Musta, Mushta, Mustā, Muṣṭa: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Musta means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, 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.
The Sanskrit term Muṣṭa can be transliterated into English as Musta or Mushta, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
Alternative spellings of this word include Musht.
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Cikitsa (natural therapy and treatment for medical conditions)
Mustā (मुस्ता) is a Sanskrit word referring to “Nut grass”, a species of grass from the Cyperaceae (sedge) family of flowering plants. It is also known as Mustakā. It is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Caraka-saṃhitā and the Suśruta-saṃhitā. The official botanical name of this plant is Cyperus rotundus. It is a perennial glabrous herb with long slender stolons. It grows all over India with altitudes up to 1800 meter. Its leaves are narrow, linear, flat and has spikes.
This plant (Mustā) is also mentioned as a medicine used for the treatment of all major fevers, as described in the Jvaracikitsā (or “the treatment of fever”) which forms the first chapter of the Sanskrit work called Mādhavacikitsā. In this work, the plant is also known as Ghana, Ambodhara, Abda or Payodhara. In this work, the plant is mentioned being part of the Kirātatiktādigaṇa group of medicinal drugs.
Mustā (मुस्ता) refers to the medicinal plant Cyperus rotundus L., and is used in the treatment of atisāra (diarrhoea), according to the 7th century Mādhavacikitsā chapter 2. Atisāra refers to a condition where there are three or more loose or liquid stools (bowel movements) per day or more stool than normal. The second chapter of the Mādhavacikitsā explains several preparations [including Mustā] through 60 Sanskrit verses about treating this problem.
Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)
Mustā (मुस्ता) refers to a medicinal plant known as Cyperus rotundus Linn., and is mentioned in the 10th century Yogaśataka written by Pandita Vararuci.—The Yogaśataka of Pandita Vararuci is an example of this category. This book attracts reader by its very easy language and formulations which can be easily prepared and have small number of herbs (viz., Mustā). It describes only those formulations which are the most common and can be used in majority conditions of diseases.
Mustā (मुस्ता) refers to the medicinal plant known as Cyperus rotundus, Rz., and is used in the Ayurvedic formulation known as Cyavanaprāśa: an Ayurvedic health product that helps in boosting immunity.—Cyavanaprāśa has been found to be effective as an immunity booster, vitalizer and a preventer of day to day infections and allergies such as common cold and cough etc. It is a classical Ayurvedic formulation comprising ingredients such as Mustā. [...] Cyavanaprāśa can be consumed in all seasons as it contains weather friendly ingredients which nullify unpleasant effects due to extreme environmental and climatic conditions.
Mustā (मुस्ता) refers to the medicinal plant known as “Cyperus rotundus 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 mustā] 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)
Mustā (मुस्ता) is the name of an ingredient used in the treatment (cikitsā) of rat poison (ākhu-viṣa), according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā, which represents the Ayurvedic study on Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—Kāśyapa has recommended a slew of generic formulae that successfully neutralise rat poison.—According to Kāśyapasaṃhitā (verse 11.46cd-47): “Mustā, dipped in honey or ghee, also extirpates rat poison. Unhusked, powdered sesame dipped in salt-water must be eaten with ginger and jaggery”.
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Mustā (मुस्ता) (identified with Cyperus rotundus) is used in various bio-organical recipes for plant mutagenesis such as manipulating the scent of flowers, 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, “All types of flowering plants produce excellent fragrance if earth strongly scented by their own flowers is filled around the base (of the trees) and then fed with water mixed with Cyperus rotundus [e.g., Mustā], Erythrina stricta, and Valeriana wallichii leaves. The same treatment used in the evening at their blossoming time along with fat, milk, blood and water extract of Saussurea lappa intensifies the natural fragrance of the blossoms of Calophyllum inophyllum, Mesua ferrea, Mimusops elengi, etc.”.
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.
Shyanika-shastra (the science of Hawking and Hunting)
Mustā (मुस्ता) refers to “Cyperus rotundus” (used in the treatment of Hawks), according to the Śyainika-śāstra: a Sanskrit treatise dealing with the divisions and benefits of Hunting and Hawking, written by Rājā Rudradeva (or Candradeva) in possibly the 13th century.—Accordingly, [while discussing the treatment of hawks]: “If a white spot forms on the eyes owing to heat, smoke or some kind of hurt, [...] Or a pill made of the following drugs in equal quantities, soaked in goat’s urine and dried in the shade, may be given ; turmeric, leaves of nīm/neem, pepper, yellow myrobalan, long pepper, Cyperus rotundus [e.g., mustā], and viḍaṅga. It should be administered with honey and goat’s milk in the case of the red kind of birds. This pill destroys the spot, as if the pill had been made by Rudra”.
Shyanika-shastra (श्यैनिकशास्त्र, śyainikaśāstra) deals with ancient Indian skill of hawking/falconry (one of the ways of hunting) which were laid down in a systematic manner in various Sanskrit treatises. It also explains the philosophy behind how the pleasures derived from sense-experience could lead the way to liberation.
Biology (plants and animals)
Musta in India is the name of a plant defined with Kyllinga nemoralis in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Cyperus kyllingia Endl. (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Taxon (1981)
· Cytologia (1976)
· Descriptionum et Iconum Rariores (1773)
· Species Plantarum (1753)
· Das Pflanzenreich (1936)
· Catalogus horti academici vindobonensis (1842)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Musta, for example chemical composition, extract dosage, pregnancy safety, diet and recipes, health benefits, side effects, 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
mustā (मुस्ता).—f S A fragrant grass, Cyperus rotundus.
--- OR ---
mustā (मुस्ता).—m An instrument for combing cotton.
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
Muṣṭa (मुष्ट).—p. p.
1) Stolen; मुष्टं प्रतिग्राहयता स्वमर्थम् (muṣṭaṃ pratigrāhayatā svamartham) Ś.5.2.
2) Enticed, attracted; Bhāgavata 8.12.22. See मुष् (muṣ) (5).
-ṣṭam Stolen property.
--- OR ---
Musta (मुस्त) or Mustā (मुस्ता).—A kind of grass; विस्रब्धं क्रियतां वराहततिभिर्मुस्ताक्षतिः पल्वले (visrabdhaṃ kriyatāṃ varāhatatibhirmustākṣatiḥ palvale) Ś.2.6; R.9.59;15.19.
Derivable forms: mustaḥ (मुस्तः), mustam (मुस्तम्).
Muṣṭa (मुष्ट).—n.
(-ṣṭaṃ) Theft, robbery. E. muṣ to steal, aff. kta, form irr.
--- OR ---
Musta (मुस्त).—mf.
(-staḥ-stā) A sort of grass, (Cyperus rotundus.) E. musta to accumulate, aff. ac “muthā .”
Musta (मुस्त).—m., and f. tā, A fragrant grass, Cyperus rotundus, [Śākuntala, (ed. Böhtlingk.)] [distich] 39 (tā).
Musta (मुस्त).—[masculine] [neuter], ā [feminine] a kind of grass.
1) Muṣṭa (मुष्ट):—[from muṣ] mfn. stolen, robbed etc. (a rarer form for muṣita), [Kāvya literature; Pañcatantra]
2) [v.s. ...] n. theft, robbery, [Horace H. Wilson]
3) Musta (मुस्त):—[from must] mfn. a species of grass, Cyperue Rotundus, [Kāvya literature; Varāha-mihira; Suśruta] (n. [probably] the root of C° R°)
1) Muṣṭa (मुष्ट):—(ṣṭaṃ) 1. n. Theft.
2) Musta (मुस्त):—[(staḥ-stā)] 1. m. f. A sort of grass.
Musta (मुस्त):—m. n. [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa.3,5,12.] [Siddhāntakaumudī 251,a,15.] Cyperus rotundus Lin., m. [Hārāvalī 183.] f. ā = mustaka [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 5, 25.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1193.] [Ratnamālā 95.] [Suśruta 1, 163, 2. 165, 15. 2, 40, 12. 114, 3. 326, 2. 375, 6. 416, 19.] [Raghuvaṃśa 9, 59. 15, 19.] [Śākuntala 39.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 77, 9. 23. 29.] n. [Suśruta 2, 220, 10.] unbestimmt ob m. oder n. [1, 157, 11. 2, 285, 20. 415, 9.] [Amarakoṣa 3, 4, 25, 190.] ob m. oder f. [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 77, 11.] ob m. f. oder n. [54, 121.] Das n. wird wohl die Wurzel des Grases bezeichnen. — Vgl. kaivarta, kṣudra, nagara, nāgara, piṇḍa, bhadra .
Musta (मुस्त):—m. f. ā [Varāhamihira’s Yogayātrā 7,6.]) n. Cyperus rotundus [Rājan 6,140.] [Bhāvaprakāśa 1,191.]
Muṣṭa (मुष्ट) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Muṭṭha, Muttha.
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
Muśta (मुश्त) [Also spelled musht]:—(nm) a fist; ~[eka] in a lump sum; in one lot.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Muṣṭa (ಮುಷ್ಟ):—[adjective] that is stolen.
--- OR ---
Muṣṭa (ಮುಷ್ಟ):—
1) [noun] that which is stolen; a stolen goods.
2) [noun] the act or an instance of stealing; larceny; theft.
--- OR ---
Muṣṭa (ಮುಷ್ಟ):—[noun] magic used for evil purposes; witchcraft; sorcery; black magic.
--- OR ---
Musta (ಮುಸ್ತ):—[noun] the sedge plant Cyperus rotundus ( = C. hexastachyus) of Cyperaceae family.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Starts with (+11): Moustache, Mushtadrishti, Mushtamushti, Mustabha, Mustabhacurana, Mustada, Mustadi, Mustadilauha, Mustagiri, Mustai, Mustaid, Mustaida, Mustaide, Mustaidi, Mustaidu, Mustajar, Mustajiri, Mustaka, Mustakabila, Mustakadi.
Full-text (+90): Mustada, Pindamusta, Bhadramusta, Nagaramusta, Mushtamushti, Katakshamushta, Kshudramusta, Kaivartamusta, Mustadi, Mustaka, Pitamusta, Mustagiri, Mushtadrishti, Caturbhadra, Kaivarttamusta, Jalada, Mustakriti, Svadumusta, Mustabha, Nagamusta.
Relevant text
Search found 62 books and stories containing Musta, Mushta, Mustā, Muśta, Muṣṭa; (plurals include: Mustas, Mushtas, Mustās, Muśtas, Muṣṭas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Review of cyprus rotundus linn (musta) < [2023, Issue 10. October]
Ayurvedic management of diabetes mellitus - a single case study < [2020, Issue 8, August]
Management of type 2 diabetes through ayurveda: a case study < [2019, Issue 9, September]
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 124 - Creation of Mukhāra Tīrtha < [Section 1 - Tīrtha-māhātmya]
Chapter 8 - The Greatness of Tulasī < [Section 5 - Mārgaśīrṣa-māhātmya]
Chapter 3 - The Hermitage of Agastya < [Section 1 - Pūrvārdha]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Case study – relation between majja dhatu and constipation < [2023: Volume 12, April issue 5]
Prameha – a penalty for faulty pattern of life < [2023: Volume 12, February issue 3]
Management of dadru kushtha < [2020: Volume 9, April issue 4]
Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita (by Laxmi Maji)
4b. Leprosy (Kuṣṭha) in the Caraka-saṃhitā < [Chapter 5 - Diseases and Remedies in Atharvaveda and Caraka-Saṃhitā]
Classification of Drugs in the Caraka-Saṃhitā < [Chapter 4 - Diseases and Remedial measures (described in Caraka-saṃhitā)]
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences
Agraya Dravyas: The Foremost Medicinal Substances in Ayurvedic Science < [Vol. 10 No. 4 (2025)]
Concept of Vasantha Ritucharya - An Overview < [Vol. 5 No. 02 (2020)]
Critical review of efficacy of Pushyanug Churna in Raktapradara < [Vol. 9 No. 6 (2024)]
Yogaśataka of Pandita Vararuci < [Volume 36 (issue 2), Oct-Dec 2016]
Ethno-medicinal studies of Badaga in Nilgiri, Tamil Nadu < [Volume 27 (issue 3), Jan-Mar 2008]
Garbhini Paricharya (Regimen for the pregnant woman) < [Volume 28 (issue 1), Jul-Sep 2008]