In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Wisdom Library: The Matsya-purāṇa

Sauparṇī (सौपर्णी) 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., Sauparṇī) 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: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

Sauparṇī (सौपर्णी).—A mind-born mother.^*

• * Matsya-purāṇa 179. 10.

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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.

Ayurveda (science of life)

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

Sauparṇī (सौपर्णी) is another name for Vatsādanī, a medicinal plant identified with Cocculus hirsutus (broom creeper or ink berry) from the Menispermaceae or “moonseed” family of flowering plants, according to verse 3.102-104 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 Sauparṇī and Vatsādanī, there are a total of six Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

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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)

Source: Kamakoti Mandali: The Yoginis of Narasimha Vyuha

Sauparṇī (सौपर्णी) is the name of a Mātṛkā-Śakti created by Mahārudra in order to control the plague of demons created by Andhakāsura.—Accordingly, Andhaka-Asura tried to kidnap Umā (Devī Pārvatī), and was fiercely attacked by Mahārudra who shot arrows at him from his mahāpināka. when the arrows pierced the body of Andhakāsura, drops of blood fell to earth and from those drops, thousands of Andhakas arose. To control this plague of demons, Mahārudra created Mātṛkā-Śaktis [viz., Sauparṇī] and ordered them to drink the blood of the demons and drain them dry.

Source: Kamakoti Mandali: Nrisimha matrika-mandala

Sauparṇī (सौपर्णी) 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., Sauparṇī]. 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.

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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.

Biology (plants and animals)

Source: Wisdom Library: Local Names of Plants and Drugs

Sauparni [सौपर्णी] in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Cocculus hirsutus from the Menispermaceae (Moonseed) family having the following synonyms: Cocculus villosus. For the possible medicinal usage of sauparni, 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)

Sauparni in India is the name of a plant defined with Cocculus hirsutus in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Menispermum villosum Lam. (among others).

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

· Contrib. Bot. (1867)
· Burmah, its People and Natural Productions ed. 3 (1860)
· Leonardi Plukenetii
· Annals and Magazine of Natural History (1851)
· Das Pflanzenreich (1910)
· Phytochemistry (1987)

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

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

Sauparṇī (सौपर्णी):—[from sauparṇa] f. a kind of creeping plant, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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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.

See also (Relevant definitions)

Starts with: Sauparnikadrava.

Full-text: Vatsadani.

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Search found 2 books and stories containing Sauparni, Sauparṇī; (plurals include: Sauparnis, Sauparṇīs). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Kathopanishad (Madhva commentary) (by Srisa Chandra Vasu)

Chapter 3 - Third Valli

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The Padma Purana (by N.A. Deshpande)

Chapter 46 - Purificatory Rites of a Brāhmaṇa < [Section 1 - Sṛṣṭi-khaṇḍa (section on creation)]

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