet taste (madhura), while a man of a vatika temperament (nervous) should use that with an astringent (kasaya) taste. This rule should be observed even in respect of the preponderant doshas of the body, in a disease.
Also see Sushruta-samhita, Cikitsastha Chapter XXIV: The rules of hygiene and general conduct.
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ):—A piece of plant, stick or twig which is used for cleaning teeth & in ancient time it was used for giving the poison. SR0106
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)
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ) refers to a “tooth-brush”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.11, while explaining the mode of worshipping Śiva:—“[...] One shall get up early in the morning during the Brāhma-muhūrta (about an hour before dawn). [...] They shall clean the teeth using the tooth brush twig [dantakāṣṭha] according to their castes. The tooth brush twig of a Brahmin shall be twelve aṅgulas long. A king (a Kṣatriya) shall take one eleven aṅgulas long and a Vaiśya one ten aṅgulas long. The tooth brush of a Śūdra shall be nine aṅgulas in length. This is in accordance with Smṛtis. What is enjoined by Manu shall be disobeyed only in emergencies”.
Note: “on Ṣaṣṭī (sixth), Navamī (ninth) and new-moon days, on sundays and days of sacred rites and Śrāddhas, cleaning the teeth with tooth-brush twig is prohibited”.
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.
Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ) refers to:—A twig offered to the Lord for the purpose of cleaning His teeth. (cf. Glossary page from Arcana-dīpikā).
Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ) refers to “wood for cleaning the teeth”, according to the Svacchanda-tantra.—Accordingly, [verse 4.8-13, while describing auspicious dreams]—“[...] [It is auspicious when one dreams of] a pill, wood for cleaning the teeth (dantakāṣṭha), yellow pigment on a sword or sandal, sacred thread, ointment, nectar, mercury, medicinal herbs, śakti, a water jar, lotus, rosary, red arsenic or blazing objects of siddhas, which have red chalk as their ends. [...]”
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ) refers to a “teeth-cleaning twig” (which an ascetic is allowed to receive into one’s vessel after washing), according to the Pātravidhi—a manual of the Lakulīśa Pāśupata school of Śaivism dealing with purification of the initiate’s vessel (pātra) and other concerned issues.—Accordingly, “Having enjoyed [the food] from the vessel, an ascetic should properly wash [it], using mantras. Thus, that vessel of him will not be impure, like the Camasa[-vessel] in the [Vedic] sacrifice. (40) Having collected the alms on the vessel, [an ascetic] should properly wash [all its] three corners. [Afterwards,] he should not receive anything [in the vessel] except water and a teeth-cleaning twig (dantakāṣṭha). (41) [...] [An ascetic] should never use medicine, a teeth-cleaning twig (dantakāṣṭha), and drink or sip water, except at times of eating. (69)”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Languages of India and abroad
Marathi-English dictionary
dantakāṣṭha (दंतकाष्ठ).—n (S) A fibrous or bruised stick used for cleaning the teeth.
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
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ).—a piece of stick or twig used as a tooth-brush.
Derivable forms: dantakāṣṭham (दन्तकाष्ठम्).
Dantakāṣṭha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms danta and kāṣṭha (काष्ठ).
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ).—n.
(-ṣṭhaṃ) A piece of stick, or of the small branch of a tree used as a tooth brush. E. danta, and kāṣṭha wood.
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ).—n. a small piece of wood for cleaning the teeth, Mahābhārata 13, 4998.
Dantakāṣṭha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms danta and kāṣṭha (काष्ठ).
1) Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ):—[=danta-kāṣṭha] [from danta] n. a small piece of the wood (of particular trees) used for cleaning the teeth, [Mahābhārata xiii etc.]
2) [v.s. ...] cleaning the teeth with the danta-kāṣṭha, 4996 [Varāha-purāṇa]
3) [v.s. ...] m. Name of various trees the wood of which is used for cleaning the teeth (Flacourtia sapida, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]; Asclepias gigantea, Ficus indica, Acacia Catech, Pongamia glabra, Terminalia alata), [Nighaṇṭuprakāśa]
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ):—[danta-kāṣṭha] (ṣṭhaṃ) 1. n. A wooden toothbrush, piece of stick.
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ):—(da + kā)
1) n. ein Stückchen Holz von bestimmten Bäumen, welches zum Reinigen der Zähne gekaut wird; das Reinigen der Zähne auf diese Weise: varjayeddantakāṣṭhāni varjanīyāni [Mahābhārata 13, 4998.] dantakāṣṭhaṃ tu yaḥ khādedamāvāsyāmabuddhimān [6058.] [Harivaṃśa 7778.] dantakāṣṭhābhakṣaṇa [Vārāhapurāṇa] in [Oxforder Handschriften 59], b, Kap. [128.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 76, 37. 80, 1. fgg.] Vie de [Hiouen-Thsang 123.] [Hiouen-Thsang I, 55. II, 49.] dantakāṣṭhādyakaraṇa [Vārāhapurāṇa] in [Weber’s Verzeichniss 144, 3.] vāgyato dantakāṣṭhaṃ ca nityameva samācaret [Mahābhārata 13, 4996.] —
2) m. Name verschiedener Bäume, deren Holz zum Reinigen der Zähne benutzt wird: Flacourtia sapida Roxb. (vikaṅkata) [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma] Asclepias gigantea, Ficus indica (vaṭa), Acacia Catechu Willd., Pongamia glabra Vent., Terminalia alata [NIGH. PR.] — Vgl. dantadhāvana .
--- OR ---
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ):—
1) [Weber’s Indische Studien 10, 170.] [Scholiast] zu [LĀṬY. 9, 2, 19.]
Dantakāṣṭha (दन्तकाष्ठ):——
1) n. — a) ein Stückchen Holz von bestimmten Bäumen. welches zum Reinigen der Zähne gekaut wird , [Varāhamihira’s Yogayātrā 2,20.] — b) das Reinigen der Zähne auf diese Weise. —
2) *m. — a) Flacourtia sapida [Rājan 9,162.] — b) Asclepias gigantea. — c) Ficus indica. — d) Acacia Catechu. — e) Pongamia glabra. — f) Terminalis altata.
Dantakāṣṭha (in Sanskrit) can be associated with the following Chinese terms:
1) 楊枝 [yáng zhī]: “willow twigs”.
2) 牙杖 [yá zhàng]: “willow twigs”.
3) 憚啄家瑟多 [dàn zhuó jiā sè duō]: “tooth stick”.
4) 齒木 [chǐ mù]: “(Skt. dantakāṣṭha)”.
Note: dantakāṣṭha can be alternatively written as: danta-kāṣṭha.
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
Daṃtakāṣṭha (ದಂತಕಾಷ್ಠ):—[noun] a slender stick of plants, esp. of neem tree, used for brushing teeth.
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 (+0): Kashtha, Danta.
Starts with (+0): Dantakashthabhakshana, Dantakashthaka.
Full-text (+0): Kashtha, Yang zhi, Chi mu, Na duo jia se zha, Dan zhuo jia se duo, Dantakashthabhakshana, Khadati, Ya zhang, Dantapavana, Dantakashthaka, Xi moc, Dan duo jia se cha, Danta, Dantakattha, Dantaprakshalana, Dantadhavana.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Dantakashtha, Damtakashtha, Daṃtakāṣṭha, Damtakastha, Danta-kashtha, Danta-kāṣṭha, Danta-kastha, Dantakāṣṭha, Dantakastha; (plurals include: Dantakashthas, Damtakashthas, Daṃtakāṣṭhas, Damtakasthas, kashthas, kāṣṭhas, kasthas, Dantakāṣṭhas, Dantakasthas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Anti-plaque effect of classical dantakastha - an invitro study < [2021: Volume 10, October issue 12]
Management of badhirya- sensory neural hearing loss with ayurveda < [2023: Volume 12, June issue 9]
Ayurvedic way towards oral hygiene and health < [2017: Volume 6, January issue 1]
A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms (by Fa-Hien)
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
The role of dantadhavana (tooth brushing) to promote oral health < [2023, Issue 08. August]
Concept of mukhaswasthya according to various acharyas with special reference to dantadhavana < [2017, Issue IV April]
A role of ayurveda in the management of karnabadhirya (sen-sorineural deafness) - a case study < [2023, Issue 12, December]
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A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
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