Nakha, Na-kha: 32 definitions
Introduction:
Nakha means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi. 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
Ayurveda (science of life)
Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)
Nakha (नख) or “nails” refers to one of the thirteen sources of Jaṅgama (mobile) poison, as described in 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).—Kaśyapa states in the fourth Adhyāya that Śiva taught him that poisons are of five kinds viz. immobile, mobile, artificial, caused by planets and (arising out of) doubt. The sources of these five kinds of viṣa, Kaśyapasaṃhitā deals mainly with the sthāvara (immobile), jaṅgama (mobile) poison according to Kaśyapa are thirteen in number [viz., nail (nakha)].
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
1) Nakha (नख) refers to the “nails” (of elephant-feet), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 2, “on favorable marks”]: “3. (Good is) an elephant whose feet are distinguished by nails (nakha) numbering twenty [viṃśatyā nakhasaṅkhyayāñcitapadaḥ], the elevation of whose temporal bosses is great, whose two ears are red and their edges not frayed, whose girth is very smooth, whose tusks are honey colored and the right one higher, whose belly is well filled out, whose tail and trunk are regularly stout, straight, long, and handsome, who is swarthy like betel nuts”.
2) Nakha (नख) is identified with Unguis odoratus, which is used in a recipe for the subjugation elephants.—[Cf. chapter 10, “on the catching of elephants”]: “10. He shall apply (to the cows) a subjugating ointment made of [including for example, Nakha—Unguis odoratus, ...] and similar things; with Celosia cristata, māleya (cardamoms?), collyrium, nāgapuṣpa (name of various plants), and honey.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
1) Nakha (नख):—Nails.
2) Nail
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.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Nakha (नख) refers to “nails”, according to the Manthānabhairavatantra, a vast sprawling work that belongs to a corpus of Tantric texts concerned with the worship of the goddess Kubjikā.—Accordingly, while describing the signs of one who is a Siddha: “His heart is uplifted and his nose and the rest (of his face) is well balanced. The sign of one who is well accomplished is that he is well behaved and he produces abundance. His foot is upraised and his thighs are broad, the forehead is well balanced. He is accomplished from a previous life and is Bhairava. His navel has three creases. His penis is small and auspicious. His body is straight and well proportioned. Such a one is accomplished from a previous life in the western (tradition). His nails [i.e., nakha] are well proportioned and red. His hands bear the marks of elevation and his eyes are red. Such is an accomplished one in the previous lineage. His face is like a lotus and his hair is (tied up in a knot in the) foreign style. One who is such and is equal in pleasure and pain is part of the Siddha lineage”.
Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Nakha (नख) refers to the “nails”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 2), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “We shall now proceed to give a brief description of (the qualifications of) a jyotiṣaka. He must be of noble birth and of agreeable appearance; meek, truthful and without jealousy; of proportional limbs; of joints well built and of good growth; have no physical defects; be of fine hands, feet, nails [i.e., nakha], eyes, chin, teeth, ears, forehead, eye-brows and head; of fine physique and of high, sonorous voice”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)
Nakha (नख) represents the number 20 (twenty) in the “word-numeral system” (bhūtasaṃkhyā), which was used in Sanskrit texts dealing with astronomy, mathematics, metrics, as well as in the dates of inscriptions and manuscripts in ancient Indian literature.—A system of expressing numbers by means of words arranged as in the place-value notation was developed and perfected in India in the early centuries of the Christian era. In this system the numerals [e.g., 20—nakha] are expressed by names of things, beings or concepts, which, naturally or in accordance with the teaching of the Śāstras, connote numbers.
Ganita (गणित) or Ganitashastra refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Nakha (नख) refers to “talons”, according to the Netratantra of Kṣemarāja: a Śaiva text from the 9th century in which Śiva (Bhairava) teaches Pārvatī topics such as metaphysics, cosmology, and soteriology.—Accordingly, [verse 10.7cd-17ab, while describing the worship of Bhairavī and Bhairava]—“[Bhairavī] has the appearance of vermillion or lac. [She has] erect hair, a large body and is dreadful and very terrifying. [She has the medicinal plant] śatavārī, is five-faced, and adorned with three eyes. [Her hands bear] curved talons (nakha-arālā) curved [She has] eyes like the hollow of a tree and wears a garland of severed heads. [Ten-]armed, like Bhairava [she also] bears Bhairava’s weapons [of an axe and hatched]. [...]”.
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Nakha (नख) refers to the “toenails”, according to the Amanaska Yoga treatise dealing with meditation, absorption, yogic powers and liberation.—Accordingly, as Īśvara says to Vāmadeva: “[...] [The yogin] whose whole body is held relaxed, [even] up to the tip of his toenails (nakha-agra) and the tuft of hair on the crown of his head, is free from all thoughts and movement, both externally and internally. [...]”.
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).
Kama-shastra (the science of Love-making)
Nakha (नख) refers to “marking with the nails” (one’s sexual partner), according to the Kāmasūtra: a Sanskrit text dealing with eroticism, sexuality and emotional fulfillment in life; being written by Mallanāga Vātsyāyana in the 2nd century A.D. it belongs to the Kāmaśāstra branch of literature which deals with the ancient Indian science of love-making.—Topics of Book II (on sexual union) include: On Pressing or Marking with the Nails (nakha) [nakharadanajātayaḥ].
Kamashastra (कामशास्त्र, kāmaśāstra) deals with ancient Indian science of love-making, passion, emotions and other related topics dealing with the pleasures of the senses.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Nakha (नख) denotes either the ‘nail’ of a man, or the ‘claw’ of a wild beast, such as a tiger. The trimming (nikṛntana) of the nails was a regular part of the toilet of the Vedic Indian, especially on occasions of special sanctity, when it accompanied the cleansing of the teeth.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Nakha (नख, “nails”) refers to one of the thirty-substances of the human body according to the Visuddhimagga, as mentioned in an appendix of the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 32-34. The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra mentions thirty-six substances [viz., nakha]; the Sanskrit sources of both the Lesser and the Greater Vehicles, physical substances are 26 in number while the Pāli suttas list thirty-once substances.
Nakha (नख) refers to “Unguis odoratus” (suitable for an offering ritual), according to the Vajratuṇḍasamayakalparāja, an ancient Buddhist ritual manual on agriculture from the 5th-century (or earlier), containing various instructions for the Sangha to provide agriculture-related services to laypeople including rain-making, weather control and crop protection.—Accordingly, [as the Bhagavān teaches the offering of the root spell], “[...] A bell (ghaṇṭā) should be fixed at the top of the jars. Nalada, sarja-resin, olibanum, nakha, nāgapuṣpa and white mustard should be joined with candied sugar. These should be enchanted with the mantra 108 times. Incense should be offered by that. This incense should be used everywhere. [...]”.
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)
Nakha (नख) or “teeth” is associated with Pracaṇḍā and Khaṇḍakapāla, according to the Cakrasaṃvara-maṇḍala or Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—The Cakrasaṃvara mandala has a total of sixty-two deities. [...] Three concentric circles going outward, the body, speech and mind wheels (kāya-vāka-citta), in the order: mind (blue), speech (red), and body (white), with eight Ḍākinīs each in non-dual union with their Ḍākas, "male consorts".
Associated elements of Pracaṇḍā and Khaṇḍakapāla:
Circle: kāyacakra (mind-wheel) (blue);
Ḍākinī (female consort): Pracaṇḍā;
Ḍāka (male consort): Khaṇḍakapāla;
Bīja: puṃ;
Body-part: head;
Pīṭha: Pullīramalaya;
Bodily constituent: nakha-danta (teeth/nails);
Bodhipakṣa (wings of enlightenment): chanda-ṛddhipāda (power of desire).
Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.
India history and geography
Nakha.—(IE 7-1-2), ‘twenty’. Note: nakha is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.
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.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
nakha : (m.; nt.) nail (of finger or toe); a claw.
Nakha, (Ved. nakha, cp. Sk. aṅghri foot; Gr. o)/nuc (claw, nail), Lat. unguis=Oir. inga; Ohg. nagal=E. nail) a nail of finger or toe, a claw Vin. II, 133; Sn. 610 (na aṅgulīhi nakhehi vā); J. V, 489 (pañcanakhā sattā five-nailed or —toed beings); Kh II. =Miln. 26, cp. taca (pañcatacakaṃ); KhA 43; VvA. 7 (dasa-nakhasamodhāna putting the 10 fingers together); PvA. 152, 192; Sdhp. 104. (Page 345)
[Pali to Burmese]
nakha—
(Burmese text): (၁) ခြေသည်း,လက်သည်း။ (၂) ခြေသည်း,လက်သည်းအကြား။
(Auto-Translation): (1) Toe, fingernail. (2) Between the toe and fingernail.
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
nakha (नख).—n m (S) A nail of a finger or toe. Pr. jēthēṃ nakhānēṃ kāma hōtēṃ tēthēṃ kuṛhāḍa kaśālā Why use a sledge-hammer to drive in a tack? 2 A claw or talon (of birds or beasts). 3 n A fragrant drug, Unguis odoratus or Black Byzantino. 4 A scale (as of the khavalyā mārjara or Pangolin). 5 (For nakha- vikha) Poison of the nails. v bādha, lāga, dhāva. āpalīñca nakhēṃ āpaṇāsa vikhēṃ Expresses suffering from one's own malice or evil. Ps. xxxiv. 21. jēthēṃ nakha nakō tēthēṃ kuṛhāḍa lāvaṇēṃ See the proverb at the head. To apply hard measures where the very slightest severity is unnecessary. nakha dṛṣṭīsa na paḍaṇēṃ To be utterly covered or concealed. nakha nakha bōlaṇēṃ To speak loftily or floutingly, with a hoity toity air and toss. nakhabhara A very small bit or quantity, a nailful. nakha śiraṇēṃ g. of s. To obtain entrance; to get a finger in. nakhā ēvaḍhā Very small, little, scanty, petty, insignificant--a thing, a business, a debt, fault, person. nakhāṃ bōṭāṃ- vara-kāma karaṇēṃ To do or act generally with delicate or dainty airs;--khēḷaviṇēṃ or cāḷaviṇēṃ To amuse, beguile, bamboozle; to wind over one's thumb;--cālaṇēṃ To walk mincingly or delicately;--jēvaṇēṃ To eat daintily, with picking and tossing about;--divasa mōjaṇēṃ To anticipate with impatient eagerness; to count the days. nakhāṃlā āga lāgalī (Fire has caught at the toe-nails.) Disaster or adversity is but begun (ajhūna sārēṃ aṅga jaḷāyācēṃ āhē). nakhīṃ dōṣa nāhīṃ or nakhāṃlā mātī lāgalī nāhīṃ Castus ad unguem. nakhēṃ cāvīta-kuḍatuḍīta-vājavīta basaṇēṃ (To sit biting or striking together one's nails.) To be out of employ: also to be baffled, foiled, posed.
nakha (नख).—n A nail of a finger or toe. jēthēṃ nakhānēṃ kāma hōtēṃ tēthēṃ kuṛhāḍa kaśālā? Why use a sledge-hammer to drive in a tack? A claw or taion (of birds or beasts). āpalīñca nakhēṃ āpaṇāsa vikhēṃ Expresses suffer- ing from one's own malice or evil. jēthēṃ nakha nakō tēthēṃ kunhāḍa lāvaṇēṃ (See the pro- verb at the head.) To apply hard measures where the very slightest severity is unnecessary. nakha dṛṣṭīsa na paḍaṇēṃ To be utterly covered or conceal- ed. nakha nakha bōlaṇēṃ To speak loftily or floutingly, with a hoity toity air and toss. nakhabhara A very small bit or quan- tity, a nailful. nakha śiraṇēṃ To obtain en- trance; to get a finger in. nakhāēvaḍhā Very small. nakhābōṭāvara kāma karaṇēṃ To do or act generally with delicate or dainty airs;-khēḷaviṇēṃ or cāḷaviṇēṃ To amuse beguile, bamboozle;-cālaṇēṃ To walk mincingly or delicately;-jēvaṇēṃ To eat daintily, with picking and tossing about;-divasa mōjaṇēṃ To anticipate with impatient eagerness. nakhāṃlā āga lāgalī (ajūna sārēṃ aṅga jaḷāvayācēṃ āhē (Fire has caught at the toe-nails.) Disaster or adversity is but begun. nakhīṃ dōṣa nāhīṃ or nakhāṃlā mātī lāgalī nāhīṃ Castus ad unguen. nakhēṃ cāvīta-kuḍatuḍīta-vājavīta basaṇēṃ. To be out of employ: also to be baffl- ed, foiled.
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
Nakha (नख).—
1) A nail of a finger or of a toe, claw, talon; नखानां पाण्डित्यं प्रकटयतु कस्मिन् मृगपतिः (nakhānāṃ pāṇḍityaṃ prakaṭayatu kasmin mṛgapatiḥ) Bv.1.2; R.2.31;12.22.
-kham A kind of perfume; Nm.
2) The number 'twenty'.
3) A eunuch; L. D. B.
-khaḥ A part, portion.
Derivable forms: nakhaḥ (नखः), nakham (नखम्).
Nakha (नख).—mf. (-khaḥ-khī) A finger nail. m.
(-khaḥ) A part, a portion. nf. (-khaṃ-khī) A perfume, a dried substance, of a brown colour, and of the shape of a nail; apparently, a dried shell-fish, used as a perfume. f. (-khī) A vegetable perfume, different from the one above, though known by the same name, Nak'Hi. E. na privative, kha sense; or nah to bind kha Unadi affix, the radical ha rejected. nakham chidram atra .
Nakha (नख).—I. m. and n. A nail of a finger or of a toe, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 4, 35. Ii. n. and f. khī, A certain perfume.
Nakha (नख).—[masculine] [neuter] (adj. —° [feminine] ī) nail (of finger or toe), claw.
1) Nakha (नख):—mn. ([from] √nagh [?] cf. naghamāra; [probably] not [from] na + kha in spite of [Pāṇini 6-3, 75]; ifc. f(ī). ) a finger-nail, toe-nail, claw, talon, the spur of a cock, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc. (khāni-√kṛ, or √kḷp, to cut the nails, [Kauśika-sūtra; Manu-smṛti])
2) = 20 [Sūryasiddhānta]
3) nf (ī). Unguis Odoratus, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā; Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]
4) m. part, portion.
5) cf. [Greek] ὄνυξ, stem ὀ-νυχ; [Latin] unguis; Lit. nágas; [Slavonic or Slavonian] nogŭtĭ; [Anglo-Saxon] naegel; [English] nail; [German] Nagel.
1) Nakha (नख):—nakhati 1. a. To move.
2) [(khaḥ-khī)] 1. m. 3. f. A finger nail. m. A part. f. n. A perfume.
[Sanskrit to German]
Nakha (नख) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ṇakkha.
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) Nakha (नख) [Also spelled nakh]:—(nm) nail; (nf) a fruit akin to the pear in shape, size and taste; ~[kṣata] bruises caused by the nails (in amorous sport); ~[śikha] top to bottom, the entire physical frame; ~[śikha-varṇana] elaborate description of physical charms; —[se śikha taka] from top to bottom, from head to heel.
2) Nākha (नाख):—(nf) a fruit akin to the pear in shape, size and taste.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Nakha (ನಖ):—
1) [noun] a thin, horny plate, consisting of modified epidermis, growing on the upper side of the end of a finger or toe; a nail.
2) [noun] a sharp, usu. curved, nail on the foot of an animal, as on a cat, dog or bird; a claw.
3) [noun] the horny covering protecting the ends of the digits or encasing the foot in certain animals, as the ox and horse; a hoof.
4) [noun] a kind of perfume.
5) [noun] a kind of plant (Unguis odoratus ?).
6) [noun] (arith.) a symbol for the number twenty.
7) [noun] ನಖ ಬಣ್ಣವ ಕಾಣು [nakha bannava kanu] nakha baṇṇava kāṇu (a girl) to have menstrual period; to undergo menstruation; ನಖಮಾಂಸ ಪ್ರೀತಿ [nakhamamsa priti] nakha māṃsa prīti a very close, intimate association; ನಖಮಾಂಸ ಸ್ಥಿತಿ [nakhamamsa sthiti] nakha māṃsa sthiti = ನಖಮಾಂಸ ಪ್ರೀತಿ [nakhamamsa priti].
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Nakha (नख):—n. 1. a nail of a finger/toe; claw; 2. → नक्खी [nakkhī]
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 (+22): Na, Nakha Cetiya, Nakhabhasa, Nakhabheda, Nakhabhinna, Nakhacari, Nakhaccheda, Nakhacchedana, Nakhacchedya, Nakhadanta, Nakhadarana, Nakhadyuti, Nakhagamdhe, Nakhagga, Nakhaghata, Nakhagra, Nakhajaha, Nakhakalyana, Nakhakhadin, Nakhakshata.
Full-text (+285): Na, Shurpanakha, Nakhara, Khura, Nakhampaca, Pancanakha, Pranakha, Nakhavishkira, Nakhayudha, Vyaghranakha, Nakhakutta, Nakhavisha, Shankhanakha, Nakharanjani, Nakhanka, Hastinakha, Nakhashankha, Nakhashin, Nakhanakhi, Nakhapada.
Relevant text
Search found 80 books and stories containing Nakha, Na-kha, Nākha, Ṇakha, Nakhas; (plurals include: Nakhas, khas, Nākhas, Ṇakhas, Nakhases). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Mimamsa in Medhatithi (study) (by A. R. Joshi)
Definition of Parisamkhya in Mimamsa < [Part 3.14 - Parisamkhya]
Definition of Niyama Vidhi in Mimamsa < [Part 3.12 - Niyama Vidhi]
Linga Purana (by J. L. Shastri)
Chapter 50 - Mastering the mantra of Aghora < [Section 2 - Pūrvabhāga]
Prayogamanjari and Saivagamanibandhana (Study) (by R. Suthashi)
Studies in Indian Literary History (by P. K. Gode)
45. Studies in the History of Indian Cosmetics of a rare and Perfumery < [Volume 1 (1945)]
1. The Gandhasara of Gangadhara < [Volume 3 (1956)]
54, 54. Date of Jagaddhara, the Commentator of the Malatimadhava < [Volume 1 (1945)]
Daśāvatāra-stotram (by Jayadeva Gosvami)
Related products
