Godha, Godhā, Goḍha: 25 definitions

Introduction:

Godha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Jainism, Prakrit. 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

Ayurveda (science of life)

Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)

Source: Shodhganga: Dietetics and culinary art in ancient and medieval India

Godhā (गोधा) refers to the “iguana”, whose meat (māṃsa) is classified as “terrestrial” (bhūcara) according to the 17th century Bhojanakutūhala (dravyaguṇāguṇa-kathana), and is commonly found in literature dealing with the topics of dietetics and culinary art, also known as Pākaśāstra or Pākakalā.—The text [māṃsa-prakaraṇa] says the three fold division of meat [such as terrestrial (bhūcara)...]. Here different types of meat and their properties are discussed in detail. The terrestrial animals are [viz., godhā (iguana)]. [...] The meats of [viz., godhā (iguana)] cooked in the fire of castor plant or in castor oil will instantaneously lead to death.

Godhā is mentioned in a list of potential causes for indigestion.—A complete section in Bhojanakutūhala is devoted for the description of agents that cause indigestion [viz., meat of godhā]. These agents consumed on a large scale can cause indigestion for certain people. The remedies [viz., citrataila (castor-oil)] for these types of indigestions are also explained therewith.

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa

Godhā (गोधा) refers to an “iguana”, (the bile of which is) used in the treatment (cikitsā) of immobile or plant poison (sthāvaraviṣa), 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).—Sage Kāśyapa recommends potent drugs to treat sthāvara or plant-poison. According to the Kāśyapasaṃhitā (8.29-30), “The bile of pigeon, monkey, cat, iguana (godhā), mongoose, boar, and peacock, mixed with honey and stored in cow’s horn can effectively cure snake and plant poisons when used as nasal application,ointment, and so on”.

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

Godhā (गोधा) is a Sanskrit word referring to the animal “iguana”. The meat of this animal is part of the māṃsavarga (‘group of flesh’), which is used throughout Ayurvedic literature. The animal Godhā is part of the sub-group named Bhūmiśaya, refering to animals “who sleep in burrows in earth”. It was classified by Caraka in his Carakasaṃhitā sūtrasthāna (chapter 27), a classical Ayurvedic work. Caraka defined such groups (vargas) based on the dietic properties of the substance.

The meat of the iquana (godhā) is madhura in Vipāka. It is kaṣāya and kaṭu in Rasa. It alleviates vāta and pitta and is also bulk-promoting and tonic.

Source: archive.org: Sushruta samhita, Volume I

Godhā (गोधा)—Sanskrit word for an animal corresponding to “varan lizard”. This animal is from the group called Bileśaya (‘hole-dwellers’ or ‘those which have a burrow’). Bileśaya itself is a sub-group of the group of animals known as Jāṅghala (living in high ground and in a jungle).

The flesh of the Godhā is sweet of digestion and has a pungent, astringent taste. It is tonic and constructive and pacifies the Vāyu and Pittam.

Ayurveda book cover
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.

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

Godha (गोध).—A village in the north-east part of ancient India. (Śloka 42, Chapter 9, Bhīṣma Parva).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Godha (गोध).—(c)—a kingdom of Madhyadeśa.*

  • * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 16. 42.
Purana book cover
context information

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.

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Dharmashastra (religious law)

Source: Prācyā: Animals and animal products as reflected in Smṛti texts

Godhā (गोधा) refers to a “iguana”.—The Manusmṛti [XII.64] states that one who steals a cow is reborn as an iguana (Godhā).

Dharmashastra book cover
context information

Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.

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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

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

Godhā (गोधा) refers to one of the various Sea-animals (makara) associated with Makarahasta: one of the thirteen Saṃyuktahastas or “combined hand gestures” (in Indian Dramas), 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.—The hasta-mudrās (lit. “hand-gestures”) are very essential to denote some particular action or state in dancing and these mudrās are formed with the help of hands and fingers.—According to the Śabdakalpadruma, makara means sea-animals [e.g., Godhā, etc.]. According to the Viṣṇudharmottarapurāṇa, in makara posture both of the hands in patāka posture are placed one over the other and both should be facing downward. This posture is used in the acting of lion, tiger and deer.

Natyashastra book cover
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).

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Nirukta (Sanskrit etymology)

Source: Google Books: Linguistics, Archaeology and the Human Past

Godhā (गोधा) (or Godhikā) refers to a “monitor lizard”, “gecko” or “crocodile”.—Sanskrit gōdhā- f. and its cognates are sometimes used for 'crocodile' in modern Indian languages. Primarily, however, the word means 'lizard'. Lüders comes to the conclusion that
most occurences describe the monitor lizard (Varanus monitor = Varanus bengalensis), often mistakenly called 'iguana' or 'leguan'. When gōdhā- or gōdhikā appears as an aquatic animal (cf. Amarakoṣa 1,10,22), Lüders (1942: 33-34) suggests that it refers to the water monitor (Varanus salvator), which in the past may have been more widely found across the Indian subcontinent than today. [...] Lüders (1942: 43-50) argues at length that godhā should be parsed as go-dhā- (with the meaning 'cow-sucker'). He takes the word to be of Indo-European origin, approving of Fick's etymology that links it to Latin būfō 'toad'.

context information

Nirukta (निरुक्त) or “etymology” refers to the linguistic analysis of the Sanskrit language. This branch studies the interpretation of common and ancient words and explains them in their proper context. Nirukta is one of the six additional sciences (vedanga) to be studied along with the Vedas.

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India history and geography

Source: Wisdom Library: India History

Godha (or, Goḍha) refers to one of the 84 castes (gaccha) in the Jain community according to Mr. P. D. Jain. The Jain caste and sub-caste system was a comparatively later development within their community, and it may have arisen from the ancient classification of Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra. Before distinction of these classes (such as Godha), the society was not divided into distinct separate sections, but all were considered as different ways of life and utmost importance was attached to individual chartacter and mode of behaviour.

According to Dr. Vilas Adinath Sangava, “Jainism does not recognise castes (viz., Godha) as such and at the same time the Jaina books do not specifically obstruct the observance of caste rules by the members of the Jaina community. The attitude of Jainism towards caste is that it is one of the social practices, unconnected with religion, observed by people; and it was none of its business to regulate the working of the caste system” (source).

The legendary account of the origin of these 84 Jain castes (e.g., Godha) relate that once a rich Jain invited members of the Jain community in order to establish a vaiśya-mahāsabhā (i.e. Central Association of Traders). In response, 84 representatives came from different places, and they were later seen as the progenitors of these castes. Various sources however mention differences in the list.

India history book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

godhā : (f.) iguana; a large kind of lizard.

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

1) Godhā, 2 (f.) string of a lute J.VI, 580 (cp. RV. 8, 58, 9). (Page 255)

2) Godhā, 1 (f.) (Sk. godhā) iguana, a large kind of lizard Vin.I, 215—16 (°mukha); D.I, 9≈(°lakkhaṇa, cp. DA.I, 94); J.II, 118; III, 52; 538; DhA.III, 420. As godha (m.) at J.V, 489. Dimin. golikā at J.II, 147. (Page 255)

Pali book cover
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.

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Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

gōdhā (गोधा).—f S An iguana.

--- OR ---

gōdhā (गोधा).—f S gōdhāṅgulī f (Poetry.) A bow-stringfence worn by archers on the left arm.

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Godhā (गोधा).—[gudhyate, veṣṭyate bāhuranayā karaṇe ghaña]

1) A leathern fence fastened round the left arm to prevent injury from the bow-string; गोधाश्लिष्टभुजाशाखैरभूद्भीमा रणाटवी (godhāśliṣṭabhujāśākhairabhūdbhīmā raṇāṭavī) Śi. 19.39.

2) The alligator (Mar. susara); गोधाधरान् कीलधरान् वलीमुखशिलीमुखान् (godhādharān kīladharān valīmukhaśilīmukhān) Parnāl 3.25; त्रिभागागोधामुखं गोपुरं कारयेत् (tribhāgāgodhāmukhaṃ gopuraṃ kārayet) Kau. A.2.3.

3) A sinew; गोधा तस्मा अयथं कर्षदेतत् (godhā tasmā ayathaṃ karṣadetat) Ṛgveda 1.28.1-11.

4) A chord; गोधा परि सनिष्वणत् (godhā pari saniṣvaṇat) Ṛgveda 8.69.9.

5) An iguana (Mar. ghorapaḍa).

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

Godha (गोध).—greed, attachment (compare Pali gedha, and [Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit] paligodha, q.v.); must apparently be read for bodha in Kāśyapa Parivarta 111.6 (verse) ākāśa-bodhe imi dve pratiṣṭhite, tau bodhisattvena vivarjanīyau; prose above, line 1, ākāśa- paligodhau, Tibetan (nam mkhaḥ la = ākāśa) yoṅs su (= pari) chags pa (= greed), while in 6 Tibetan (nam mkhaḥ la ni) chags pa. It seems that ākāśa-godhe is intended. But see s.v. 2 bodha. Lin Li-Kouang. Aide-Mémoire 169 n. 6, cites wrongly pali-bodhe.

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

Godhā (गोधा).—f.

(-dhā) 1. A leathern fence worn by archers on the left arm, to prevent its being injured by the bowstring. 2. An iguana, either the Gosap or the alligator. E. gudh to surround, affixes ghañ and ṭāp; see godhika. gudhyate veṣṭyate bāhuranayā karaṇe ghañ .

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

Godhā (गोधा).—f. 1. A leathern guard worn by archers on the left arm to prevent its being injured by the bowstring, [Rāmāyaṇa] 2, 100, 22. 2. A kind of lizard, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 5, 18.

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

Godha (गोध).—[masculine] [plural] [Name] of a people. [feminine] godhā bowstring, sinew, arm-leather (cf. angulitra); a kind of lizard.

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

1) Godhā (गोधा):—[=go-dhā] [from go] a See sub voce

2) Godha (गोध):—m. [plural] Name of a people, [Mahābhārata vi, 9, 42] (sodha, C).

3) Godhā (गोधा):—b f. ([gana] bhidādi) a sinew (cf. go), [Ṛg-veda x, 28, 10 and 11; Atharva-veda iv, 3, 6]

4) a chord, [Ṛg-veda viii, 69, 9]

5) a leathern fence wound round the left arm to prevent injury from a bow-string, [Mahābhārata iii, iv, vii; Rāmāyaṇa i, ii]

6) an Iguana (either the Gosamp or the alligator, commonly gosāpa), [Vājasaneyi-saṃhitā xxiv, 35; Bṛhad-devatā; Manu-smṛti] etc.

7) = -vatī, [Demetrius Galanos’s Lexiko: sanskritikes, anglikes, hellenikes]

8) Name of the authoress of a Sāman.

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

Godhā (गोधा):—(dhā) 1. f. A leathern fence worn by archer’s on the left arm; an iguana, or alligator.

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

Godha (गोध) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Godha, Godhā.

[Sanskrit to German]

Godha 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.

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Prakrit-English dictionary

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

1) Godha (गोध) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Godha.

2) Godhā (गोधा) also relates to the Sanskrit word: Godhā.

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.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Gōdha (ಗೋಧ):—

1) [noun] a harmless, moderate-sized, tropical lizard, Iguana tuberculata of Iguanidae family, having a row of spines from neck to tail, which is known for its grip and used in scaling forts, and which feeds on insects or vegetation; the common iguana.

2) [noun] a leather guard fastened round the left arm to prevent injury from the bow-string.

3) [noun] any of the inelastic cords of tough, fibrous connective tissue in which muscle fibres end and by which muscles are attached to bones or other parts; a sinew; a tendon.

context information

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

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