Gara, Gāra: 20 definitions
Introduction:
Gara means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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.
Alternative spellings of this word include Gaar.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)
Gāra (गार) or Gāramūṣā refers to an “lake-earth crucible” and is a type of mūṣā (crucible) used for smelting metals.—Gāra-mūṣā and Vara-mūṣā (superior crucible) were made of different proportions of burnt coal, chaff, black earth and the earth obtained from lakes. These crucibles could stand fire for increasing time periods. Also see the Rasarantasamuccaya 10.15, 10.13.

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.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Gara (गर) refers to “poison”, according to the 11th century Jñānārṇava, a treatise on Jain Yoga in roughly 2200 Sanskrit verses composed by Śubhacandra.—Accordingly, “[This self] whose intention is confounded by the poison (gara) of manifestly false knowledge, desire and so forth falls into an existence that is difficult to endure, inflamed by the fire of endless suffering”.
Synonyms: Viṣa.

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)
Gara in the Telugu language is the name of a plant identified with Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile from the Zygophyllaceae (Caltrop) family having the following synonyms: Ximenia aegyptiaca. For the possible medicinal usage of gara, 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.
Gara in the Angami language is the name of a plant identified with Centella asiatica (L.) Urb. from the Apiaceae (Carrot) family having the following synonyms: Centella hirtella, Hydrocotyle asiatica, Hydrocotyle reniformis.
Garaa in Nigeria is the name of a plant defined with Zea mays in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Zea mays subsp. semidentata Kuleshov (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Escritos (1923)
· Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (1891)
· Nomenclator Botanicus (1821)
· Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique (1829)
· Taxon (1987)
· Enumeratio Stirpium Transsilvaniae (1816)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Garaa, for example health benefits, side effects, chemical composition, diet and recipes, extract dosage, pregnancy safety, have a look at these references.
1) Gara in Ethiopia is the name of a plant defined with Acacia sieberiana in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Acacia sieberiana DC. subsp. vermoesenii (De Wild.) Troupin (among others).
2) Gara in Ivory Coast is also identified with Philenoptera cyanescens It has the synonym Lonchocarpus cyanescens (Schumach. & Thonn.) Benth. (etc.).
3) Gara in Mali is also identified with Indigofera tinctoria It has the synonym Indigofera indica Lam., nom. illeg., non Indigofera indica Mill. (etc.).
4) Gara in Nigeria is also identified with Zea mays It has the synonym Zea mays var. indentata (Sturtev.) L.H. Bailey (etc.).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Escritos (1923)
· Cell and Chromosome Research (1989)
· Landwirthschaftliche Flora (1866)
· Journal of Biosciences (1993)
· Nova Genera et Species Plantarum (1824)
· Kew Bulletin (1950)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Gara, for example side effects, health benefits, extract dosage, diet and recipes, chemical composition, pregnancy safety, 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
Marathi-English dictionary
gara (गर).—m Pulp, pith, kernel, marrow, crumb. 2 f Itch in the throat and breast of a horse. v bhara. 3 The scurf or sordes of the coat of a horse: also of the head or skin of man. 4 m n S Poison.
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garā (गरा).—a (gurū S) That ripens late, late: opp. to rath--certain grains.
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garā (गरा).—m A lump of the pulp of the Jack. 2 Granulous wheat-flour, rolong.
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gāra (गार).—f A flint. 2 A hailstone. 3 A term for gems and jewels, in enumerating the things which run away with money; viz. ṭāra, nāra, gāra, sāra. See under ṭāra. 4 A hole or pit. 5 fig. The belly.
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gāra (गार).—a Cold, very cold--water &c. Used also as an enhancing adjunct with thaṇḍa, as thaṇḍagāra Intensely cold. 2 Used enhancingly with hiravā, as hiravā gāra Dark green. gāra gāra thaṇḍa, gāra gāra karavanda or -karavata, gāra karavanda, gāra gāra ṭhaṇaka Intensely cold--water, air. gāra basaṇēṃ To sit coolly and composedly (as after having done some wild or wrong deed). gāra hōṇēṃ To be appeased, quieted, satisfied (as on accomplishment of an object).
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gārā (गारा).—m A dilute mixture (of earth, lime, or cowdung, with water); to be used as mortar or plaster. 2 fig. Any thick mess of solid and liquid food.
gara (गर).—m Pulp, kernel, marrow. Itch in the throat and breast of a horse. v bhara. m n Poison.
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garā (गरा).—m A lump of the pulp of the Jack. Rolong.
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gāra (गार).—f A flint. A hailstone. A pit. Fig. The belly. a Cold. gāra hōṇēṃ Be satisfied, appeased. thaṇḍagāra Intensely cold. hiravā gāra Dark green.
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gārā (गारा).—m A dilute mixture (of earth, cow- dung, &c. with water) to be used as mortar or plaster. Fig. Any thick mess of solid and liquid food.
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
Gara (गर).—a. (-rī f.) [गीर्यते गॄ-कर्मादौ अच् (gīryate gṝ-karmādau ac)] Swallowing.
-raḥ 1 Any drink or fluid, beverage.
2) Sickness, disease.
3) Swallowing (garā also in this sense).
4) A factitious poison.
-raḥ, -ram 1 Poison.
2) An antidote.
-ram 1 Sprinkling, wetting.
2) The fifth of the eleven Karaṇas.
Gara (गर).—mn.
(-raḥ-raṃ) 1. Poison. 2. An antidote. m.
(-raḥ) Sickness, disease. n.
(-raṃ) 1. Sprinkling, wetting. 2. The fifth of the eleven Karanas. f.
(-rā) Swallowing. (-rī) A species of grass, (Andropogon serratus); also garāgarī. E. gar to hurt, and ac affix, or gṛ to wet or sprinkle, or again gṝ to swallow, affix ap.
Gara (गर).—i. e. 2. gṛ10 + a, m. 1. A fluid (ved.). 2. m. and n. Poison, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 110, 24.
Gara (गर).—[adjective] devouring (—°); [masculine] drink, fluid, poison (also [neuter]); a man’s name. [feminine] devouring, swallowing.
1) Gara (गर):—mfn. (√2. gṝ) ‘swallowing’ ([gana] pacādi) See aja-
2) m. ([gana] uñchādi, [Kāśikā-vṛtti on Pāṇini 3-3, 29 and 57]) any drink, beverage, fluid, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa xi, 5, 8, 6]
3) a noxious or poisonous beverage, [Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa xix; Taittirīya-āraṇyaka; Rāmāyaṇa; Suśruta; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
4) a factitious poison (‘an antidote’ [Horace H. Wilson]), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
5) a kind of disease (perhaps one attended with difficulty of swallowing?; ‘disease in general’ [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]), [Suśruta i, iv; vi, 39, 208]
6) Name of a man, [Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa ix, 2, 16]
7) Garā (गरा):—[from gara] f. swallowing, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) [v.s. ...] f(ā, ī). Andropogon serratus, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
9) Gara (गर):—n. a poisonous beverage (‘a kind of poison’ [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]), [Mahābhārata i, 5582; Bhāgavata-purāṇa viii]
10) the fifth of the eleven Karaṇas (in [astronomy]), [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]
11) sprinkling, wetting (? karaṇa), [Horace H. Wilson]
12) Gāra (गार):—n. Name of a Sāman (composed by Gara), [Tāṇḍya-brāhmaṇa ix, 2, 16] (cf. madra-g.)
Gara (गर):—(raḥ) 1. m. Sickness. m. n. Poison; antidote. f. (rā) Swallowing. rī Kind of grass. n. Sprinkling.
[Sanskrit to German]
Gara (गर) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Gara.
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
1) Gāra (गार) [Also spelled gaar]:—(nm) ditch, pit; cave.
2) Gārā (गारा):—(nm) mud, mortar.
...
Prakrit-English dictionary
1) Gara (गर) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Kara.
2) Gara (गर) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Gara.
3) Gāra (गार) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Kāra.
4) Gāra (गार) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Grāvan.
5) Gāra (गार) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Agāra.
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
Gara (ಗರ):—[noun] any score shown by dice in games of chance, when rolled.
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Gara (ಗರ):—
1) [noun] 'a large, opaque, non-luminous mass, usu. with its own moons, that revolves about a star; esp., any of the sun''s nine major planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto; a planet.'2) [noun] (astrol.) any of the nine planets (the sun, moon, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rāhu and Kētu) which are supposed to influence and control the life of all human beings.
3) [noun] an evil spirit that is believed to possess human beings; ಗರಂಗಳ ಬಲ್ಲಹ [garamgala ballaha] garaṃgaḷa ballaha the prominent one among the nine planets; the sun; ಗರಂಗಳಾಣ್ಮ [garamgalanma] garaṃgaḷāṇma the sun (as the leader of planets); ಗರಮುಟ್ಟು [garamuttu] gara muṭṭu (an evil spirit) to affect adversely; to harm; ಗರಮುಟ್ಟೆ [garamutte] gara muṭṭe gowing to touch the sky (or a planet); ಗರವಕೊಳ್ [garavakol] garavakoḷ to be possessed by an evil spirit.
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Gara (ಗರ):—[noun] a building for human beings to live in; a house.
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Gara (ಗರ):—
1) [noun] the act of drinking.
2) [noun] that which can be drunk; any beverage, water, etc.
3) [noun] a substance causing illness or death when eaten, drunk or absorbed even in relatively small quantities; poison.
4) [noun] (astrol.) the fifth of the eleven divisions of the day.
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Gara (ಗರ):—[noun] a machine or device used for lifting water from a well.
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Gara (ಗರ):—[noun] an indeclinable used to express joy, gladness, appreciation, wonder, sarcasm, grief, etc.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
1) Garā (गरा):—n. pl. of गरो [garo]
2) Gārā (गारा):—n. pl. of गारो [gāro]
3) Gārā (गारा):—adj. pl. of गारो [gāro]
Nepali is the primary language of the Nepalese people counting almost 20 million native speakers. The country of Nepal is situated in the Himalaya mountain range to the north of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+23): Gaggara, Gara dun did, Gara-ba, Gara-chettu, Gara-dramma, Gara-Kana-Kara-Dishi, Gara-yaka, Gara-yakuma, Garaagar, Garaaji, Garab, Garabrata, Garada, Garadana, Garadattaka, Garadhika, Garadruma, Garagari, Garaghna, Garaghni.
Full-text (+244): Sagara, Udgara, Koshthagara, Ajagara, Garadhika, Garagari, Prekshagara, Apagaram, Garada, Garatmaka, Bhugara, Garam, Garaghna, Garadana, Sugara, Uposathagara, Garu, Pratyudgara, Madragara, Garavrata.
Relevant text
Search found 86 books and stories containing Gara, Gaara, Gārā, Garā, Gāra, Garaa; (plurals include: Garas, Gaaras, Gārās, Garās, Gāras, Garaas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 832 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Page 70 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 2]
Page 308 < [Hindi-Assamese-English Volume 1]
Satapatha-brahmana (by Julius Eggeling)
Kanda XI, adhyaya 5, brahmana 8 < [Eleventh Kanda]
Kanda IV, adhyaya 5, brahmana 1 < [Fourth Kanda]
Kanda I, adhyaya 7, brahmana 4 < [First Kanda]
Sanskrit Words In Southeast Asian Languages (by Satya Vrat Shastri)
Page 520 < [Sanskrit words in the Southeast Asian Languages]
Page 127 < [Sanskrit words in the Southeast Asian Languages]
Page 108 < [Sanskrit words in the Southeast Asian Languages]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
A review on vishagna karma of tagara (valeriana wallichii dc.) < [2022, Issue 2, February]
Hepatoprotective potential of shirishadi yoga in acetaminophen-induced hepatoxicity – review < [2024, Issue 11. November]
Hepatoprotective potential of shirishadi yoga in acetaminophen-induced hepatoxicity – review < [2024, Issue 11. November]
Journal of Ayurvedic and Herbal Medicine
Long-Standing Herbal Medicinal Traditions from the Prehistoric Harar Town and... < [Volume 6, Issue 3: July–September (2020)]
A Review Article on Toxicity Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma - Through Gara... < [Volume 6, Issue 4: October–December (2020)]
Nasya Karma in Visha Chikitsaa – An emergency drug-delivery system < [Volume 5, Issue 2: April–June (2019)]
Rereading the Hudaybiyya Treaty < [Volume 14, Issue 5 (2023)]
Spirits of Air and Goblins Damned < [Volume 16, Issue 4 (2025)]
Reimagining Ecumenism for the 21st Century—Stăniloae’s... < [Volume 14, Issue 6 (2023)]
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