Rodhana: 20 definitions
Introduction:
Rodhana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali. 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)
Rodhana (रोधन):—Sixth of the eighteen Saṃskāra (special purification process). They are used to purify rasa (mercury) as per Rasaśāstra literature (Medicinal Alchemy), and are mentioned in texts such as the Rasaprakāśasudhākara. In Āyurveda, Saṃskāra refers to the “detoxification” process of metals and herbs. The Bodhana-saṃskāra is commonly used for Dravya-karma and Rasāyana-karma, but also to change (rasa) in its undesired properties and to improve its Bubhukṣā. In other words: the first eight saṃskāras are sequentially used to purify and detoxify mercury in preparation for internal use. Rodhana refers to the process of ‘countering’ or ‘coagulation’, by means of which mercury that has become purged of its toxic content but also its potency through the preceding operations, has its ‘virility’ (vīrya) restored to it through irrigation in a salt bath. This operation is said to give mercury a ‘mouth’ (mukha) with which to absorb other elements. This saṃskāra is also known as or bodhana (‘awakening’).
Rodhana (रोधन, “potentiation”) represents to the sixth of eighteen alchemical purification processes of mercury (mahārasa, rasendra or pārada). A religio-philosophic base was given to mercury-based alchemy in India. Mercury was looked upon as the essence of God Śiva, and sulphur as that of Goddess Pārvatī.
Mercury had to undergo 18 processes (e.g., rodhana) before it could be used for transforming either metals or the human body. A combination of male and female principles (i.e. mercury and sulphur) forming cinnabar or mercuric sulphide or even of mercury and mica, was supposed to be highly potent and was therefore consumed as a Rasāyana or medicine for increasing body fluids or vitality. The earliest mention of Rasāyana was found in Āyurveda which was probably composed by 8th or 9th century BC, since it was a part of Atharvaveda, the last of the four Vedas.
Rodhana (coagulation).—One of the eight Aṣṭasamskāra, or, processes that render mercury fit for internal use. These Aṣṭasamskāra of pārada (eight detoxification techniques for mercury) are mandatory before mercury is used in the pharmaceutical preparations. For Rodhana process mercury is mixed with rock salt and kept under the ground for three days.
Rodhana (उत्थापन):—The sixth of the eight purification steps of Pārada (mercury), also known as the Aṣṭasaṃskāra.—Place the Pārada in a pot containing Saindhava-lavaṇa-jala and seal the mouth of the pot tightly. Place the pot undisturbed for three days. Decant the water on the fourth day to collect the Pārada. (see the Rasendracūḍāmaṇi 4.88, which is a 16th-century alchemical century treatise on Rasaśāstra by Ācārya Somdeva).
Ingredients:
- Pārada [Mercury] (3 parts),
- Saindhava-lavaṇa-jala (quantum satis).
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Rodhana (रोधन):—[rodhanaṃ] Stiffness of precordial region

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)
Rodhana (रोधन) refers to “preventing someone” (from entering the apartment), according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.4.13 (“The birth of Gaṇeśa”).—Accordingly, after Pārvatī made Gaṇeśa her doorkeeper: “Not knowing that he was lord Śiva, the consort of Pārvatī, Gaṇeśa said—‘O sir, without my mother’s permission you shall not go in now. My mother has entered the bath. Where are you going now? Go away’. Saying thus, he took up his staff to ward him off (rodhana)”.

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
Pali-English dictionary
rodhana : (nt.) obstruction; prevention.
Rodhana, (nt.) (fr. rudh) obstructing J. V, 346; Sdhp. 57. (Page 576)
rodhana (ရောဓန) [(pu,na) (ပု၊န)]—
[rudhi(rudha)+yu.rodhana-saṃ.rohaṇa-prā.]
[ရုဓိ(ရုဓ)+ယု။ ရောဓန-သံ။ ရောဟဏ-ပြာ။]

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.
Sanskrit dictionary
Rodhana (रोधन).—[rudh-lyu lyuṭ vā] The planet Mercury.
-nam Stopping, checking, confining, restraint, check &c.
Derivable forms: rodhanaḥ (रोधनः).
Rodhana (रोधन).—mfn.
(-naḥ-nī-naṃ) Impeding, that which impedes or obstructs, an obstacle, a hinderer or hindrance. m.
(-naḥ) The planet Mercury. n.
(-naṃ) 1. Impeding, obstructing. 2. Besieging, blockading. E. rudh to obstruct, aff. lyuṭ .
Rodhana (रोधन).—i. e. rudh + ana, I. adj. That which obstructs. Ii. m. The planet Mercury. Iii. n. 1. Obstructing. 2. Besieging.
Rodhana (रोधन).—[neuter] confining, investing, shutting up; restraining, suppressing.
1) Rodhana (रोधन):—[from rudh] 1. rodhana See 2. ava-ud-, -pra-r.
2) [from rudh] 2. rodhana mf(ī)n. (for 1. See above, [column]1) obstructing, impeding, being an obstacle or hindrance, [Horace H. Wilson]
3) [v.s. ...] m. the planet Mercury, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
4) Rodhanā (रोधना):—[from rodhana > rudh] f. a dam, bank, wall (= rodhas), [Ṛg-veda ii, 13, 10]
5) Rodhana (रोधन):—[from rudh] n. shutting up, confinement, [Ṛg-veda; Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
6) [v.s. ...] stopping, restraining, checking, preventing, impeding, [Kāvya literature; Purāṇa]
Rodhana (रोधन):—[(naḥ-nī-naṃ) a.] Impeding. m. The planet Mercury. n. Hindering, obstruction, besieging.
[Sanskrit to German]
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
Rōdhana (ರೋಧನ):—
1) [noun] = ರೋಧ - [rodha -] 1.
2) [noun] (astrol.) the planet Mercury.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Rodhana (रोधन):—n. stopping; checking;
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: Rotanai, Rotanam.
Full-text (+6): Avarodhana, Virodhana, Uparodhana, Nirodhana, Pratirodhana, Anurodhana, Samrodhana, Arodhana, Prarodhana, Udrodhana, Darshanarodhana, Rotanam, Bodhana, Ashtasamskara, Malarodhana, Rodhan, Vanadhiti, Malarodha, Ekabhumirodhana, Anurodha.
Relevant text
Search found 18 books and stories containing Rodhana, Rodhanā, Rōdhana; (plurals include: Rodhanas, Rodhanās, Rōdhanas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Bhajana-Rahasya (by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura Mahasaya)
Text 11 < [Chapter 8 - Aṣṭama-yāma-sādhana (Rātri-līlā–prema-bhajana sambhoga)]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 608 < [English-Gujarati-Hindi (1 volume)]
Page 601 < [English-Gujarati-Hindi (1 volume)]
Page 683 < [Kannada-English-Malayalam (1 volume)]
Rasa Jala Nidhi, vol 1: Initiation, Mercury and Laboratory (by Bhudeb Mookerjee)
Part 8 - Mercurial operations (6): Confinement of Mercury (rodhana) < [Chapter IV-V - Mercurial operations]
Part 2 - Eighteen different kinds of Mercurial operations < [Chapter IV-V - Mercurial operations]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Study on tilabharangyadi kwatha yoga's effect on endometrial thickness. < [2019: Volume 8, October issue 11]
Rationale of ashtasamskaras of parada – a review (part 2) < [2017: Volume 6, May issue 5]
Menstrual cycle [rajaswala paricharya] and its hygiene as per ayurveda < [2023: Volume 12, January issue 1]
Saura-purana (analytical study) (by Priyanku Chakraborty)
Part 10.2 - System of Yoga in the Saurapurāṇa < [Chapter 2 - A Brief Discourse on the Saura-purāṇa]
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