Tikta, Tiktā: 26 definitions
Introduction:
Tikta means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit, 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 Tikt.
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Cikitsa (natural therapy and treatment for medical conditions)
1) Tiktā (तिक्ता):—Another name for Kaṭuka (Helleborus niger), a species of medicinal plant and used in the treatment of fever (jvara), as described in the Jvaracikitsā (or “the treatment of fever”) which is part of the 7th-century Mādhavacikitsā, a Sanskrit classical work on Āyurveda. The Sanskrit word Tiktā is derived from Tikta, meaning “fragrance” or “bitter, pungent”. This synonym is also identified by Bhāvamiśra in his 16th century Bhāvaprakāśa. Certain plant parts are eaten as vegetables.
2) Tikta (तिक्त) is another name for Paṭola (Trichosanthes dioica, “pointed gourd”) according to the Bhāvaprakāśa, which is a 16th century medicinal thesaurus authored by Bhāvamiśra. The term is used throughout Ayurvedic literature. Certain plant parts of Paṭola are eaten as vegetables.
Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)
1) Tiktā (तिक्ता) is another name for Mūrvā, a medicinal plant identified with Marsdenia tenacissima from the Asclepiadoideae or “milkweed family” of flowering plants, according to verse 3.19-21 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 Tiktā and Mūrvā, there are a total of twenty-eight Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.
2) Tiktā (तिक्ता) is also mentioned as a synonym for Tiktatuṇḍī, a medicinal plant identified with Coccinia indica (ivy gourd ) from the Cucurbitaceae or “gourd family” of flowering plants, according to verse 3.64-65.
3) Tiktā (तिक्ता) is also mentioned as a synonym for Yavatiktā, a medicinal plant identified with Andrographis paniculata (creat or green chireta) from the Acanthaceae or “acanthus family” of flowering plants, according to verse 3.76-78.
Kalpa (Formulas, Drug prescriptions and other Medicinal preparations)
Tikta (तिक्त) is another name for “Paṭola” 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 tikta] 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).
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Tikta (तिक्त) refers to “bitter (drugs)”, and is part of the diet in the treatment of horses, according to sections on the treatment of Horses (Gajāyurveda or Aśvāyurveda) in the Garuḍapurāṇa.—The diet also plays a role during the treatment because the food imparts a greater strength and vigour to the horses and acts as a general prophylactic against diseases. The following diets are mentioned for the horses in Garuḍapurāṇa, which are according to the doṣa: [...] The diet in kaphaja-vikāra: In diseases of the deranged kapha, mudga (green gram) or kulattha (horse gram) rasa (soup/ gravy) mixed with kaṭu, tikta (pungent, bitter drugs), should be given to horses. [...]
Agriculture (Krishi) and Vrikshayurveda (study of Plant life)
Tikta (तिक्त) refers to “pungent-tasting (fruits)” which were created using a recipe for manipulating the taste of fruits (on the tree), according to the Vṛkṣāyurveda by Sūrapāla (1000 CE): an encyclopedic work dealing with the study of trees and the principles of ancient Indian agriculture.—Accordingly, “A ball made out of (piṇḍīkṛta) the mixture of Thevetia peruviana, Gloriosa superba, the big and small Solanum indicum kept in the hole at the root of a tree watered with the same mixture, produces pungent fruits (tikta-phala) [prasūte tiktaṃ phalaṃ] (on that tree) although their natural taste is sweet”.
Tikta (तिक्त) refers to the “bitter taste” associated with the the Rasa (“watery juice”) part of a plant; representing 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.— The rasa (“juice”) nourishes the plant organs with all the derivatives of five ‘pāñcabhautika’ elementary matters, viz. kṣiti, āp, teja, vāyu and ākāśa. There are six different kinds of tastes (ṣaḍrasa), viz. sweet, sour, saline, pungent, bitter and astringent. The development of a bitter tasting (tikta-rasa) in the plant is due to the dominating influence of vāyu (airy) and ākāśa elements.
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Tikta (“bitter”) is a taste which gives rise to a sort of sucking sensation at the throat, removes the slimy character of the cavity of the mouth, gives rise to the appearance of goose-flesh on the skin, and increases the relish for food. The specific attributes of air (vayu or pavana) and sky (akasha) predominate in a bitter taste. The pungent, astringent and bitter (tikta) ones are dry and light in character. The tastes such as sweet, bitter (tikta) and astringent are cold in their properties. Tastes such as sweet, bitter (tikta) and astringent possessed of the virtue of subduing the deranged Pitta. Tastes such as pungent, bitter (tikta) and astringent tend to subdue the deranged Kapha.
Virtue of Tikta—A bitter taste serves to restore the natural relish of a person for food and brings on a sense of general languor. It is a good appetiser, and acts as a good purifying agent (in respect of ulcers, etc.), and proves curative in itches and urticaria. It removes thirst, swoon and fever, purifies mother’s milk, and is possessed of the virtue of drying up urine, ordure, mucous, fat and pus, etc.
A bitter taste (tikta-rasa), though possessed of the aforesaid properties, may bring on numbness of the limbs, wry-neck, convulsions, facial paralysis, violent headache, giddiness, and an aching, cutting and breaking pain, as well as a bad taste in the mouth in the event of its being largely partaken of in exclusion of all other tastes.
Tikta (तिक्त) refers to “bitter”, and is mentioned in verse 1.16 of the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā (Sūtrasthāna) by Vāgbhaṭa.—Tikta (“bitter”) has here been represented by its usual equivalent kha(-ba). Contrast vv. 14 & 15.
1) Tikta (तिक्त):—Bitter; one among the six rasa. Synonym of one of the medicinal plant Parpata.
2) [tiktaṃ] Bitter taste
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.
Jyotisha (astronomy and astrology)
Tikta (तिक्त) refers to the “bitter flavour”, according to the Bṛhatsaṃhitā (chapter 16) (“On the planets—graha-bhaktiyoga”), an encyclopedic Sanskrit work written by Varāhamihira mainly focusing on the science of ancient Indian astronomy astronomy (Jyotiṣa).—Accordingly, “[...] Mercury also presides over painters, grammarians, mathematicians, physicians, sculptors, spies, jugglers, infants, poets, rogues, tale-bearers, black-magicians, messengers, eunuchs, buffoons, sorcerers and conjurers; over sentinels, dancers and dancing masters; over ghee, gingelly and other oils; over seeds, over bitter flavour (tikta), over observers of religious ceremonies, over chemists and mules”.
Jyotisha (ज्योतिष, jyotiṣa or jyotish) refers to ‘astronomy’ or “Vedic astrology” and represents the fifth of the six Vedangas (additional sciences to be studied along with the Vedas). Jyotisha concerns itself with the study and prediction of the movements of celestial bodies, in order to calculate the auspicious time for rituals and ceremonies.
In Buddhism
General definition (in Buddhism)
Tikta (तिक्त, “bitter”) refers to one of the “six kinds of tastes” (rasa) as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 36). The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., tikta). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.
In Jainism
General definition (in Jainism)
Tikta (तिक्त, “bitter”) refers to one of the five types of Rasa (taste) which represents one of the various kinds of Nāma, or “physique-making (karmas)”, which represents one of the eight types of Prakṛti-bandha (species bondage): one of the four kinds of bondage (bandha) according to the 2nd-century Tattvārthasūtra chapter 8. The karmas rise of which gives the taste attribute to the body are called taste body-making karma (e.g., tikta).
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.
Biology (plants and animals)
Tikta in the Lahaul language is the name of a plant identified with Lomatogonium carinthiacum (Wulfen) Rchb. from the Gentianaceae (Gentian) family having the following synonyms: Swertia carinthiaca, Pleurogyne carinata. For the possible medicinal usage of tikta, 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.
Tikta in the Sanskrit language is the name of a plant identified with Trichosanthes dioica Roxb. from the Cucurbitaceae (Pumpkin) family having the following synonyms: Anguina dioeca, Trichosanthes officinalis.
Tikta [तिक्ता] in the Nepali language is the name of a plant identified with Sopubia trifida Buch.-Ham. ex D. Don from the Orobanchaceae (Broomrape) family having the following synonyms: Gerardia scabra, Gerardia sopubia.
Tikta [टिक्टा] in the Nepali language is the name of a plant identified with Halenia elliptica D.Don from the Gentianaceae (Gentian) family having the following synonyms: Swertia peloris.
1) Tikta in India is the name of a plant defined with Coptis teeta in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Coptis teetoides C.Y. Cheng.
2) Tikta is also identified with Euphorbia antiquorum It has the synonym Tithymalus antiquorum (L.) Moench (etc.).
3) Tikta is also identified with Gentianella moorcroftiana It has the synonym Aloitis moorcroftiana (Wall. ex G. Don) Omer, Qaiser & Ali (etc.).
4) Tikta is also identified with Swertia chirayita It has the synonym Gentiana chirarta Roxb. (etc.).
5) Tikta is also identified with Swertia petiolata It has the synonym Swertia petiolata Royle.
6) Tikta is also identified with Zanthoxylum budrunga It has the synonym Zanthoxylum budrunga DC..
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2003)
· Fitoterapia (2003)
· Hooker’s Icones Plantarum (3431)
· The India Journal of Experimental Biology (IJEB) (1991)
· Prodr. (DC.) (1845)
· Taxon (1980)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Tikta, for example chemical composition, health benefits, extract dosage, pregnancy safety, side effects, 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
tikta (तिक्त).—a S Sharp, pungent, biting. 2 Bitter. 3 Used as s m Pungency: also bitterness.
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
Tikta (तिक्त).—a. [tij-bā° kartari kta]
1) Bitter, pungent (as one of the six flavours of Rasas); तस्यास्तिक्तैर्वनगजम- दैर्वासितं वान्तवृष्टिः (tasyāstiktairvanagajama- dairvāsitaṃ vāntavṛṣṭiḥ) Meghadūta 2.
2) Fragrant; कटुतिक्तकषायास्तु सौरभ्येऽपि प्रकीर्तिताः (kaṭutiktakaṣāyāstu saurabhye'pi prakīrtitāḥ)' इति केशवः (iti keśavaḥ) Śiśupālavadha 5.33; तोयक्रीडानिरतयुवति- स्नानतिक्तैर्मरुद्भिः (toyakrīḍāniratayuvati- snānatiktairmarudbhiḥ) Meghadūta 33.
-ktaḥ 1 Bitter taste; (see under kaṭu).
2) The Kuṭaja tree.
3) Pungency.
4) Fragrance.
Tikta (तिक्त).—mfn.
(-ktaḥ-ktā-ktaṃ) 1. Bitter. 2. Fragrant. m.
(-ktaḥ) 1. A bitter taste, bitterness. 3. Fragrance, perfume. 3. A medicinal plant, (Echites antidysenterica.) 4. A tree, (Capparis trifoliata:) see varuṇa. f.
(-ktā) Katuki, a medicinal plant. n.
(-ktaṃ) A medicinal plant, (Mollugo pentaphylla.) E. tij to sharpen, (the appetite,) affix karttari kta .
Tikta (तिक्त).—[adjective] sharp, pungent, bitter, fragrant.
1) Tikta (तिक्त):—a ktaka See below.
2) [from tij] b mfn. bitter (one of the 6 modifications of taste, rasa), pungent, [Mahābhārata xii, xiv; Suśruta] etc.
3) [v.s. ...] fragrant, [Meghadūta; Śiśupāla-vadha v, 33]
4) [v.s. ...] m. a bitter taste, pungency, [Horace H. Wilson]
5) [v.s. ...] fragrance, [Horace H. Wilson]
6) [v.s. ...] Wrightia antidysenterica, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
7) [v.s. ...] Capparis trifoliata, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
8) [v.s. ...] Agathotes Chirayta, [Nighaṇṭuprakāśa]
9) [v.s. ...] = pari-, [ib.]
10) [v.s. ...] Terminalia Catappa, [ib.]
11) [v.s. ...] a sort of cucumber, [ib.] (cf. anārya-, kirāta-, cira-, mahā-)
12) [v.s. ...] n. Name of a medicinal plant, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
13) [v.s. ...] a kind of salt, [Nighaṇṭuprakāśa]
14) Tiktā (तिक्ता):—[from tikta > tij] f. Name of a plant (= -rohiṇī, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]; Clypea hernandifolia, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]; a water-melon, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]; Artemisia sternutatoria, [Bhāvaprakāśa]; = yava-, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]; cf. kāka-), [Suśruta iv, 5, 12.]
Tikta (तिक्त):—(ktaḥ) 1. m. A bitter taste. a. Bitter; fragrant. f. n. A plant.
Tikta (तिक्त):—(von tij)
1) adj. f. ā a) bitter, eine der sechs Modificationen des Geschmacks (rasa). [Amarakoṣa 1, 1, 4, 18.] [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi 1389.] [Anekārthasaṃgraha 2, 170.] [Medinīkoṣa t. 21.] [Mahābhārata 14, 1411.] [Suśruta 1, 153, 17. 20.] [Pañcatantra 61, 11.] [Bhāgavatapurāṇa 3, 26, 42.] yo gale coṣamutpādayati mukhavaiśadyaṃ janayati bhaktaruciṃ cāpādayati harṣaṃ ca sa tiktaḥ [Suśruta 1, 155, 7. 156, 11.] madhura [75, 7. 2, 545, 18.] amla [19.] lavaṇa [1, 75, 9. 2, 546, 1.] kaṭu [4. -] [Mahābhārata 12, 9814. 14, 1280.] Cit. beim Schol. zu [Śākuntala 20, 9.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 16, 34. 47, 7. 50, 32. 75, 12.] — b) wohlriechend [Trikāṇḍaśeṣa 3, 1, 19. 3, 158.] [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] [Meghadūta 20. 34.] —
2) m. a) Name verschiedener Pflanzen: Wrightia antidysenterica R. Br. (kuṭaja) [Śabdacandrikā im Śabdakalpadruma] Capparis trifoliata Roxb. (varuṇa) [Śabdamālā im Śabdakalpadruma] Agathotes Chirayta (kirātatikta) Don.; Melia Azadirachta Lin.; Terminalia Catappa (iṅgudī); eine bittere Gurkenart (Trichosanthes cucumerina Lin.?) [NIGH. PR.] — Vgl. anāryatikta, kirātatikta, cira . — b) eine Art Salz (viḍlavaṇa) [NIGH. PR.] —
3) f. ā Name verschiedener Pflanzen: Helleborus niger Lin. (kaṭurohiṇī) [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa] [NIGH. PR.] Clypea hernandifolia W. u. A. (pāṭhā) [Ratnamālā 14.] = yavatiktā und ṣaḍbhujā [Rājanirghaṇṭa im Śabdakalpadruma] Artemisia sternutatoria Roxb. (chikkanī) [Bhāvaprakāśa im Śabdakalpadruma -] [Suśruta 2, 40, 2.] Vgl. kākatiktā . —
4) n. eine best. officinelle Pflanze (s. parpaṭa) [Hemacandra’s Anekārthasaṃgraha] [Medinīkoṣa]
--- OR ---
Tikta (तिक्त):—
1) b) [Halāyudha 5, 27.] [Śiśupālavadha 5, 33.] — Vgl. pari, mahā .
Tikta (तिक्त):——
1) Adj. (f. ā) — a) bitter. — b) wohlriechend [Meghadūta] —
2) *m. Wrightia antidysenterica , Capparis trifoliata , Agathotes Chirayta , Melia Azadirachta , Terminalia Catappa und eine bittere Gurkenart. —
3) f. ā Artemisia sternutatoria , Helleborus niger , Clypa hernandifolia , Wassermelone und = yavatiktā. Zu belegen , aber nicht näher zu bestimmen. —
4) *n. — a) eine best. Arzeneipflanze. — b) eine Art Salz.
Tikta (तिक्त) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Titta.
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.
Hindi dictionary
Tikta (तिक्त) [Also spelled tikt]:—(a) acrid; pungent; ~[tā] acridity; pungency.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Tikta (ತಿಕ್ತ):—
1) [adjective] having a thin, keen edge or fine point; sharp.
2) [adjective] (fig.) causing or intended to cause discomfort, pain; bitter.
3) [adjective] characterised by strong feelings of hatred, resentment, cynicism, etc.
--- OR ---
Tikta (ತಿಕ್ತ):—
1) [noun] a taste that is sharp, unpleasant; bitter.
2) [noun] pleasing smell; pleasant odour; fragrance.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Tikta (तिक्त):—adj. bitter; pungent; n. bitter taste;
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 (+17): Tikta-gokshura, Tikta-koshataki, Tikta-pittarokam, Tiktaa, Tiktabhadraka, Tiktabija, Tiktabimbi, Tiktadhatu, Tiktadravya, Tiktadugdha, Tiktagana, Tiktagandha, Tiktaghrita, Tiktagunja, Tiktakandaka, Tiktakandika, Tiktamarica, Tiktamaricha, Tiktapaka, Tiktaparva.
Full-text (+186): Mahatikta, Kakatikta, Kiratatikta, Yavatikta, Vanatikta, Katutikta, Anaryatikta, Tiktashaka, Brihattikta, Ciratikta, Pancatikta, Bahutikta, Tiktaphala, Tiktagandha, Tiktasara, Tiktadugdha, Tiktabhadraka, Tiktaghrita, Tiktavalli, Tiktatundi.
Relevant text
Search found 62 books and stories containing Tikta, Tiktā; (plurals include: Tiktas, Tiktās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study) (by A. Yamuna Devi)
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 10.111.9 < [Sukta 111]
Physician as depicted in Manasollasa (by Sri B. S. Hebballi)
Appendix: Glossary of Selected Sanskrit Words
2. The concept of Rasa (direct action of a drug) < [Chapter 6 - Restoring normal physical and mental health]
7. Salient features of Pancamahabhutas < [Chapter 4 - Ancient treatises on Indian medicine]
International Ayurvedic Medical Journal
Allium ascalonicum linn- an ayurvedic perspective < [2014, Issue IV Jul-Aug]
Management of type 2 diabetes through ayurveda: a case study < [2019, Issue 9, September]
Critical evaluation of action of chinchadi thailam in osteoarthritis knee (janusandhigata vata) < [2020, Issue 5, May]
World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Exploring tikta rasa and its therapeutic utility < [2018: Volume 7, July special issue 14]
A review on keechaka taila in darunaka(pitiriasis capitis) < [2020: Volume 9, July issue 7]
Management of sandhishula and sandhishotha- an ayurvedic approach < [2022: Volume 11, July special issue 10]
Atharvaveda and Charaka Samhita (by Laxmi Maji)
4a. Kuṣṭha-roga (leprosy) in the Atharvaveda < [Chapter 5 - Diseases and Remedies in Atharvaveda and Caraka-Saṃhitā]
1b. Study of Fever (Jvara) in the Caraka-Saṃhita < [Chapter 5 - Diseases and Remedies in Atharvaveda and Caraka-Saṃhitā]
1a. Study of Fever (Takman) in the Atharvaveda < [Chapter 5 - Diseases and Remedies in Atharvaveda and Caraka-Saṃhitā]
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