Nirgundi, Nirguṇḍī: 10 definitions

Introduction

Introduction
In Hinduism
Languages
1. Marathi
2. Sanskrit
See also

Nirgundi means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi. 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

Rasashastra (chemistry and alchemy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी):—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.

Source: Ancient Science of Life: A Metallurgical Study of Nāga Bhasma

Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी) refers to the medicinal plant known as Vitex Negundo Linn. and is used is in the metallurgical process for creating nāgabhasma, (Śodhana step):—Raw nāga (crude Lead-600 g) was subjected to śodhana by melting and pouring into a container of cūrṇodaka (lime water, strength 4.3 g/l) seven times. This śodhita-nāga (590 g) was again subjected to viśeṣa-śodhana (unique purification process specific to the metal) by following the above procedure and pouring into a mixture (decoction strength 250 g/l) of Nirguṇḍī (Vitex Negundo Linn.) svarasa and Haridrā (Curcuma Longa Linn.) cūrṇa for seven times. [...]

context information

Rasashastra (रसशास्त्र, rasaśāstra) is an important branch of Ayurveda, specialising in chemical interactions with herbs, metals and minerals. Some texts combine yogic and tantric practices with various alchemical operations. The ultimate goal of Rasashastra is not only to preserve and prolong life, but also to bestow wealth upon humankind.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

1) Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी) is a Sanskrit word referring to Vitex negundo, a large shrub from the Lamiaceae (mint) family of flowering plants. It is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Caraka-saṃhitā and the Suśruta-saṃhitā. In English, the plant is known as “horseshoe vitex” or “Chinese chastetree”, among others. Two varieties are recognized: one with pale blue flowers (Śvetapuṣpī), and the other with blue flowers (Puṣpanāṭika (?)). Among the Tamils, one of these plants is supposed to be male and the other female, and for this reason they are usually combined together in their prescriptions. In the Nighantas, Nirguṇḍī is described as cephalic, pungent, astringent, bitter and light; a remedy for colic, swellings, rheumatism, worms, leprosy, dyspepsia, phlegm and boils.

Nirguṇḍī is classified as a synonym for Sinduvāra by Amarasiṃha in his Amarakośa (a Sanskrit botanical thesaurus from the 4^th century). It can also be spelled as Nirguṇṭī.

This plant (Nirguṇḍī) is also mentioned as a medicine used for the treatment of all major fevers (jvara), as described in the Jvaracikitsā (or “the treatment of fever”) which forms the first chapter of the Sanskrit work called Mādhavacikitsā.

2) Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी) is another name for Śephālikā (Nyctanthes arbor-tristis “night-flowering jasmine”), from the Apocynaceae family. The term is used throughout Ayurvedic literature such as the Carakasaṃhitā. This synonym was identified by Amarasiṃha in his Amarakośa (a Sanskrit botanical thesaurus from the 4^th century).

Source: Google Books: Essentials of Ayurveda

Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी).—The Sanskrit name for an important Ayurvedic drug combination.—Nirguṇḍī is pungent, bitter, hot, pacifies kapha and vāta and destroys worms. Its leaf-juice is useful in kuṣṭha, oedema and āmavāta (theumatoid arthritis).

Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgraha

Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी) refers to the medicinal plant known as “Vitex negundo 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 nirguṇḍī] 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).

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

1) Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी) is another name for Nīlanirguṇḍī, the blue variety of Sinduvāra, a medicinal plant identified with Vitex negundo Linn. (or ‘chaste tree’) from the Lamiaceae or “mint” family of flowering plants, according to verse 4.153-154 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fourth chapter (śatāhvādi-varga) of this book enumerates eighty varieties of small plants (pṛthu-kṣupa). Together with the names Nirguṇḍī and Nīlanirguṇḍī, there are a total of eight Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

2) Nirgundi in the Marathi language is the synonym name for Sinduvāra itself, according to verse 4.151-152. Other than the Marathi word Nirgundi, there are more synonyms identified for this plant among which eighteen are in Sanskrit.

context information

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: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी) is the name of a plant which is used in the worship of Śiva, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.1.14:—“[...] with Nirguṇḍī flowers (kusuma), his mind becomes pure (nirmalatā) in the world. A hundred thousand Bilva leaves used for worship will secure the fulfilment of all desires (sarvakāma). [...] Karavīra flowers measure three times that. Scholars say that the flowers of Nirguṇḍī too measure likewise. In Karṇikāra and Śirīṣa flowers too, the same mode of calculation holds good. Ten prasthas of Bandhujīva flowers constitute a hundred thousand. [...] The devotee shall perform the worship of Śiva with different flowers after considering these modes of calculation for the fulfilment of desires if he has any or for the sake of salvation if he has no desire”.

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.

Languages of India and abroad

Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

nirguṇḍī (निर्गुंडी).—f S pop. nirguṇḍa f or nirgūḍa f or nirguḍī f A shrub, Vitex negundo or trifolia. It is distinguished into kātarī nirguḍī & sādī nirguḍī. The leaves are used in fumigations.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

nirguṇḍī (निर्गुंडी).—f nirguṇḍa f nirgūḍa f or nirguḍī f A shrub, vitex negundo or trifolia.

context information

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-English dictionary

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

1) Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी):—nirguRqI a f. ([Suśruta]) Vitex Negundo

2) Nirguṇḍi (निर्गुण्डि):—f. ([Suśruta]) Vitex Negundo

3) Nirguṇḍī (निर्गुण्डी):—nirguRqI b f. the root of a lotus, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family. 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.

Relevant text

Search found 14 books and stories containing Nirgundi, Nirguṇḍī, Nirguṇḍi; (plurals include: Nirgundis, Nirguṇḍīs, Nirguṇḍis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Chapter 14 - Directions for the worship of Śiva < [Section 2.1 - Rudra-saṃhitā (1): Sṛśṭi-khaṇḍa]

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Part 6: Kunthu’s initiation < [Chapter I - Śrī Kunthusvāmicaritra]

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Part 2 - Purification of Lead < [Chapter VII - Metals (7): Sisaka (lead)]

Part 2 - Purification of copper < [Chapter III - Metals (3): Tamra (copper)]

Part 2 - Purification of tin < [Chapter VI - Metals (6): Vanga (tin)]

+ 11 more chapters / show preview

Treatment for fever (138): Svachchhanda-nayaka rasa < [Chapter II - Fever (jvara)]

Treatment for fever (72): Sannipata-kuthara rasa < [Chapter II - Fever (jvara)]

Part 15 - Treatment for indigestion (13): Panchamrita rasa < [Chapter IV - Irregularity of the digesting heat]

+ 44 more chapters / show preview