Shrigala, Śṛgāla, Sṛgāla, Srigala: 21 definitions
Introduction:
Shrigala means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India, 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 Śṛgāla and Sṛgāla can be transliterated into English as Srgala or Shrigala or Srigala, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Sṛgāla (सृगाल) refers to the Golden Jackal (Canis aureus), according to scientific texts such as the Mṛgapakṣiśāstra (Mriga-pakshi-shastra) or “the ancient Indian science of animals and birds” by Hamsadeva, containing the varieties and descriptions of the animals and birds seen in the Sanskrit Epics such as the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Śṛgāla (शृगाल)—Sanskrit word for the animal “jackal”. This animal is from the group called Guhāśaya (‘which have a lair’, or, ‘cave-dwelling mammals’). Guhāśaya itself is a sub-group of the group of animals known as Jāṅghala (living in high ground and in a jungle).
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)
Śṛgāla (शृगाल).—A King of the "Strī rājya". This king had attended the Svayaṃvara of the daughter of Citrāṅgada, king of Kaliṅga. (Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Chapter 4, Verse 7)
Sṛgāla (सृगाल) refers to “jackals”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.15 (“The penance and reign of Tārakāsura”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā narrated: “[...] At the same time, several phenomena of evil portent forboding misery and distress happened, when the son of Varāṅgī was born making the gods miserable. [...] Within villages, inauspicious vixens howled hideously vomitting fires; as it were, through their mouths along with the hissing and twanging sounds of the hootings and howlings of owls and jackals [i.e., sṛgāla-ulūka-ṭaṅkāra]. Lifting up their necks, the dogs barked in diverse ways producing sounds of singing or lamenting here and there. [...]”.
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.
Dharmashastra (religious law)
Śṛgāla (शृगाल) refers to the animal “Golden jackal” (Canis aureus).—The Smṛtis mention several domestic as well as wild animals that are enumerated in context of specifying expiation for killing them, the flesh being used as a dietary article to give satisfaction to the Manes (Pitṛs) in Śrāddha rites, the law of transmigration due to various sins committed as well as in the context of specifying gifts to be given on various occasions. These animals [viz., Śṛgāla] are chiefly mentioned in the Manusmṛti, Parāśarasmṛti [Chap.6], Gautamasmṛti [17.2 and 15.1], Śātātapasmṛti [II.45-54], Uśānasmṛti [IX.7-9; IX.12-13], Yājñavalkyasmṛti [I.170-171; I.175; I.258- 260], Viṣṇusmṛti [51.3;51.6;51.26;51.33;80.3-14], Uttarāṅgirasasmṛti [X.15-17], Prajāpatismṛti [Śrāddhatyājyavastuvarṇanam. 138-143], 9 Kāśyapasmṛti [Section on Prāyaścittavarṇanam], Vṛddha Hārītasmṛti [6.253-255] and Kātyāyanasmṛti [27.11].
Dharmashastra (धर्मशास्त्र, dharmaśāstra) contains the instructions (shastra) regarding religious conduct of livelihood (dharma), ceremonies, jurisprudence (study of law) and more. It is categorized as smriti, an important and authoritative selection of books dealing with the Hindu lifestyle.
Shaivism (Shaiva philosophy)
Sṛgāla (सृगाल) refers to a “jackal” (i.e., ‘being amongst jackals in dreams’), according to the Svacchanda-tantra.—Accordingly, [verse 4.21-27, while describing inauspicious dreams]—“[...] [He dreams of] the destruction of houses, palaces, beds, clothes, and seats; defeat of oneself in battle and theft of ones things. [He] ascends or is amongst donkeys, camels, dogs, jackals (sṛgāla), and herons, vultures, and cranes. [He rides on] buffalos, owls, and crows, eats cooked meat, [wears a] red garland, and ointment for the body. [...]”
Shaiva (शैव, śaiva) or Shaivism (śaivism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshiping Shiva as the supreme being. Closely related to Shaktism, Shaiva literature includes a range of scriptures, including Tantras, while the root of this tradition may be traced back to the ancient Vedas.
General definition (in Hinduism)
Sṛgāla (सृगाल, ‘jackal’) is not found until the Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa (xii. 5, 2, 5), but is common in the Epic.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Śṛgāla (शृगाल, “jackal”) represents an incarnation destination of the tiryaggati (animal realm) according to the “world of transmigration” section in the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XXVII).—The Bodhisattva sees the animals (tiryak) undergoing all the torments: they are made to gallop by blows of the whip or stick; they are made to make long journeys carrying burdens; their harness is damaged; they are branded with hot iron. If they have deceived honest people (sajjanāvamāna), they take the body of [for example], a jackal (śṛgāla).
Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
India history and geography
Śṛgāla (शृगाल) or Śṛgālapā is another name for Śalipā: one of the eighty-four Siddhas (Siddhācāryas) of the Sahajayāna school, according to sources such as the Varṇaratnākara of Jyotirīśvara (i.e., the Varna-Ratnakara by Jyotirishwar Thakur).—The Sahaja-Yana is a philosophical and esoteric movement of Tantric Buddhism which had enormous influence in the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayas.—Many of these Mahāsiddhas [e.g., Śṛgāla-pā] were historical figures whose lives and mystical powers were the subject of legends. They are often associated with teachings belonging to Hinduism, Buddhism, Ajivikism and Jainism such as the Nath Tradition.
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Shrigala in India is the name of a plant defined with Echinops echinatus in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices.
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Hortus Bengalensis (1814)
· Taxon (1977)
· Bot. Journal of the Linnean Society (2000)
· Ethnobotany (2004)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Shrigala, for example chemical composition, pregnancy safety, extract dosage, side effects, health benefits, diet and recipes, 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
śṛgāla (शृगाल).—m A male jackal. śṛgālī f A female jackal.
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
Śṛgāla (शृगाल).—[asṛjaṃ lāti lā-ka pṛṣo°]
1) A jackal.
2) A cheat, rogue, swindler.
3) A coward.
4) An ill-natured man, one using harsh words.
5) Name of Kṛṣṇa.
Derivable forms: śṛgālaḥ (शृगालः).
--- OR ---
Sṛgāla (सृगाल).—A jackal; see शृगाल (śṛgāla).
Derivable forms: sṛgālaḥ (सृगालः).
Śṛgāla (शृगाल).—m.
(-laḥ) 1. A shakal or jackal. 2. A coward, a poltroon. 3. A rogue, a cheat. 4. An ill-natured or harsh-speaking man. 5. A demon so named. 6. Krishna. f. (-lī) 1. Flight, retreat. 2. A fox. 3. A she-jackal. E. śṛj to create or abandon, (deceit, &c.) kālan aff.; or śṛṅga a horn, a negative prefix, lā to possess, aff. ka, deriv. irr.; also sṛgāla, &c.
--- OR ---
Sṛgāla (सृगाल).—m.
(-laḥ) 1. A jackal. 2. A Daitya or demon. E. sṛj to let go, kālan aff; more usually śṛgāla .
Śṛgāla (शृगाल).—I. m. 1. Ajackal, [Hitopadeśa] 52, 4, M. M. 2. A rogue. 3. A coward. 4. A demon. 5. Kṛṣṇa. Ii. f. lī. 1. A she-jackal, [Pañcatantra] 220, 9. 2. A fox.
Śṛgāla (शृगाल).—v. sṛgāla.
--- OR ---
Sṛgāla (सृगाल).—[masculine] sṛgālī & sṛgālikā [feminine] jackal.
1) Śṛgāla (शृगाल):—(also written śṛkāla) m. a jackal etc. See sṛgāla.
2) Sṛgāla (सृगाल):—m. (also written śṛgāla; of doubtful derivation), a jackal, [Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa] etc. etc.
3) a [particular] tree, [Mahābhārata] ([Nīlakaṇṭha])
4) Name of a Vāsudeva (ruler of Karavīra-pura), [Harivaṃśa]
5) of a Daitya, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
6) a rogue, cheat, [Horace H. Wilson]
7) a coward, poltroon, [ib.]
8) an ill-natured or harsh-speaking man, [ib.]
1) Śṛgāla (शृगाल):—(laḥ) 1. m. Idem; a demon; a poltroon; a cheat; cross man; Krishna. f.
(-ī) Flight; a fox.
2) Sṛgāla (सृगाल):—(laḥ) 1. m. A jackal; a demon.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sṛgāla (सृगाल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Siāla.
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
Śṛgāla (ಶೃಗಾಲ):—[noun] any of several wild dogs, mostly yellowish-gray and smaller than the wolf, which often hunt prey in packs, gen. at night, and also eat carrion and certain plants; a jackal.
--- OR ---
Sṛgāla (ಸೃಗಾಲ):—[noun] the wild dog Canis aureus, (smaller than the wolf), which offten hunt prey in pack at night and eat carrion and certin plants, believed to be sly; jackal.
--- OR ---
Sṛgāḷa (ಸೃಗಾಳ):—[noun] = ಸೃಗಾಲ [srigala].
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Śṛgāla (शृगाल):—n. 1. jackal; 2. fig. coward; villain;
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: Shri-kalahasti, Shrigalajambu, Shrigalakantaka, Shrigalakeli, Shrigalakoli, Shrigalamukha, Shrigalamukhi, Shrigalapa, Shrigalapada, Shrigalarupa, Shrigalasevita, Shrigalashakuna, Shrigalasya, Shrigalavaktra, Shrigalavasudeva, Shrigalavinna, Shrigalayoni, Shrikalasti.
Full-text (+40): Shrigalakantaka, Shrigalakoli, Shrigalajambu, Shrigalavinna, Shrigalarupa, Shrigalayoni, Srigalavadana, Srigalavati, Vriddhasrigala, Srigalaghanti, Srigalavrinta, Srigalagarta, Shrikala, Srigalagartiya, Srigalavatiya, Srigalavastuka, Shrigalakeli, Shvasrigala, Xi jia luo, Shargala.
Relevant text
Search found 26 books and stories containing Shrigala, Śṛgāla, Sṛgāla, Srgala, Sṛgāḷa, Srigala; (plurals include: Shrigalas, Śṛgālas, Sṛgālas, Srgalas, Sṛgāḷas, Srigalas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Sanskrit Words In Southeast Asian Languages (by Satya Vrat Shastri)
Page 220 < [Sanskrit words in the Southeast Asian Languages]
Page 104 < [Sanskrit words in the Southeast Asian Languages]
Page 639 < [Sanskrit words in the Southeast Asian Languages]
Harivamsha Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter 44 - Battle with Shrigala < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]
Chapter 39 - Krishna Meets with Parasurama < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]
Chapter 46 - Baladeva Visits Vraja < [Book 2 - Vishnu Parva]
Dictionaries of Indian languages (Kosha)
Page 393 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 2]
Page 477 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 3]
Page 627 < [Bengali-Hindi-English, Volume 3]
Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)
Verse 2.19.146 < [Chapter 19 - The Lord’s Pastimes in Advaita’s House]
Verse 1.14.87 < [Chapter 14 - The Lord’s Travel to East Bengal and the Disappearance of Lakṣmīpriyā]
Verse 2.23.481 < [Chapter 23 - Wandering about Navadvīpa On the Day the Lord Delivered the Kazi]
Bhagavata Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 50(c) - Conquest of Karvīrapura < [Book 10 - Tenth Skandha]
Chapter 50(d) - Kṛṣṇa Crowned: Jarāsandha’s Defeat < [Book 10 - Tenth Skandha]
Chapter 50 - Settlement at the Fort of Dvārakā < [Book 10 - Tenth Skandha]
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 6.6.12 < [Chapter 6 - The Yādavas’ Victory When Śrī Rukmiṇī is Kidnapped]