Ela, Eḷa, Elā: 32 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
In Buddhism
1. Tibetan Buddhism
India history
Biology
Languages
1. Pali
2. Marathi
3. Sanskrit
4. Prakrit
5. Kannada
6. Tamil
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Introduction:

Ela means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Christianity, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Jainism, Prakrit, biology, Tamil. 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 Eḷa can be transliterated into English as Ela or Elia, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Elā (एला):—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.

Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)

Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgraha

Elā (एला) refers to the medicinal plant known as “Elettaria cardomomum Maton” and is dealt with in the 15th-century Yogasārasaṅgraha (Yogasara-saṅgraha) by Vāsudeva: an unpublished Keralite work representing an Ayurvedic compendium of medicinal recipes.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 elā] 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).

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa

Elā (एला) or “cardamom” refers to an herbal ingredient which is included in a (snake) poison antidote recipe, according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—In the Añjana or Collyrium segment of the eighth Adhyāya, Kāśyapa prescribes eight types of permutation and combination of herbs that effectively arrest poison. According to Kāśyapasaṃhitā (verse VIII.37)—“A combination of Śiriṣa, Elā, Niśā, Lac, Māṃsī, Yaṣṭhi, Mustard, salt, Trivṛt, Yaṣṭhi, Viśālā, Trikaṭu, two varieties of Niśā, with Madhu and Māñjiṣṭhā placed in the cow’s horn form a formidable drug to eliminate venom”.

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

Elā (एला) is a Sanskrit word referring to the “Cardamom” spice, made from the seeds of plants in the Zingiberaceae family, and is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Caraka-saṃhitā. According to ayurveda, cardamom is good for balancing all the three doshas, and is also used for reducing intestinal gas.

Source: Google Books: Essentials of Ayurveda

Elā (एला).—The Sanskrit name for an important Ayurvedic drug.—Elā plant grows in South India. It is fragrant and cold and is used in consumption and dysuria and for purifying mouth.

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.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

Elā (एला) 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. Elā) 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.

context information

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.

Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Google Books: Saṅgītaśiromaṇi: A Medieval Handbook of Indian Music

Elā (एला).—Name of a musical composition (subgenre of song);—The start (graha=pāṇi) of the musical metre (tāla) should take place before (anāgata) or after (atīta) the start of the melody, but not at the same time (sama) as the latter. In this way all characteristics of the elā compositions have been preserved by the ancient experts. There are sixteen words in the elā composition, viz.: six words in the udgrāha, the same number in the pallava; traditionally, the melāpaka has one word; in the dhruva there are three words. In this connection the word (pada) is the subdivision (khaṇḍa). This is the rule.

These are the respective names of the sixteen words of the elā compositions:

kāma (longing),
manmathavat (enamoured),
kānta (lovely),
jita (subdued),
matta (ecstatic),
vikāravat (variegated),
māndhātṛ (thoughtful),
sumatī (devotional),
śobhī (brilliant),
suśobhī (very brilliant),
gītaka (melodious),
añcita (honorific lit. “bent”),
vicitra (diverse),
vāsava (supreme),
mṛdu (tender),
sucitra (extremely diverse),

The first word of the second line is called vikāravat. The next ten words, i.e. the seventh to the sixteenth word, correspond to the following types of musical expression: homogeneous (samāna), sweet (madhura), intense (sāndra), lovely (kānta), brilliant (dīpta), harmonious (samāhita), wild (agrāmya), delicate (sukumāra) distinct (prasanna) and vigorous (ojasvin)

These are the respective deities of the words of the elā composition:

lokamātā (mother of the world),
patriṇī (the feathered one),
rañjanī (the charming one),
sumukhī (the fair-faced one)
śacī (the powerful one),
vareṇya (the desirable one),
vāyuvegā (swift as the wind),
medinī (the earth),
mohinī (the bewildering one),
jayā (the victorious one),
gaurī (the brilliant one),
vāṇī (=Sarasvatī, ‘speech’),
mātaṅgī (female elephant),
caṇḍikā (the passionate one),
vijayā (the triumphant one),
cāmuṇḍā (a particular form of Durgā),

Some people mention here, immediately after caṇḍikā, devatāhara (the divine destructor, i.e. Śiva).

Source: Google Books: Music and Musical Thought in Early India

Elā (एला).—The important subgenre of song known as elā (“cardamon”) provides another opportunity to see the process of categorical expansion at work; it is also instructive in the efforts of authors and compilers to “map” this species of song across the entire universe of Indian culture and civilization. Mataṅga’s account of the elās occupies almost 45 percent of the Bṛhaddeśī’s prabandha canto.

Twenty-eight separate versions of the elā are grouped into four primary categories, following a brief description of their general characteristics. By the time of the Saṅgītaratnākara the elās have grown to 356, with an “infinite” number of mixed varieties.

Elā was regarded as auspicious and as one of the most important of the prabandhas. Its name is explained in a typical passage of nirukta analysis in which each of the phonetic elements signifies a member of an illustrious family group: analyzing the inital e as a diphthong (ai), a represents Viṣṇu, i his “flower-armed” son Kāmadeva, the god of love, and la his wife Lakṣmī.

context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—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), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Tibetan Buddhism

Elā (एला) is the name of a Piśācī mentioned as attending the teachings in the 6th century Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa: one of the largest Kriyā Tantras devoted to Mañjuśrī (the Bodhisattva of wisdom) representing an encyclopedia of knowledge primarily concerned with ritualistic elements in Buddhism. The teachings in this text originate from Mañjuśrī and were taught to and by Buddha Śākyamuni in the presence of a large audience (including Elā).

Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka Maṇḍala

Elā (एला) or Elaka refers to one of the eight trees (vṛkṣa) of the Jñānacakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the jñānacakra refers to one of the three divisions of the saṃbhoga-puṭa (‘enjoyment layer’), situated in the Herukamaṇḍala. Elā is associated with the charnel ground (śmaśāna) named Sarpadaṃśa and with the direction-guardian (dikpāla) named Śaśisuta.

context information

Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

India history and geography

Source: academia.edu: The Date of Ellora’s Kailasa Cave-Temple

King Ela or Aila.—According to an excerpt published in 1801 in the sixth volume of the Asiatic Researches or Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the name of the king was Ela or Aila who built the city of Elapura. He also excavated the temples, and built the fortress of Devagiri (Daulatabad). According to Puranas, Aila kings belonged to the Lunar dynasty.

Source: Shodhganga: Cultural history as g leaned from kathasaritsagara

Ela is the name of a tree mentioned in the Kathasaritsagara by Somadeva (10th century A.D).—Ela refers to the “cardum-tree” and is mentioned with the Lavanga-bakulamra trees.

Somadeva mentions many rich forests, gardens, various trees (e.g., Ela), creepers medicinal and flowering plants and fruit-bearing trees in the Kathasaritsagara. Travel through the thick, high, impregnable and extensive Vindhya forest is a typical feature of many travel-stories. Somadeva’s writing more or less reflects the life of the people of Northern India during the 11th century. His Kathasaritsagara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Ela, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravahanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyadharas (celestial beings).

Source: Singhi Jain Series: Ratnaprabha-suri’s Kuvalayamala-katha (history)

Elā (एला) refers to one of the various shops or “market places” (Sanskrit: Haṭṭa, Prakrit: Cauhaṭṭa) for a medieval town in ancient India, which were vividly depicted in Kathās (narrative poems), for example, by Uddyotanasūri in his 8th-century Kuvalayamālā.—The Kuvalayamala (779 A.D.) is full of cultural material which gains in value because of the firm date of its composition. [...] In the Kuvalayamālā, some names of shops according to articles displayed in them is given, [i.e., elā] [...] Thus Uddyotana has in his view a complete form of a medieval market place with the number of lines full of different commodities.

context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, 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.

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Ela in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Peucedanum grande C.B.Clarke from the Apiaceae (Carrot) family. For the possible medicinal usage of ela, 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: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

1) Ela in India is the name of a plant defined with Amomum aromaticum in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Geocallis fasciculata Horan. (among others).

2) Ela is also identified with Amomum subulatum It has the synonym Cardamomum subulatum (Roxb.) Kuntze (etc.).

3) Ela is also identified with Elettaria cardamomum It has the synonym Amomum uncinatum Stokes (etc.).

4) Ela in Papua New Guinea is also identified with Inocarpus fagifer It has the synonym Aniotum edulis J.R. Forst. (etc.).

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

· Flora Peruviana, et Chilensis (1798)
· Flora Indica, or ‘Descriptions of Indian Plants’ (1832)
· Publications of the Field Columbian Museum, Botanical Series (1900)
· Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1811)
· Phytologia (1978)
· Verhandelingen van het Bataviaasch Genootschap van Kunsten en Wetenschapen (1830)

If you are looking for specific details regarding Ela, for example side effects, health benefits, pregnancy safety, extract dosage, chemical composition, diet and recipes, 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

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

elā : (f.) 1. saliva; 2. the seed or plant of cardamom. || eḷā (f.), saliva.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Eḷa, (nt.) (Sk. enas) in eḷamūga deaf & dumb A.II, 252; III, 436; IV, 226; Miln.20, 251 (cp. Miln.trsl. II.71). A rather strange use and expl^n. of eḷamūga (with ref. to a snake “spitting”) we find at J.III, 347, where it is expl^d. as “eḷa-paggharantena mukhena eḷamūgaṃ” i.e. called eḷamūga because of the saliva (foam?) dripping from its mouth, v. l. elamukha.—Cp. neḷa & aneḷa. (Page 161)

— or —

Ela, (nt.) (?) salt(?) or water(?) in elambiya (= el°ambu-ja) born in (salt) water Sn.845 (= ela-saññaka ambumhi jāta); Nd¹ 202 (elaṃ vuccati udakaṃ). (Page 161)

context information

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 Dictionary

ēlā (एला).—f S A cardamom (large or small), a seed of warp. Eletteria or Alpinia cardamomum: also the plant. 2 m A tree, Terminalia nitida. Grah.

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ēḷa (एळ).—f m (Vulgar for vēḷa q. v.) Time: also a time, a period.

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ēḷā (एळा).—f pl (ēlā S) Cardamoms, esp. of the large kind. 2 A tree, Terminalia nitida. Grah.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

ēlā (एला).—m A carda- mom.

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

Elā (एला).—

1) Cardamom plant; एलानां फलरेणवः (elānāṃ phalareṇavaḥ) R.4.47, 6.64.

2) Cardamoms (the seed of the plant).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Ela (एल).—(1) m. or nt., a high number: Mahāvyutpatti 7759 (m.) = Tibetan yal ḥdas, ya lad; 7872 (nt.) = Tibetan thal thal, cited from Gaṇḍavyūha, which has elam 133.14; (2) m., name of a nāga king: Mahāvyutpatti 3263; Mahā-Māyūrī 247.28; also dual dvandva Ela- melau, two nāga kings, Mahā-Māyūrī 247.33.

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Elā (एला).—a high number: Gaṇḍavyūha 106.9; corresp. to elu.

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

Elā (एला).—f.

(-lā) Cardamoms, the seed of the Eletteria cardamomum, or Alpinia Cardamomum: it applies to both the large and small cardamom, but most commonly to the former. E. il to send, &c. ac aff.

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

Elā (एला).—f. Small cardamoms, [Raghuvaṃśa, (ed. Stenzler.)] 6, 64.

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

Elā (एला).—[feminine] cardamoms.

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

1) Ela (एल):—and elada n. a particular number ([Buddhist literature])

2) Elā (एला):—1. elā f. any species of Cardamom, [Suśruta; Kathāsaritsāgara]

3) Name of a metre (consisting of four lines of fifteen syllables each)

4) Name of a river, [Harivaṃśa]

5) ([varia lectio] arlā.)

6) 2. elā f. sport, pastime, merriness [gana] kaṇḍv-ādi, [Pāṇini 3-1, 27.]

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

Elā (एला):—(lā) 1. f. Small cardamoms.

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

Ela (एल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Ela, Elaga, Elā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Ela 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.

Prakrit-English dictionary

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

1) Ela (एल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit words: Eḍa, Ela.

Ela has the following synonyms: Elaga.

2) Elā (एला) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Elā.

context information

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 corpus

Ela (ಎಲ):—[interjection] an interjection used to express wonder, surprise.

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Ela (ಎಲ):—[independent] ho! ho! a term used calling servants.

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Elā (ಎಲಾ):—[interjection] = ಎಲ [ela]1.

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Elā (ಎಲಾ):—[independent] = ಎಲ [ela]2.

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Eḷa (ಎಳ):—[verb] (chiefly in composition) to pull towards; to attract; to bring forcibly toward.

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Eḷa (ಎಳ):—[adjective] (chiefly in composition) being in the first stage or an early stage of life; young; tender.

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Ēla (ಏಲ):—[noun] = ಏಲಂ [elam].

context information

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

Tamil dictionary

Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil Lexicon

Elā (எலா) interjection cf. எல்லா. [ella.] [K. elā.] Here, you! used in addressing a person in a familiar and friendly manner; நண்பினரை விளிக்கும் ஒரு விளிப்பெயர். [nanpinarai vilikkum oru vilippeyar.] (தொல். பொ. [thol. po.] 220, உரை. [urai.])

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Ēla (ஏல) adverb < ஏல்-. [el-.]

1. Already; beforehand; முன்னமே. பிரளயம் வருமென் றேலக் கோலி [munname. piralayam varumen relag koli] (ஈடு-முப்பத்தாறுயிரப்படி [idu-muppatharuyirappadi], 2, 8, 7).

2. Liberally, vastly; மிக. கல்வியேலவ மைந்த பெருமை பெற்றும் [miga. kalviyelava maintha perumai perrum] (திருக்காளத். பு. [thirukkalath. pu.] 3, 8).

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Ēlā (ஏலா) interjection cf. எல்லா. [ella.] An exclamation of familiar address to a companion, whether man or woman; தோழன் தோழியரை முன்னிலைப் படுத்துஞ் சொல் [thozhan thozhiyarai munnilaip paduthugn sol] (பரிபாடல் [paripadal] 8, 69; கந்தபு அசமுகிப். [kanthapu asamugip.] 12.)

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Ēlā (ஏலா) noun < ஏலம்¹. [elam¹.] See ஏலம்¹ [elam¹], 1. (வைத்திய மலையகராதி [vaithiya malaiyagarathi])

context information

Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.

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