Kumbhaphala, Kumbhaphalā, Kumbha-phala: 5 definitions
Introduction:
Kumbhaphala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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
Ayurveda (science of life)
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Kumbhaphala (कुम्भफल) refers to a classification of the Phala (“fruit”) part of plants, representing a technical term related to the morphology branch of “plant science”, which ultimately involves the study of life history of plants, including its origin and development, their external and internal structures and the relation of the members of the plant body with one another.—This branch of Botany is divided into “external morphology” and “internal morphology” or “histology”. Vṛkṣāyurveda of Parāśara has given detailed information on plant morphology. The vṛkṣāṅga-sūtrīya-adhyāya, i.e., the chapter of the bījotpatti-kāṇḍa of Parāśara’s Vṛkṣāyurveda deals with various parts of plants. [...] Fruits (phala) are distinguished by names also. It is known as kumbhaphala when the fruit is shaped like a pitcher.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Kumbhaphalā (कुम्भफला) is another name (synonym) for Kūṣmāṇḍa, which is a Sanskrit name for the plant Benincasa hispida (ash gourd). This synonym was identified by Narahari in his 13th-century Rājanighaṇṭu (verse 7.160), which is an Ayurvedic medicinal thesaurus. Certain plant parts of Kūṣmāṇḍa are eaten as a vegetable (śāka), and it is therefore part of the Śākavarga group of medicinal plants, referring to the “group of vegetables/pot-herbs”.
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Kumbhaphala in India is the name of a plant defined with Benincasa hispida in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Benincasa cerifera Savi (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2005)
· Nova Acta Regiae Soc. Sci. Upsal. (1783)
· Systema Vegetabilium, ed. 14 (1784)
· Monographiae Phanerogamarum (1881)
· Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2001)
· Memoria sopra una pianta cucurbitacea. (1818)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Kumbhaphala, for example pregnancy safety, chemical composition, side effects, health benefits, extract dosage, diet and recipes, 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
Sanskrit dictionary
Kumbhaphalā (कुम्भफला):—[=kumbha-phalā] [from kumbha] f. the plant Cucurbita Pepo, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Kumbhaphalā (कुम्भफला):—f. Cucurbita Pepo [Rājan 7,158.]
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.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Relevant text
Search found 2 books and stories containing Kumbhaphala, Kumbhaphalā, Kumbha-phala, Kumbha-phalā; (plurals include: Kumbhaphalas, Kumbhaphalās, phalas, phalās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Kushmanda (benincasa hispida) < [2020: Volume 9, December issue 15]
Study drug kushmand from different ayurvedic and modern texts < [2017: Volume 6, March issue 3]
A literature review of kushmanda (benincasa hispida) in ayurvedic classics < [2020: Volume 9, October issue 12]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Conceptual study of kushmanda ghrita nasya as a memory booster < [2017, Issue X, october,]