Durva, Dūrvā, Dūrva: 26 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
Biology
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
3. Hindi
4. Kannada
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Introduction:

Durva means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, 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.

In Hinduism

Rasashastra (chemistry and alchemy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Dūrvā (दूर्वा):—One of the sixty-seven Mahauṣadhi, as per Rasaśāstra texts (rasa literature). These drugs are useful for processing mercury (rasa), such as the alchemical processes known as sūta-bandhana and māraṇa.

context information

Rasashastra (रसशास्त्र, rasaśāstra) is an important branch of Ayurveda, specialising in chemical interactions with herbs, metals and minerals. Some texts combine yogic and tantric practices with various alchemical operations. The ultimate goal of Rasashastra is not only to preserve and prolong life, but also to bestow wealth upon humankind.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) is another name (synonym) for Śaṭī, which is a Sanskrit name for the plant Hedychium spicatum (spiked ginger lily). This synonym was identified by Narahari in his 13th-century Rājanighaṇṭu (verses 6.226-227), which is an Ayurvedic medicinal thesaurus.

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Durva in the Hindi language is the name of a plant identified with Desmostachya bipinnata (L.) Stapf from the Poaceae (Grass) family having the following synonyms: Uniola bipinnata, Poa cynosuriodes, Eragrostis cynosuroides. For the possible medicinal usage of durva, 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.

Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgraha

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) refers to the medicinal plant known as “Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers.” and is dealt with in the 15th-century Yogasārasaṅgraha (Yogasara-saṅgraha) by Vāsudeva: an unpublished Keralite work representing an Ayurvedic compendium of medicinal recipes.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 dūrvā] 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).

Source: Asian Agri-History: Paśu Āyurvēda (Veterinary Medicine) in Garuḍapurāṇa

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) refers to Cynodon dactylon, and is used in the treatment of sarvaroga, according to sections on Horses (Gajāyurveda or Aśvāyurveda) in the Garuḍapurāṇa.—[Dūrvā-kalpa for the management of sarvaroga]—In the management of sarvaroga just like vardhamāna pippalī-kalpa, Dūrvā (Cynodon dactylon) is advised to take in increasing doses. The details are as follows:—One Karṣa dūrvā should be given to a horse on the first day, and the dose should be increased by a Karṣa measure, each day, till the dose reaches five Pala. During this treatment Eighty Pala pāna (drinks) or bhojana (diet) is considered as para/uttama (best/maximum), Sixty Pala is the madhyama (average) and forty Pala is the adhama (lowest/ minimum).

context information

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 Translation

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) is used in the worship of Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.14:—“[...] a person desirous of long life (āyus-kāma) shall worship him with Dūrvā grass. A person desirous of sons shall worship him with Dhattūra flowers”.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Dūrva (दूर्व).—A plant sacred to Hari;¹ from this Dūrvañjanam, being an auspicious thing to be looked at in the morning.²

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 3. 6.
2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 28. 10.

1b) A son of Nṛpañjaya: his son Timi.^*

* Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 22. 42.

Source: Shodhganga: The saurapurana - a critical study

Durvā (दुर्वा) wood is used for brushing the teeth in the month Āśvina for the Anaṅgatrayodaśī-Vrata, according to the 10th century Saurapurāṇa: one of the various Upapurāṇas depicting Śaivism.—Accordingly, the Anaṅgatrayodaśī-vrata is observed in honour of Śiva for acquiring virtue, great fortune, wealth and for destruction of sins [...] This vrata is to be performed for a year from Mārgaśīra.—In the month of Āśvina, the tooth-brush is that of durvā-wood. The food taken is svamodaka. The deity to be worshipped is Tridaśādhipati. The flowers used in worship are śatapatraka. The naivedya offerings is guṇaka. The result accrued equals gift of crores of gold.

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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.

Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)

Source: Wisdom Library: Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) refers to a type of grass (Agrostis linearis), according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 5), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “If there should be both lunar and solar eclipses in one month, princes will suffer both from dissensions among their own army and from wars. [...] If the eclipsed disc should appear yellow resembling the topaz in colour, the Vaiśyas will perish and there will be prosperity in the land. If the disc should appear to be burning, there will be fear from fire; if it should resemble gold ore, there will be wars in the land. If the disc should appear black resembling the colour of the stem of dūrvā grass [i.e., dūrvā-kāṇḍa] or yellow, there will be much death in the land. If of the colour of the flower pāṭali (Bignonia Suaveolenis) ‘trumpet flower’ there will be fear from lightning”.

Source: Google Books: Studies in the History of the Exact Sciences (Astronomy)

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) refers to one of the items offered to the nine planets (navagraha), according to the grahaśānti (cf. grahayajña) section of the Yājñavalkyasmṛti (1.295-309), preceded by the section called vināyakakalpa (1.271-294), prescribing a rite to be offered to Vināyaka.—[verse 302-303: Faggots to be burned]—These two verses prescribe different faggots to be burned for grahas with offerings of honey, ghee, dadhi, and milk. It is interesting to note that some of the faggots (i.e. parāśa, khadira, pippala, and śamī) mentioned here are also used in the Suśrutasaṃhitā in the context (Uttaratantra chapters 27-37) of curing the diseases caused by grahas, which, in this case, are not planetary. [verse 304-305: Cooked rice (odana) to be offered to grahas]

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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.

Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)

Source: SOAS University of London: Protective Rites in the Netra Tantra

Dūrva (दूर्व) refers to a type of grass (used for paying homage), according to the Netratantroddyota commentary on the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 4.4cd]—“[...] People with wealth [should pay homage] with lavish ingredients (mahā-saṃbhāra); for others it may be done even with such meager ingredients as dūrva grass, water, and sprouts. For in this way there is a supremacy of our teachers [who] lack laziness and [are] free of greed”.

context information

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.

Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: Shodhganga: Elements of Art and Architecture in the Trtiyakhanda of the Visnudharmottarapurana (shilpa)

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) or “panic grass” refers to a particular shade of the green color, created through the principles of the ancient Indian tradition of Painting (citra), according to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, an ancient Sanskrit text which (being encyclopedic in nature) deals with a variety of cultural topics such as arts, architecture, music, grammar and astronomy. In the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, five colours are regarded as the primary ones. A painter can create hundreds or thousands of colours by amalgamating the primary ones. Many shades of a particular colour also can be created by increasing or decreasing the quantity of the white part in the mixture. Thus, different shades of green could be made. For example—dūrvā i.e., panic grass, kapittha i.e., wood apple and mudga i.e a kind of kidney bean—all of which are basically green in colour but shows their colour in light and dark shades of green.

context information

Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: archive.org: Vedic index of Names and Subjects

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) a species of grass (Panicum dactylon), is mentioned frequently from the Rigveda1 onwards. It grew in damp ground. A simile occurring in the Rigveda seems to indicate that the ears lay horizontal with the stem. Cf. Pākadūrvā.

Biology (plants and animals)

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

1) Durva in India is the name of a plant defined with Desmostachya bipinnata in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Cynosurus durus Forssk., nom. illeg., non Cynosurus durus L. (among others).

2) Durva is also identified with Hedychium spicatum It has the synonym Gandasulium sieboldii (Wall.) Kuntze (etc.).

3) Durva is also identified with Rotheca serrata It has the synonym Clerodendrum serratum f. lacteum Moldenke (etc.).

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

· Prodr. (1847)
· Flora Yunnanica (1977)
· Catalogue of the Indigenous and Exotic Plants Growing in Ceylon (1824)
· Hooker’s Journal of Botany Kew Gard. Misc. (1853)
· Flora of the British India. (1885)
· Novon (1998)

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

context information

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

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

durvā (दुर्वा).—Properly dūrvā, dūrvāvrata, dūrvāṣṭamī.

--- OR ---

dūrvā (दूर्वा).—f pl (S) Bent grass, commonly Doob, Agrostis linearis.

context information

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 dictionary

Dūrvā (दूर्वा).—Bent grass, panic grass (considered as a sacred article of worship and offered to deities &c.).

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

Dūrvā (दूर्वा).—f.

(-rvā) Bent grass, commonly Durba, (Panicum dactylon.) E. dūrva to hurt or be hurt, affix ac or ghañ; fem. affix ṭāp what hurts sin, or is injured by cattle. dūrvati rogān aniṣṭaṃ vā .

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

Dūrvā (दूर्वा).—f. A kind of milletgrass, Panicum dactylon, Mahābhārata 3, 9984.

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

Dūrva (दूर्व).—[masculine] [Name] of a king; [feminine] dūrvā a kind of grass.

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

1) Dūrva (दूर्व):—m. Name of a prince who was son of Nṛpaṃ-jaya and father of Timi, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa ix, 22, 41.]

2) Dūrvā (दूर्वा):—f. (√durt?) bent grass, panic grass, Dūrb grass, Panicum Dactylon, [Ṛg-veda; Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā; Brāhmaṇa; Mahābhārata etc.] (cf. ali-, gaṇḍa-, granthi-, mālā-).

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

Dūrvā (दूर्वा):—(rvvā) 1. f. Bent grass, dūb.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Dūrvā (दूर्वा) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Duruvvā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Durva in German

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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Dūrvā (दूर्वा):—(nf) see [dūba].

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Dūrva (ದೂರ್ವ):—[noun] = ದೂರ್ವೆ [durve].

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

Relevant text

Search found 62 books and stories containing Durva, Dūrvā, Dūrva, Durvā; (plurals include: Durvas, Dūrvās, Dūrvas, Durvās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Rig Veda 10.142.8 < [Sukta 142]

Rig Veda 10.134.5 < [Sukta 134]

Rig Veda 10.16.13 < [Sukta 16]

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Verse 1.6.4 < [Chapter 6 - Description of Kaṃsa’s Strength]

Verse 4.1.52 < [Chapter 1 - The Story of the Personified Vedas]

Verses 4.1.37-38 < [Chapter 1 - The Story of the Personified Vedas]

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Chapter 9 - Description of the Lord's Four-armed Form (Hillola-rāga)

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Verse 3.4.322 < [Chapter 4 - Descriptions of Śrī Acyutānanda’s Pastimes and the Worship of Śrī Mādhavendra]

Verse 2.1.337 < [Chapter 1 - The Beginning of the Lord’s Manifestation and His Instructions on Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana]