Nikumbha, Nikumbhā: 20 definitions

Introduction
In Hinduism
India history
Biology
Languages
1. Sanskrit
2. Kannada
See also

Introduction:

Nikumbha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: Bhagavata Purana

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ):—Son of Haryaśva (son of Dṛḍhāśva). He had a son named Bahulāśva. (see Bhāgavata Purāṇa 9.6.23-25)

Source: Wisdom Library: The Matsya-purāṇa

Nikumbhā (निकुम्भा) is the name of a mind-born ‘divine mother’ (mātṛ), created for the purpose of drinking the blood of the Andhaka demons, according to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.8. The Andhaka demons spawned out of every drop of blood spilled from the original Andhakāsura (Andhaka-demon). According to the Matsya-purāṇa 179.35, “Most terrible they (e.g., Nikumbhā) all drank the blood of those Andhakas and become exceedingly satiated.”

The Matsyapurāṇa is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, and was originally composed of 20,000 metrical verses, dating from the 1st-millennium BCE. The narrator is Matsya, one of the ten major avatars of Viṣṇu.

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—A very mighty Rākṣasa. Son of Kumbhakarṇa (Rāvaṇa’s brother) by his wife Vajramālā. He had an elder brother called Kumbha.

When Kumbha was killed in the Rāma-Rāvaṇa war Nikumbha rushed to the front line and fought fiercely, and he was killed by Hanūmān. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Canto 77).

2) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—Third son of Prahlāda. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 63, Verse 19).

3) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—An asura born in the dynasty of Hiraṇyakaśipu. Sunda and Upasunda were his sons. (Ādi Parva, Chapter 208, Verse 2).

4) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—A warrior of Subrahmaṇya (Śalya Parva, Chapter 45, Verse 58).

5) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—A king born in the Ikṣvāku dynasty. He was the son of Haryaśva and the father of Saṃhitāśva (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Chapter 1).

6) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—Another form of Gaṇapati. The following story about him in the Nikumbha state is told in Vāyu Purāṇa.

Suyaśā, wife of Divodāsa used to worship in the Nikumbha temple of Vārāṇasī for the sake of a child. As the worship did not yield the desired effect, Divodāsa smashed the idol in the temple into pieces. Then Nikumbha cursed that Vārāṇasī should decline. As a result of the curse the Hehayas like Tālajaṅgha and others destroyed Vārāṇasī and drove Divodāsa away from there. At last the Nikumbha temple was rebuilt and Vārāṇasī became prosperous again.

Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary study

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ) is the name of a Piśāca: inhabitants of ancient Kaśmīra (Kashmir valley) according to the Nīlamatapurāṇa.—The Piśāca chief Nikumbha was appointed by Kubera to keep the Piśācas [of an oasis] under control and who along with his five koṭi Piśāca followers used to fight for six months with the Piśācas of that oasis. For the rest of the year he used to live on Himācala.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—The son of Haryaśva and father of Barhaṇāśva¹ (Samhatāśva, Vāyu-purāṇa Amitāśva, Viṣṇu-purāṇa); killed in the Rāma-Rāvaṇa war;² deep in Kṣatriya dharma.³

1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 6. 24-25; Matsya-purāṇa 12. 33; Viṣṇu-purāṇa IV. 2. 45.
2) Bhāgavata-purāṇa IX. 10. 18; Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 63. 64.
3) Vāyu-purāṇa 88. 62-63.

1b) A Brahmarākṣasa and son of Sphūrja residing in Sutalam.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa II. 20. 21; III. 7. 95; Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 21; 69. 130.

1c) A son of Bala.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 6. 33.

1d) A Gaṇeśa who appeared in a dream to a Brahmana in King Divodāsa's time and asked his worship to be conducted at the city gate; conferred benefits on all except the queen who wanted a son. Suyaśā, the queen of Divodāsa propitiated Nikumbha with rich offerings; the enraged king destroyed the temple and the deity cursed the city to be ruined, informed Śiva of this; from that time the temple became that of the Lord Avimukta.^*

* Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa III. 67. 28 to the end; Vāyu-purāṇa 92. 25-59.

2) Nikumbhā (निकुम्भा).—A mind-born mother.^*

* Matsya-purāṇa 179. 26.

Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. I.59.19, I.65, I.61.27) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Nikumbha) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

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.

Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Kamakoti Mandali: Nrisimha matrika-mandala

Nikumbhā (निकुम्भा) refers to one of the various Mātṛkā-Śaktis created by Rudra in order to destroy the clones that spawned from Andhaka’s body.—Accordingly, [...] Andhakāsura attempted to abduct Girājanandinī (Pārvatī) and thus ensued a fierce battle between Andhakāsura and the great Rudra, the Lord of Umā. Like raktabīja, every drop of blood that fell from the body of Andhaka created another Asura like him and in no time, the entire world was filled with Andhakas. To destroy the growing number of Andhakas, Rudra created innumerable Mātṛkā-Śaktis [viz., Nikumbhā]. These Śaktis of immense power at once began to drink every drop of blood that flowed from the body of Andhaka, but they could still not effectively contain the emergence of more and more demons.

context information

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.

General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: WikiPedia: Hinduism

Nikumbha (निकुम्‍भ): One of Ravana's generals who led the rakshasas against the host of monkeys and was slain.

India history and geography

Source: Wisdom Library: India History

Nikumbha refers to one of the thirty-six Rajput clans, according to Padmanabha’s 15th-century Kanhadadeprabandha, in which he described the Muslim invasion of Gujarat of 1298 AD. The kingdom or dynasty of the Nikumbhas had their own princes and nobles and were further separated into sub-clans and families.

The Rajputs are a Hindu race claiming to be descendants of the ancient Kṣatriya-varṇa (warrior caste). Originally, the Rajputs consisted of two principal branches: the Sūryavaṃśa (solar race) and the Candravaṃśa (lunar race), to which later was added the Agnivaṃśa (fire-born race).

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.

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Nikumbha [निकुम्भः] in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Baliospermum solanifolium (Burm.) Suresh from the Euphorbiaceae (Castor) family having the following synonyms: Baliospermum axillare, Baliospermum montanum, Jatropha montana. For the possible medicinal usage of nikumbha, 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.

context information

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

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—

1) Name of an attendant of Śiva; R.2.35.

2) Name of the father of Sunda and Upasunda.

Derivable forms: nikumbhaḥ (निकुम्भः).

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

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—m.

(-mbhaḥ) 1. The son of Kumbhakarna, the brother of Ravana. 2. A plant, (Croton polyandrum) E. ku the earth, bhū to be, affix khac, and ni prefixed.

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

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—[ni-kumbha], m. 1. A plant, Croton polyandrum, [Harivaṃśa, (ed. Calc.)] 3843. 2. A proper name, 8002.

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

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ).—[masculine] [Name] of a plant & [several] men.

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

1) Nikumbha (निकुम्भ):—[=ni-kumbha] m. Croton Polyandrum (also f(ī). , [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.])

2) [v.s. ...] Name of a Dānava (son of Prahlāda and brother of Kumbha, father of Sunda and Upasunda), [Mahābhārata]

3) [v.s. ...] of a Rākṣasa, [Rāmāyaṇa]

4) [v.s. ...] of a son of Kumbha-karṇa, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

5) [v.s. ...] of an attendant of either Śiva ([Harivaṃśa]) or Skanda ([Mahābhārata])

6) [v.s. ...] of one of the Viśve Devās, [Harivaṃśa] (viskumbhu [Calcutta edition])

7) [v.s. ...] of a hero on the side of the Kurus, [Mahābhārata]

8) [v.s. ...] of a king of A-yodhyā (son of Hary-aśva and father of Saṃhatāśva or Varhaṇāśva), [Harivaṃśa; Purāṇa]

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

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ):—[ni-kumbha] (mbhaḥ) 1. m. Brother of Rāvana; a plant (Croton).

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

Nikumbha (निकुम्भ) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Ṇiuṃbha.

[Sanskrit to German]

Nikumbha 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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Nikuṃbha (ನಿಕುಂಭ):—[noun] the plant croton tiglium of Euphorbiaceae family.

context information

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

Relevant text

Search found 37 books and stories containing Nikumbha, Ni-kumbha, Nikumbhā, Nikuṃbha; (plurals include: Nikumbhas, kumbhas, Nikumbhās, Nikuṃbhas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter 77 - The Fight between Nikumbha and Hanuman < [Book 6 - Yuddha-kanda]

Chapter 43 - The Conflict between the Monkeys and Titans < [Book 6 - Yuddha-kanda]

Chapter 14 - Bibishana blames the Attitude of Ravana’s Courtiers < [Book 6 - Yuddha-kanda]

+ 12 more chapters / show preview

Chapter 91 - Nikumbha Carries Away Bhanumati < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]

Chapter 86 - Defeat of the Asuras: They Fight Again < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]

Chapter 84 - The Asuras Obstructing a yajna < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]

+ 8 more chapters / show preview

Story of Virocana

Story of Gokarṇa

Story of Pulastya

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