Vahnishikha, Vahniśikha, Vahni-shikha: 10 definitions

Introduction:

Vahnishikha means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. 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 term Vahniśikha can be transliterated into English as Vahnisikha or Vahnishikha, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

[«previous next»] — Vahnishikha in Ayurveda glossary

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: WorldCat: Rāj nighaṇṭu

Vahniśikhā (वह्निशिखा) is another name for Kalikārī, a medicinal plant identified with Gloriosa superba Linn. (‘flame lily’) from the Colchicaceae family of flowering plants, according to verse 4.128-130 of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu. The fourth chapter (śatāhvādi-varga) of this book enumerates eighty varieties of small plants (pṛthu-kṣupa). Together with the names Vahniśikhā and Kalikārī, there are a total of sixteen Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.

Toxicology (Study and Treatment of poison)

Source: Shodhganga: Kasyapa Samhita—Text on Visha Chikitsa

Vahniśikhā (वह्निशिखा) is the name of an ingredient used in the treatment (cikitsā) of immobile or plant poison (sthāvaraviṣa), according to the Kāśyapa Saṃhitā: an ancient Sanskrit text from the Pāñcarātra tradition dealing with both Tantra and Viṣacikitsā—an important topic from Āyurveda which deals with the study of Toxicology (Viṣavidyā or Sarpavidyā).—Sage Kāśyapa recommends potent drugs to treat sthāvara or plant-poison. According to the Kāśyapasaṃhitā (8.28), “The petals of Vahniśikhā, Vijaya, Rāga, a droṇa of the juice of Nirguṇḍī and Mātṛghāti (Lāṅgalī) powdered and made into a paste, with the latex of Snuhī which is an ativiṣa also effectively fights plant poison”.

Ayurveda book cover
context information

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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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Vahnishikha in Shaktism glossary
Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Vahniśikha (वह्निशिख) refers to a “topknot resembling fire”, according to the Kularatnoddyota, one of the earliest Kubjikā Tantras.—Accordingly, “That, O goddess, is said to be the subtle (form), now listen to the gross one. [...] She holds a skull, dagger, javelin and ascetic’s staff. Fierce, she holds a knife, a great noose and sword. (She also holds) a thunderbolt, spear, bow, arrows and double-headed drum. Her neck is adorned with the great lord of snakes. She wears a snake as a sacred thread and (her) girdle is tied with that also. She is adorned with the thousand-headed lord of the snakes (who is) on (her) head. Snakes are (her) anklets and bangles. Her topknot has the form of a burning fire [jvalat-vahniśikha-ākārā] and scorpions are (her) rings”.

Shaktism book cover
context information

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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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Vahnishikha in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Vahniśikha (वह्निशिख).—

1) saffron.

2) saffower; स्यात् कुसुम्भं वह्निशिखं वस्त्ररञ्जकमित्यपि (syāt kusumbhaṃ vahniśikhaṃ vastrarañjakamityapi) Bhāva P.

Derivable forms: vahniśikham (वह्निशिखम्).

Vahniśikha is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms vahni and śikha (शिख).

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

Vahniśikha (वह्निशिख).—n.

(-khaṃ) 1. Safflower, (Carthamus tinctorius.) 2. Saffron. f.

(-khā) A potherb, (Echites dichotoma.) E. vahni fire, and śikhā crest; also agniśikhā .

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

Vahniśikhā (वह्निशिखा).—[feminine] fire-flame.

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

1) Vahniśikha (वह्निशिख):—[=vahni-śikha] [from vahni > vah] n. safflower, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

2) [v.s. ...] saffron, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

3) [v.s. ...] Ehites Dichotoma, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]

4) Vahniśikhā (वह्निशिखा):—[=vahni-śikhā] [from vahni-śikha > vahni > vah] f. a flame, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

5) [v.s. ...] Methonica Superba, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

7) [v.s. ...] Commelina Salicifolia and other species, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.] ([varia lectio] for bahu-ś).

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

Vahniśikha (वह्निशिख):—[vahni-śikha] (khaṃ) 1. n. Safflower; saffron. f. A potherb.

[Sanskrit to German]

Vahnishikha 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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Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Vahnishikha in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Vahniśikha (ವಹ್ನಿಶಿಖ):—[noun] the plant Carthamus tinctorius of Asteraceae family; safflower.

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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