Tamala, Tamāla: 23 definitions

Introduction:

Tamala means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, Buddhism, Pali, the history of ancient India, Marathi, Hindi, 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.

Alternative spellings of this word include Tamal.

In Hinduism

Dharmashastra (religious law)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-śāstra

Tamāla (तमाल) is a Sanskrit word, identified with Cinnamomum tamala (Indian bay leaf) by various scholars in their translation of the Śukranīti. This tree is mentioned as having thorns, and should therefore be considered as wild. The King shoud place such trees in forests (not in or near villages). He should nourish them by stoole of goats, sheep and cows, water as well as meat. Acacia nilotica is a synonym of Vachellia nilotica.

The following is an ancient Indian horticultural recipe for the nourishment of such trees:

According to Śukranīti 4.4.110-112: “The powder of the dungs of goats and sheep, the powder of Yava (barley), Tila (seeds), beef as well as water should be kept together (undisturbed) for seven nights. The application of this water leads very much to the growth in flowers and fruits of all trees (such as tamāla).”

Dharmashastra book cover
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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.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Wisdom Library: Śrīmad Devī Bhāgavatam

Tamāla (तमाल) is the name of a tree found in maṇidvīpa (Śakti’s abode), according to the Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa 12.10. Accordingly, these trees always bear flowers, fruits and new leaves, and the sweet fragrance of their scent is spread across all the quarters in this place. The trees (e.g. Tamāla) attract bees and birds of various species and rivers are seen flowing through their forests carrying many juicy liquids. Maṇidvīpa is defined as the home of Devī, built according to her will. It is compared with Sarvaloka, as it is superior to all other lokas.

The Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa, or Śrīmad-devī-bhāgavatam, is categorised as a Mahāpurāṇa, a type of Sanskrit literature containing cultural information on ancient India, religious/spiritual prescriptions and a range of topics concerning the various arts and sciences. The whole text is composed of 18,000 metrical verses, possibly originating from before the 6th century.

Shaktism book cover
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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.

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Ayurveda (science of life)

Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)

Source: Shodhganga: Edition translation and critical study of yogasarasamgraha

Tamāla (तमाल) is another name for “Ḍāḍima” and is dealt with in the 15th-century Yogasārasaṅgraha (Yogasara-saṅgraha) by Vāsudeva: an unpublished Keralite work representing an Ayurvedic compendium of medicinal recipes. The Yogasārasaṃgraha [mentioning tamāla] deals with entire recipes in the route of administration, and thus deals with the knowledge of pharmacy (bhaiṣajya-kalpanā) which is a branch of pharmacology (dravyaguṇa).

Ayurveda book cover
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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.

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General definition (in Hinduism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Hinduism

Tamāla (तमाल)—Sanskrit word for a plant “gamboge tree” (Garcinia sp.).

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: archive.org: Een Kritische Studie Van Svayambhūdeva’s Paümacariu

Tamāla (तमाल) participated in the war between Rāma and Rāvaṇa, on the side of the latter, as mentioned in Svayambhūdeva’s Paumacariu (Padmacarita, Paumacariya or Rāmāyaṇapurāṇa) chapter 57ff. Svayambhū or Svayambhūdeva (8th or 9th century) was a Jain householder who probably lived in Karnataka. His work recounts the popular Rāma story as known from the older work Rāmāyaṇa (written by Vālmīki). Various chapters [mentioning Tamāla] are dedicated to the humongous battle whose armies (known as akṣauhiṇīs) consisted of millions of soldiers, horses and elephants, etc.

Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Tamāla (तमाल) is usually identified as Garcinia xanthochymus, which has very dark foliage.

General definition book cover
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Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

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India history and geography

Source: Shodhganga: Cultural history as g leaned from kathasaritsagara

Tamala is the name of a tree mentioned in the Kathasaritsagara by Somadeva (10th century A.D).—Tamala ranges on the Southern Himalaya slopes are mentioned. ITs forests in the Vindhya tract are also mentioned.

Somadeva mentions many rich forests, gardens, various trees (e.g., Tamala), creepers medicinal and flowering plants and fruit-bearing trees in the Kathasaritsagara. Travel through the thick, high, impregnable and extensive Vindhya forest is a typical feature of many travel-stories. Somadeva’s writing more or less reflects the life of the people of Northern India during the 11th century. His Kathasaritsagara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Tamala, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravahanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyadharas (celestial beings).

India history book cover
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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: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

1) Tamala in India is the name of a plant defined with Cinnamomum macrocarpum in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices.

2) Tamala is also identified with Cinnamomum tamala It has the synonym Cinnamomum tamala T. Nees & Eberm. (etc.).

3) Tamala is also identified with Crateva nurvala It has the synonym Crateva lophosperma Kurz (etc.).

4) Tamala is also identified with Garcinia morella It has the synonym Garcinia morella (Gaertn.) Desr. (etc.).

5) Tamala is also identified with Garcinia pictoria It has the synonym Xanthochymus pictorius Roxb. (etc.).

6) Tamala is also identified with Garcinia xanthochymus It has the synonym Garcinia pictoria (Roxb.) D’Arcy, nom. illeg., non Garcinia pictoria Buch.-Ham. (etc.).

7) Tamala is also identified with Pongamia pinnata It has the synonym Cajum pinnatum (L.) Kuntze (etc.).

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

· Journal of Botany (1874)
· Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society (1971)
· Journal of the Indian Botanical Society (1980)
· Botanica expeditior (1760)
· Transactions of the Linnean Society of London (1822)
· Interpretation of Rumphius’s Herbarium Amboinense (1917)

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

Biology book cover
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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.

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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

tamāla : (m.) the tree Xantrochymus pictorius.

Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary

Tamāla, (Sk. tamāla) N. of a tree (Xanthochymus pictorius) Pv III, 105 (+uppala). (Page 297)

Pali book cover
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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.

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Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

tamāla (तमाल).—m (S) A tree, Xanthochymus pictorius. Rox.

context information

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.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Tamāla (तमाल).—

1) Name of a tree with a very dark bark; तरुणतमालनीलबहलोन्नमदम्बुधराः (taruṇatamālanīlabahalonnamadambudharāḥ) Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 9.18; R.13.15,49; Gītagovinda 11.

2) A sectarial mark of sandal upon the forehead made with the juice of the Tamāla fruit.

3) A sword, scimitar.

4) The bark of the bamboo.

4) Tobacco.

Derivable forms: tamālaḥ (तमालः).

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

Tamāla (तमाल).—m.

(-laḥ) 1. The sectarial mark made with Sandal, &c. upon the forehead. 2. The name of a tree bearing black blossoms, (Xantho-) cymus pictorios, Rox.) 3. A sword, a scymitar or large sacrificial knife. 4. A plant: see varuṇa. 5. A black kind of Mimosa. 6. The bark of the bambu. n.

(-laṃ) The leaf of the Laurus cassia. The bark or troubled, leaf of the Luarus cassia. E. tam to be dark or troubled, Unadi affix kālan.

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

Tamāla (तमाल).—i. e. tam + a + āla, m. The name of a dark-coloured tree, Xanthochymus pictorius Roxb., [Rāmāyaṇa] 3, 21, 14.

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

Tamāla (तमाल).—[masculine] [Name] of a tree.

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

1) Tamāla (तमाल):—[from tam] a m. ‘dark-barked (but white-blossomed)’ Xanthochymus Pictorius, [Mahābhārata; Harivaṃśa 12837; Rāmāyaṇa; Suśruta; Mṛcchakaṭikā] etc.

2) [v.s. ...] a sort of black Khadira tree, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) [v.s. ...] Crataeva Roxburghii, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

4) [v.s. ...] tobacco, [Śikṣāp.]

5) [v.s. ...] sectarial mark on the forehead (made with the juice of the Tamāla fruit), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

6) [v.s. ...] a sword, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

7) [v.s. ...] mn. ([gana] ardharcādi) the bark of the bamboo, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

8) [v.s. ...] n. = -patra, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

9) [from tamas] b etc. See, [ib. & [column] 2.]

10) Tāmala (तामल):—[from tāma] mf(ī)n. made of the bark of the Tamāla plant, [Āpastamba-dharma-sūtra i, 2, 37.]

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

Tamāla (तमाल):—(laḥ) 1. m. The sectarial mark made with sandal on the forehead; a sword; name of a tree. n. Leaf of the Laurus cassia.

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)

Tamāla (तमाल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Tamāla.

[Sanskrit to German]

Tamala 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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Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Tamāla (तमाल) [Also spelled tamal]:—(nm) a big evergreen tree —Xanthocymus pictorius.

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Prakrit-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary

Tamāla (तमाल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Tamāla.

context information

Prakrit is an ancient language closely associated with both Pali and Sanskrit. Jain literature is often composed in this language or sub-dialects, such as the Agamas and their commentaries which are written in Ardhamagadhi and Maharashtri Prakrit. The earliest extant texts can be dated to as early as the 4th century BCE although core portions might be older.

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Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Ṭamāḷa (ಟಮಾಳ):—

1) [noun] the act, practice or habit of deceiving; deception; trickery; fraud.

2) [noun] sweet sounding speech, words used to deceive others.

--- OR ---

Tamāla (ತಮಾಲ):—

1) [noun] the tree Garcinia xanthochymus (= G. pictoria, = G. tinctoria, = Xanthochymus pictorius) of Guttiferae family; Mysore gamboge tree.

2) [noun] the medium-sized, evergreen tree Pongamia pinnata (= P. glabra) of Papilionaceae family, known for the coolness of its shadow and hard wood.

3) [noun] a kind of sectarian mark put on the forehead.

4) [noun] darkness.

--- OR ---

Tamāḷa (ತಮಾಳ):—[noun] = ತಮಾಲ [tamala].

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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