Kadali, Kadalī: 27 definitions
Introduction:
Kadali means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, Marathi, 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.
Images (photo gallery)
In Hinduism
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Source: archive.org: The mirror of gesture (abhinaya-darpana)One of the Hands indicating Trees.—Kadalī, the Mukula hands interlocked, extended, and the fingers waved;

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).
Ayurveda (science of life)
Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)
Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstraKadalī (कदली):—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.
Dietetics and Culinary Art (such as household cooking)
Source: Shodhganga: Dietetics and culinary art in ancient and medieval IndiaKadali (कदलि) refers to “plantain” 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 dravyaguṇāguṇa section contains the discussions on different food articles and their dietetic effects according to the prominent Ayurvedic treatises. The Kadali foodstuff is mutually incompatible (viruddhāhāra) with the following: takra (curds) and dadhi (buttermilk).
Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)
Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgrahaKadalī (कदली) [or Kadaḷī] refers to the medicinal plant known as “Musa paradisiaca Linn.” and is dealt with in the 15th-century Yogasārasaṅgraha (Yogasara-saṅgraha) by Vāsudeva: an unpublished Keralite work representing an Ayurvedic compendium of medicinal recipes.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 kadalī] 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 ChikitsaKadalī (कदली) or “Banana” 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).—Kāśyapa prescribes various antidotes to quell the poison by administering them through nasal drugs, collyrium, ointment, herbal drinks and diet. According to Kāśyapasaṃhitā (verse VIII.99)—“A paste of Iśvarā [Īśvarī], Kadalī, Nāgī, Candana, Ghanasvinī and Nirguṇḍī also work as effective nasal application and ointment taken either separately or together”.
Note: Īśvarā, Nāgī and Nirguṇḍī belong to the Arkādi and Surasādi Gaṇas respectively while Kadalī and Candana or Candra are sourced from Lodhrādi and Śārivādi Gaṇas, all of them being extensively used for curing poisons and their side effects like thirst, bleeding, phlegm, doubling up as germicides and disinfectants.
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Source: Shodhganga: Drumavichitrikarnam—Plant mutagenesis in ancient IndiaKadalī (कदली) (identified with Musa paradisiaca) is used in various bio-organical recipes for plant mutagenesis, according to the Vṛkṣāyurveda by Sūrapāla (1000 CE): an encyclopedic work dealing with the study of trees and the principles of ancient Indian agriculture.—Accordingly, “Musa paradisiaca [e.g., Kadalī] trees create wonder by producing pomegranate fruits if fed by water mixed with the urine of a hog and Alangium salviifolium. (A word is unintelligible). Ricinus communis tree produced from a seed cultured by the marrow of a boar, treated further by the process in the previous verse, produces Momordica charantia fruits”.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany1) Kadalī (कदली) is a Sanskrit word referring to “Banana”, a hybrid-species of trees from the Musaceae family, native to the tropics of Africa and Asia, and is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Caraka-saṃhitā. The official botanical name of the plant is Musa paradisiaca but is listed as a hybrid between the species Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana. The equivalent name in the Prakrit language is kayalī or kelī, and is Hindi it is known as kelā.
2) Kadalī (कदली) is a Sanskrit word referring to the “marmet”. The meat of this animal is part of the māṃsavarga (‘group of flesh’), which is used throughout Ayurvedic literature. The animal Kadalī 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.
Source: archive.org: Sushruta samhita, Volume IKadalī (कदली)—Sanskrit word for an animal (could be a kind of deer). 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).

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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana IndexKadalī (कदली).—A river sacred to Pitṛs. Once Rāma resided on her banks.*
- * Matsya-purāṇa 22. 52.

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.
Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)
Source: archive.org: Isvara Samhita Vol 5Kadalī (कदली) refers to the “plantain fruits” and is used in oblation offerings, according to verse 25.137-141a of the 8th-century Īśvarasaṃhitā. Accordingly, “... they [eg., kadalī] are already cooked, filling the cooking vessels (sthālī) and dishes (śarāva) are to be kept in all broad frying vessels (ambarīṣa). They are to be placed on vessels (pātra) smeared with (within) ghee (ghṛta), are hot and are to be spread out there. They which are heated and made greasy with powdered peppers, jīraka and ghee are to be stirred again and again with ladle. They are to be kept in vessels covered with clothes etc”.

Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: Brill: Śaivism and the Tantric Traditions (yoga)Kadalī (कदली) is the name of an ancient city, according to the Rājatarala, an 18th-century text dealing with Yoga.—The Rājatarala is a lengthy commentary on the Yogatārāvalī (circa 14th c.) that was composed by Rāmasvāmipaṇḍita, who is described as a worshipper of Śaṅkarācārya’s feet. [...] Also, a verse pays homage to a Dakṣiṇāmūrti in the city of Śrīśaila, near Kadalī, which appears to locate the work in Andhra Pradesh (Mahadevan 2018, 68).
Source: ORA: Amanaska (king of all yogas): A Critical Edition and Annotated Translation by Jason BirchKadalī (कदली) refers to the “plantain tree”, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise dealing with meditation, absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Vāmadeva: “[...] Like a plantain tree (kadalī), the great illusion, whose layers [of leaf sheaths] along with the mind and senses, perishes totally when it has produced the fruit of the no-mind [state]. When the wings, which are the in and out breaths and whose sphere of operation is all the senses, are cut off, the mind-bird being motionless [in the air], plummets. [...]”.

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
General definition (in Hinduism)
Source: Wisdom Library: HinduismKadalī (कदली)—Sanskrit word for a plant “banana tree” (Musa paradisiaca).
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Source: archive.org: Economic Life In Ancient India (as depicted in Jain canonical literature)Kadalī (कदली) refers to the “plantain”: a type of fruit (phala), according to Jain canonical texts (e.g., the Jñātādharmakathāṅga-sūtra from the 3rd century B.C.). It is also known as Kosaṃba. Various kinds of fruits were grown and consumed by the people in ancient India. Fruits were also dried up for preservation. Koṭṭaka was a place for this operation. Besides being grown in orchards, fruits were gathered from jungles and were carried to cities for sales.
The Jain canonical texts frequently mention different horticulture products viz. fruits (e.g., Kadalī fruit), vegetables and flowers which depict that horticulture was a popular pursuit of the people at that time. Gardens and parks (ārāma, ujjāṇa or nijjāṇa) were full of fruits and flowers of various kinds which besides yielding their products provided a calm and quiet place where people could enjoy the natural surroundings.

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.
India history and geography
Source: Shodhganga: Cultural history as g leaned from kathasaritsagaraKadali is the name of a tree mentioned in the Kathasaritsagara by Somadeva (10th century A.D).—Kadali refers to the “Plantain-tree” and an arbour of plantain-trees (kadalikhanda) in a Vidhyadhara garden is mentioned.
Somadeva mentions many rich forests, gardens, various trees (e.g., Kadali), 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 Kadali, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravahanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyadharas (celestial beings).

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 DrugsKadali [कदली] in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Musa x paradisiaca L. from the Musaceae (Banana) family having the following synonyms: Karkandela x malabarica, Musa x champa, Musa x dacca. For the possible medicinal usage of kadali, 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.
Kadali [കദളി] in the Malayalam language is the name of a plant identified with Melastoma malabathricum L. from the Melastomataceae (Melastome) family.
Kadali [கதலி] in the Tamil language is the name of a plant identified with Lagerstroemia speciosa Lagerstroemia speciosa (L.) Pers. from the Lythraceae (Crape Myrtle) family having the following synonyms: Lagerstroemia major, Lagerstroemia munchausia, Lagerstroemia reginae.
Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)1) Kadali in India is the name of a plant defined with Lagerstroemia speciosa in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Lagerstroemia flosreginae Retz. (among others).
2) Kadali is also identified with Strychnos potatorum It has the synonym Strychnos heterodoxa Gilg (etc.).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Journal of Cytology and Genetics (1984)
· Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzenge schichte und Pflanzengeographie (1893)
· Observationes Botanicae (Retzius) (1789)
· Flora of West Pakistan (1975)
· Fl. Mesoamer. (2009)
· Der Hausvater (1770)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Kadali, for example chemical composition, side effects, extract dosage, diet and recipes, health benefits, 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
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarykadali : (f.) the plantain tree; a banner.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary1) Kadalī, 2 (f.) a kind of deer, an antelope only in °miga J. V, 406, 416; VI, 539; DA. I, 87; and °pavara-pacc. ‹-› attharaṇa (nt.) the hide of the k. deer, used as a rug or cover D. I, 7=A. I, 181=Vin. I, 192=II. 163, 169; sim. D. II. 187; (adj.) (of pallaṅka) A. I, 137=III, 50=IV. 394. (Page 185)
2) Kadalī, 1 (f.) (Sk. kadalī) — 1. the plantain, Musa sapientium. Owing to the softness and unsubstantiality of its trunk it is used as a frequent symbol of unsubstantiality, transitoriness and worthlessness. As the plantain or banana plant always dies down after producing fruit, is destroyed as it were by its own fruit, it is used as a simile for a bad man destroyed by the fruit of his own deeds: S. I, 154=Vin. II, 188=S. II, 241=A. II, 73 =DhA. III, 156; cp. Miln. 166;— as an image of unsubstantiality, Cp. III, 24. The tree is used as ornament on great festivals: J. I, 11; VI, 590 (in simile), 592; VvA. 31.—2. a flag, banner, i.e. plantain leaves having the appearance of banners (-dhaja) J. V, 195; VI, 412. In cpds. kadali°.
[Pali to Burmese]
Source: Sutta: Tipiṭaka Pāḷi-Myanmar Dictionary (တိပိဋက-ပါဠိမြန်မာ အဘိဓာန်)kadalī—
(Burmese text): (၁) ငှက်ပျောပင်။ (၂) ငှက်ပျောတုံး။ (၃) တံခွန်၊ အလံ။ (၄) ဝံပိုင့် (တောင်ပေါက်၊ ဓာန်၊ သျ)။ ကျားသစ် (ဓာန်၊သျ)။
(Auto-Translation): (1) Banana tree. (2) Banana bunch. (3) Flag, banner. (4) Eagle (mountain peak, fire, essence). New quarter (essence, essence).

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 Dictionarykadalī (कदली).—f A common name for certain throws with dice.
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kadalī (कदली).—f (S) Plantain or Banana-tree, Musa paradisiaca, sapientum &c.
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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Kadalī (कदली):—[from kadala] a f. the plantain tree, [Bhāvaprakāśa]
2) [v.s. ...] a kind of deer (the hide of which is used as a seat), [Mahābhārata; Suśruta]
3) [v.s. ...] a flag, banner, flag carried by an elephant, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) [from kadala] b f. (See above).
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Kadali (कदलि) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Kayali, Lī, Karali, Karalī.
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 dictionaryKaḍālī (कडाली) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Kaṭālikā.
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 corpusKadali (ಕದಲಿ):—
1) [noun] the plant Musa paradisiaca of Musaceae family.
2) [noun] its fruit; plantain.
3) [noun] the tree Alstonia scholaris of Apocynaceae family.
4) [noun] a flag carried by an elephant.
5) [noun] a kind of deer.
6) [noun] Śiva.
7) [noun] the sky.
8) [noun] an elephant.
9) [noun] darkness.
10) [noun] the central portion of a forest; deep forest.
11) [noun] a seller of medicinal herbs.
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Kadaḷi (ಕದಳಿ):—[noun] a group; a multitude; an assemblage.
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Kadaḷi (ಕದಳಿ):—[noun] = ಕದಲಿ [kadali].
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Kādāḷi (ಕಾದಾಳಿ):—
1) [noun] a man who is inclined to quarrel with another.
2) [noun] a man whose profession is to fight with enemies; a soldier.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Source: unoes: Nepali-English DictionaryKadalī (कदली):—n. Bot. banana; plantain;
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)
Partial matches: Ka, A, I, Dala, Tala.
Starts with (+14): Kadalibatti, Kadalidala, Kadalidu, Kadaligama, Kadaligarbha, Kadalighata, Kadaligriha, Kadalika, Kadalikanda, Kadalikhandha, Kadalikshata, Kadalikusuma, Kadalikusumavataka, Kadalili, Kadalimbe, Kadalimiga, Kadalin, Kadalinivataka, Kadalipaka, Kadalipatra.
Full-text (+130): Kashthakadali, Kadalikshata, Aranyakadali, Suvarnakadali, Pitakadali, Girikadali, Darukadali, Ashmakadali, Vanakadali, Kanakakadali, Kadaligarbha, Kancanakadali, Raktakadali, Mahendrakadali, Kadaliphala, Balakadali, Kadalisukham, Kadalikanni, Kadaliskandha, Katali.
Relevant text
Search found 84 books and stories containing Kadali, Ka-dala-a-i, Ka-dala-a-ī, Kadalī, Kādāḷi, Kadaḷi, Kaḍālī, Kadaḷī; (plurals include: Kadalis, is, īs, Kadalīs, Kādāḷis, Kadaḷis, Kaḍālīs, Kadaḷīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verses 2.21.1-4 < [Chapter 21 - The Rāsa-dance Pastime]
Verses 2.10.11-13 < [Chapter 10 - Description of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s Herding the Cows]
Verse 6.16.5 < [Chapter 16 - Seeing Śrī Rādhā’s Form]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Deviation from convention (Introduction) < [Chapter 6 - Grammatical Aspects]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Effect of kadali kshara sutra in the management of bhagandara (fistula-in-ano) < [2013, Issue 5 Sep-Oct]
A CRITICAL EVALUATION OF KADALI KANDA (Musa paradisiaca Linn.Rhizome) CHURNA AND KWATHA IN AMLAPITTA < [2021, Issue 2, February]
Study on the effect of kadali pratisaraniya tikshna kshar on 30 patients of verruca vulgaris < [2022, Issue 07 July]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 1.15.113 < [Chapter 15 - Marriage with Śrī Viṣṇupriyā]
Verse 1.15.74 < [Chapter 15 - Marriage with Śrī Viṣṇupriyā]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Comparative study of kadali kshara (mridu) from three methods. < [2024: Volume 13, February issue 3]
A critical review on parpati kalpana < [2017: Volume 6, August issue 8]
Concept of the parpati kalpana < [2020: Volume 9, November issue 14]
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