Shankhapushpi, Śaṅkhapuṣpī, Śaṃkhapuṣpī: 13 definitions
Introduction:
Shankhapushpi means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, 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.
The Sanskrit terms Śaṅkhapuṣpī and Śaṃkhapuṣpī can be transliterated into English as Sankhapuspi or Shankhapushpi or Samkhapuspi or Shamkhapushpi, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Rasashastra (Alchemy and Herbo-Mineral preparations)
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शंखपुष्पी):—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.
Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी) is the Sanskrit name for a medicinal plant identified with Convolvulus microphyllus, synonym of Convolvulus prostratus (prostrate bindweed) from the Convolvulaceae or “morning glory” family of flowering plants, according to verse 3.132-134 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. Śaṅkhapuṣpī is known in Hindi as Śaṅkhapuṣpī (śveta); in Marathi as Śaṅkhvel; and in Gujarati as Śaṅkhāvalī.
Śaṅkhapuṣpī is mentioned as having twelve synonyms: Supuṣpī, Śaṅkhāhvā, Kambumālinī, Sitapuṣpī, Kambupuṣpī, Medhyā, Vanavilāsinī, Ciriṇṭī, Śaṅkhakusumā, Bhūlagnā and Śaṅkhamālinī.
Properties and characteristics: “the potency of Śaṅkhapuṣpī is cold (himā) and rasa is bitter (tikta). It improves intellect (medhyā) and the quality of voice. It controls the affections of evil spirits/planets and bestows power to subdue others”.
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी) refers to “plants having flowers white-like conch shells”, and represents a technical term related to the morphology branch of “plant science”, which ultimately involves the study of life history of plants, including its origin and development, their external and internal structures and the relation of the members of the plant body with one another.—This branch of Botany is divided into “external morphology” and “internal morphology” or “histology”. Pāṇini mentions the different parts of a tree in different Sūtras. According to Pāṇini (Aṣṭādhyāyī 4.1.64), plants were named after the characteristics of their leaves, flowers, fruits and roots; e.g. Śaṅkhapuṣpī (having flowers white-like conch shells), Bahumūlī (Having many roots). [...] Thus, the ancient Indian scientists studied plant life particularly from Morphological aspect.
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Shankhapushpi [शंखपुष्पी] in the Nepali language is the name of a plant identified with Clitoria ternatea L. from the Fabaceae (pea) family. For the possible medicinal usage of shankhapushpi, 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.
1) Shankhapushpi in India is the name of a plant defined with Clitoria ternatea in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Lathyrus spectabilis Forssk. (among others).
2) Shankhapushpi is also identified with Evolvulus alsinoides It has the synonym Convolvulus linifolius L. (etc.).
3) Shankhapushpi is also identified with Evolvulus nummularius It has the synonym Volvulopsis nummularia (L.) Roberty (etc.).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Candollea (1952)
· Nova Genera et Species Plantarum (1818)
· Encyclopédie Méthodique. Botanique (1811)
· Annales Botanices Systematicae (Walpers) (1852)
· Flora of the Southern United States (1860)
· Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden (1975)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Shankhapushpi, for example pregnancy safety, chemical composition, extract dosage, diet and recipes, health benefits, side effects, have a look at these references.
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
Marathi-English dictionary
śaṅkhapuṣpī (शंखपुष्पी).—f S A grass, Andropogon aciculatum.
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 dictionary
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी).—f. (-ṣpī) A sort of grass, (Andropogon aciculatum.) E. śaṅkha conch, puṣpa a flower, ṅīp aff., implying resemblance.
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी).—[feminine] [Name] of a plant.
1) Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी):—[=śaṅkha-puṣpī] [from śaṅkha] f. idem, [Vasiṣṭha; Suśruta] (-śṛta mfn. boiled with the above plant, [Manu-smṛti xi, 148])
2) [v.s. ...] Canscora Decussata, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी):—[śaṅkha-puṣpī] (ṣpī) 3. f. A sort of grass.
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी):—f. [Pāṇini’s acht Bücher 4, 1, 64, Scholiast] dass. [Manu’s Gesetzbuch 11, 147.] [Suśruta 1, 157, 15. 172, 11. 378, 13. 2, 506, 15.]
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
Śaṃkhapuṣpi (ಶಂಖಪುಷ್ಪಿ):—
1) [noun] the plant Canscora decussata of Gentianceae family.
2) [noun] the leguminous twining shrub Clitoria ternatea of Papilionaceae family with blue flowers, the root of which is used as a dieretic and demulcent; butterfly-pea.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Śaṅkhapuṣpī (शङ्खपुष्पी):—n. Bot. conch-shell flower;
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)
Partial matches (+0): Pushpi, Shankha.
Starts with (+0): Shankhapushpika, Shankhapushpishrita, Shankhapushpyadi.
Full-text (+11): Shankhapushpishrita, Shankhapushpyadi, Kambupushpi, Vishnukranta, Mahaushadhi, Sankhapuspi-sveta, Sankhapuspi-nila, Vijapushpa, Malavinashini, Shankhapushpa, Shankhanamni, Mangalyakusuma, Tisra, Cirinti, Shankhahva, Kambumalini, Vanavilasini, Bhulagna, Shankhamalini, Shankhakusuma.
Relevant text
Search found 18 books and stories containing Shankhapushpi, Śaṅkhapuṣpī, Śaṃkhapuṣpī, Sankhapuspi, Shamkhapushpi, Samkhapuspi, Shankha-pushpi, Śaṅkha-puṣpī, Sankha-puspi, Śaṃkhapuṣpi, Śaṅkhapuṣpi, Śankhapuṣpi, Śankha-puṣpi; (plurals include: Shankhapushpis, Śaṅkhapuṣpīs, Śaṃkhapuṣpīs, Sankhapuspis, Shamkhapushpis, Samkhapuspis, pushpis, puṣpīs, puspis, Śaṃkhapuṣpis, Śaṅkhapuṣpis, Śankhapuṣpis, puṣpis). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Manusmriti with the Commentary of Medhatithi (by Ganganatha Jha)
Verse 11.147 < [Section XVII - Expiation for the Sin of taking Forbidden Food]
Verse 1.48 < [Section XXVII - Clumps, thickets and grasses. &c.]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Physio-chemical study and effect of swarnaprashana < [2023, Issue 05, May]
Stress management through ayurveda < [2013, Issue 4 Jul-Aug]
Literary review of three herbs (brahmi, sankhapuspi, jatamanshi) use for promotion of medha (intellect) < [2021, Issue 10, October]
Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine
Controversial identities of medicinal plants in classical literature of Ayurveda < [Volume 11 (issue 4), Oct-Dec 2020]
Ayurveda as primary care for a gas geyser syndrome survivor: Case report < [Volume 14 (issue 3), May-Jun 2023]
Ayurveda's role in managing psychotic disorders: A systematic review < [Volume 14 (issue 3), May-Jun 2023]
Aging issues and jara cikitsa: Ayurvedic cure for senility. < [Volume 1 (issue 4), Apr-Jun 1982]
Haramekhala – tantra (the first chapter on medicine) < [Volume 5 (issue 3), Jan-Mar 1986]
The concept of aging in ayurveda < [Volume 12 (issue 3-4), Jan-Jun 1993]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
A review on shankhpushpi (convolvulus pluricaulis) < [2021: Volume 10, May issue 5]
Relive stress with ayurveda and sadvrutta palan < [2023: Volume 12, March issue 4]
General introduction of shankhpushpi according to ayurveda < [2021: Volume 10, April issue 4]
AYU (Journal of Research in Ayurveda)
Clinical efficacy of Shankhapushpi and a herbo-mineral compound in type-II diabetes < [Volume 33 (2); 2012 (Apr-Jun)]
Preliminary physico-chemical profile of Brahmi Ghrita < [Volume 34 (3); 2013 (Jul-Sep)]
Effect of selected Samana and Vicitra Pratyayarabdha Dravya w.s.r. to Vipaka < [Volume 34 (4); 2013 (Oct-Dec)]