Raktika, Raktikā: 13 definitions

Introduction:

Raktika 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

Ayurveda (science of life)

Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)

Source: Wisdom Library: Rasa-śāstra

Raktikā (रक्तिका):—One of the sixty-four Divyauṣadhi, which are powerful drugs for solidifying mercury (rasa), according to Rasaprakāśa-sudhākara (chapter 9).

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

Raktikā (रक्तिका) is another name for Raktaguñjā, one of the two varieties of Guñjā: a medicinal plants identified with Abrus precatorius (Indian licorice or rosary pea) from the Fabaceae or “legume family” of flowering plants, according to verse 3.113-116 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The third chapter (guḍūcyādi-varga) of this book contains climbers and creepers (vīrudh). Together with the names Raktikā and Raktaguñjā, there are a total of sixteen Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

Unclassified Ayurveda definitions

Source: Wisdom Library: Āyurveda and botany

Raktikā (रक्तिका) is the Sanskrit name for a weight unit corresponding to the weight of a single Guñjā-seed (roughly corresponding to 1/8th of a gram), according to the Ṣoḍaśāṅgahṛdayam (classic treatise on Ayurvedic literature). You need a 8 Raktikā units to make a single Māṣa unit (1 Māṣa equals 1 gram).

Below follows a table of the different weight units in relation to one another and their corresponding values in brackets:

  • Guñjā (Raktikā) = 1 seed of Guñjā
  • 8 Raktikā = 1 Māṣa (1 gram)
  • 10 Māṣa = 1 Karṣa (10 grams)
  • 2 Karṣa = 1 Śukti (20 grams)
  • 2 Śukti = 1 Pala (40 grams)
  • 2 Pala = 1 Prasṛta (80 grams)
  • 2 Prasṛta = 1 Kuḍava (Añjali) (160 grams)
  • 2 Kuḍava = 1 Śarāva (320 grams)
  • 2 Śarāva = 1 Prastha (640 grams)
  • 4 Prastha = 1 Āḍhaka (Pātra) (2.56 kilograms)
  • 4 Āḍhaka = 1 Droṇa (10.24 kilograms)
  • 4 Droṇa = 1 Droṇī (40.96 kilograms)
  • 100 Pala = 1 Tulā (4 kilograms).
Ayurveda book cover
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.

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Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Saṅgītaśiromaṇi

Raktikā (रक्तिका) refers to one of the twenty-two quarters tones (śruti) existing within an octave, according to the Saṅgīta-ratnākara (“ocean of music and dance”). This work is an important Sanskrit treatise dealing with ancient Indian musicology (gāndharva-śāstra), composed by Śārṅgadeva in the 13th century and deals with both Carnatic and Hindustani music. Raktikā has a frequency of 290.6951Hz. It is also known as Ratikā.

Natyashastra book cover
context information

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).

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India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Raktikā.—(IA 27), same as ratī or guñjā (q. v.); a unit of measurment; about 1-825 grains or 119 grammes in weight. Note: raktikā is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

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Raktikā.—modern rati; a little above 1(3/4) grains. Note: raktikā is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

India history book cover
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.

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Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Raktika [రక్తిక] in the Telugu language is the name of a plant identified with Abrus precatorius L. from the Fabaceae (pea) family. For the possible medicinal usage of raktika, 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.

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

1) Raktika in India is the name of a plant defined with Abrus precatorius in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Abrus cyaneus R. Vig. (among others).

2) Raktika is also identified with Anamirta cocculus It has the synonym Menispermum lacunosum Lam. (etc.).

Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):

· Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2005)
· For. Fl. Punj. (1956)
· Systema Naturae, (1767)
· Botanica Macaronesica (1980)
· Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1821)
· Economic Botany (1990)

If you are looking for specific details regarding Raktika, for example extract dosage, health benefits, chemical composition, diet and recipes, pregnancy safety, side effects, have a look at these references.

Biology book cover
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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Raktikā (रक्तिका).—The Gunja plant of its seed used as a weight.

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

Raktikā (रक्तिका).—f.

(-kā) 1. A plant, (Abrus precatorious.) 2. The seed of the Abrus precatorious used as a weight, or a fictitious weight denominated from the seeds originally so used; the seed weighs about ene and five-sixteenth troy grains, the artificial Ratti or Raktika should be double that weight, but in common use it averages nearly two grains and a quarter. E. rakta red, kan aff., fem. form.

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

1) Raktikā (रक्तिका):—[from raktaka > raj] f. Abrus Precatorius (its seed or grain is used as a weight = 1/6, 1/7, or 2/15 Māṣaka), [Śārṅgadhara-saṃhitā; Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra [Scholiast or Commentator]]

2) [v.s. ...] (in music) a [particular] Śruti, [Saṃgīta-sārasaṃgraha]

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

Raktikā (रक्तिका):—(kā) 1. f. A plant (Abrus precatorius); its seed, used as a weight for about 2(1/4) grains.

[Sanskrit to German]

Raktika 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.

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