Vasaka, Vasa-ka, Vāsaka, Vaśakā, Vāśaka, Vashaka: 22 definitions
Introduction:
Vasaka means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, Buddhism, Pali, 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 Vaśakā and Vāśaka can be transliterated into English as Vasaka or Vashaka, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).
In Hinduism
Ayurveda (science of life)
Cikitsa (natural therapy and treatment for medical conditions)
Vāsaka (वासक, “perfuming”):—Another name for Vāsā, a medicinal plant (Adhatoda vasica) 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.
Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)
Vāsaka (वासक) is another name for Vāsā, a medicinal plant identified with Adhatoda vasica Nees, synonym of Justicia adhatoda (“malabar nut”), from the Acanthaceae or acanthus family of flowering plants, according to verse 4.47-49 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 Vāsaka and Vāsā, there are a total of sixteen Sanskrit synonyms identified for this plant.
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Vāsaka (वासक) refers to Adhatoda vasica, and is used in the treatment of elephants (Gajāyurveda or Hastyāyurveda), according the Garuḍapurāṇa.—The drugs, treatments enumerated in connection with diseases of horses may also be employed in the diseases of elephants. But the dosage is four times of that of a horse. In Garuḍapurāṇa a kaṣāya known as Rogasāmaka-kaṣāya mentioned for treating the diseases of elephants. It is made up of the following pacifying drugs:—[...] Vāsaka (Adhatoda vasica) [...].
Unclassified Ayurveda definitions
Ayurveda also extracts drugs from the Vasaka (adusa) shrub, which regulate excessive menstrual flow. In Sanskrit botany this modest shrub is named Lion’s Muzzle and Stallion’s Tooth, after the shape and white colour of its flower. Ayurvedic physicians now regard vasaka as the rival of ashoka in its value to women. The Sanskrit word vasaka means ‘little dweller’ or ‘protector of the dwelling place’.

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.
Natyashastra (theatrics and dramaturgy)
Vāsaka (वासक).—The meeting of women by the king for “conjugal union” (vāsaka) should take place at night. The following six are reasons for the vāsaka (“conjugal union”):
- scheduled order (paripāṭī),
- desire for progeny (phala),
- newness of relation (navatva),
- birth of a child (prasava),
- time of sorrow (duḥkha)
- time of joy (pramoda).
Conjugal union being due, kings should go to the bed-chamber of a wife even if she may be in her menses and may not be his favourite.

Natyashastra (नाट्यशास्त्र, nāṭyaśāstra) refers to both the ancient Indian tradition (shastra) of performing arts, (natya—theatrics, drama, dance, music), as well as the name of a Sanskrit work dealing with these subjects. It also teaches the rules for composing Dramatic plays (nataka), construction and performance of Theater, and Poetic works (kavya).
India history and geography
Vāsaka (वासक) mountain under the Prakrit name Vasaa is mentioned in Pādāna Rock inscription. Pandit Bhagvanlal Indraji thinks that Vāsaka is the original name of the Padana hill, about seven miles north of Bombay, eighteen miles south of Sopara and three miles north-east of Goregaon station on the Western Railway. Padana hill was also called Musalaka due to a sage of that name, who lived on its top.
Vāsaka (वासक) refers to a name-ending for place-names mentioned in the Gupta inscriptions (reigned from 3rd century CE). Vāsaka means an abode or inhabitation. An inhabitation can be big or small. In referring to a big inhabitation it denotes a city.
Vāsaka.—(EI 3, 14, 23, 30; IA 13), royal residence whence the copper-plate grants were often issued; the camp or capital of a king. Note: vāsaka is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

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)
Vasaka in India is the name of a plant defined with Justicia adhatoda in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Adhatoda zeylanica Medik. (among others).
Example references for further research on medicinal uses or toxicity (see latin names for full list):
· Berichte der Schweizerischen Botanischen Gesellschaft (1976)
· Journal of Economic and Taxonomic Botany (1996)
· Plantae Asiaticae Rariores (Wallich) (1829)
· Research Bulletin (1970)
· Historia et Commentationes Academiae Electoralis Scientiarum et Elegantiorum Literarum Theodoro-Palatinae (1790)
· Journal of Ethnopharmacology (1996)
If you are looking for specific details regarding Vasaka, for example health benefits, extract dosage, side effects, pregnancy safety, chemical composition, 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
Pali-English dictionary
Vāsaka, vāsika (adj.) (-°) (fr. vāsa2) living, dwelling; vāsaka: see saṃ°. vāsika: gāma° villager Mhvs 28, 15; Bārāṇasi° living in Benares J. III, 49. See also ante°. (Page 610)
vāsaka (ဝါသက) [(pu) (ပု)]—
[vāsa+ka.ṭī.292.sūci.]
[ဝါသ+က။ ဓာန်၊ဋီ။၂၉၂။သူစိ။]

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.
Marathi-English dictionary
vasakā (वसका).—& vasakaṇēṃ Preferably vacakā & vacakaṇēṃ.
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
Vaśakā (वशका).—An obedient wife.
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Vāśaka (वाशक).—a. Roaring, sounding.
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Vāsaka (वासक).—a. (-kā or -sikā f.) [वास्-वस्-णिच् वा ण्वुल् (vās-vas-ṇic vā ṇvul)]
1) Scenting, perfuming, infusing, fumigating &c.
2) Causing to dwell, populating.
-kaḥ Scent.
-kā (also vāsikā)
1) An abode, habitation.
2) A bed-chamber.
-kam Clothes.
Vaśakā (वशका).—f.
(-kā) An obedient and docile wife. E. vaś subject, kan added.
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Vāsaka (वासक).—mf.
(-kaḥ-sakā or sikā) 1. A shrub, (Justicia ganderussa.) 2. Perfuming. E. vās to perfume, aff. ṇvul .
Vāśaka (वाशक).—[adjective] croaking.
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Vāsaka (वासक).—(—°) = 1 2 3 vāsa; [neuter] = seq.
1) Vaśakā (वशका):—[from vaś] f. an obedient wife, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
2) Vāśaka (वाशक):—[from vāś] 1. vāśaka mfn. (for 2. See below) croaking, screaming, warbling (said of birds), [Mṛcchakaṭikā]
3) 2. vāśaka mf(ikā). Gendarussa Vulgaris, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.] (cf. 1. vāsa, vāsaka).
4) Vāsaka (वासक):—[from vās] 1. vāsaka m. scent, [Pañcarātra]
5) [v.s. ...] also f(akā, ikā). Gendarussa Vulgaris or Adhatoda Vasica, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā; Suśruta] etc.
6) [v.s. ...] mfn. perfuming, fumigating, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
7) [from vāsa] 2. vāsaka (ifc.) = vāsa2 clothing, clothes, [Yājñavalkya; Mahābhārata etc.] (cf. aśuddha-v).
8) [from vāsa] 3. vāsaka mf(ikā)n. causing to dwell or inhabit, populating, [Monier-Williams’ Sanskrit-English Dictionary]
9) [v.s. ...] (ifc.) abode, habitation, [Yājñavalkya]
10) [v.s. ...] n. (ifc. f(ā). ) a sleeping-room, bed-chamber, [Kathāsaritsāgara]
11) 4. vāsaka m. (in music) a species of dhruvaka (q.v.), [Saṃgīta-sārasaṃgraha]
12) 5. vāsaka m. Name of a serpent-demon, [Mahābhārata]
13) [plural] Name of a people, [Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa]
1) Vaśakā (वशका):—(kā) 1. f. A docile wife.
2) Vāsaka (वासक):—[(kaḥ-kā)] 1. m. f. A plant.
Vaśakā (वशका):—f. ein gehorsames Weib [Śabdaratnāvalī im Śabdakalpadruma]
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Vāśaka (वाशक):—1. (von vāś) adj. krächzend: nānāvāśakakaṅkapakṣirucira [Mṛcchakaṭikā 144, 11.]
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Vāśaka (वाशक):—2.
1) m. eine best. Pflanze, = vāsaka [COLEBR.] und [Loiseleur Deslongchamps] zu [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 3, 22.] —
2) f. vāśikā dass. diess. zu [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 3, 21.] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 55, 22, v. l.] [?(nach KERN).]
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Vāsaka (वासक):—1. = 1. vāsa am Ende eines adj. comp.: aśuddha schmutzige Kleider tragend (in einem verrufenen Hause wohnend [Stenzler]) [Yājñavalkya’s Gesetzbuch 2, 266.] sarva vollständig gekleidet (= sarvasyācchādaka [Nīlakaṇṭha]) im Gegens. zu digvāsas [Mahābhārata 13, 753.] saṃvītāsita [Kathāsaritsāgara 73, 283.] paṭa (so die ed. Bomb.) m. Nomen proprium eines Schlangendämons [Mahābhārata 1, 2159.]
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Vāsaka (वासक):—2. (von 2. vāsa)
1) n. Schlafgemach [Kathāsaritsāgara 5, 31. 15, 21. 17, 131. 18, 281. 22, 14. 24, 166. 30, 113. 115. 33, 13. 45, 317. 46, 249. 48, 138. 49, 117. 71, 50. 87. 157. 73, 187. 337. 120, 47.] am Ende eines adj. comp. f. ā [17, 66.] —
2) m. pl. Nomen proprium eines Volkes [Mārkāṇḍeyapurāṇa 57, 46]; vgl. vana .
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Vāsaka (वासक):—3. (von 3. vāsa)
1) m. a) Wohlgeruch: mukha = mukhavāsa [PAÑCAR. 3, 9, 4.] — b) Gendarussa vulgaris Nees., ein hübscher Strauch in Gärten, [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 3, 22.] [AUSH. 6.] [Suśruta 2, 69, 15. 208, 13. 222, 18.] [Śārṅgadhara SAṂH. 2, 1, 7. 2, 32. 59.] ja [Suśruta 2, 505, 4.] —
2) f. vāsakā f. dass. [Jaṭādhara im Śabdakalpadruma] vāsikā f. dass. [Amarakoṣa 2, 4, 3, 21.] [Śabdaratnāvalī im Śabdakalpadruma] [Varāhamihira’s Bṛhajjātaka S. 55, 22.]
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Vāsaka (वासक):—4. m. = gānāṅgaviśeṣa [Śabdakalpadruma] mit folgendem Belege aus [SAM̃GĪTADĀM.] : manoharo tha kandarpaścārunandana eva ca . catvāro (!) vāsakāḥ proktāḥ śaṃkareṇa svayaṃ purā .. keṣāṃcinmate nāmānyapi pṛthak . vinodo varadaścaiva nandaḥ kumuda eva ca . catvāro vāsakāḥ proktā gītavādyaviśāradaiḥ ..
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Vāsaka (वासक):—4. [Z. 2] zu lesen kandarpaścārurnandana nach [Hemacandra’s Abhidhānacintāmaṇi] [BROCKHAUS.]
Vāsaka (वासक) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Vāsaga.
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
Vāsaka (ವಾಸಕ):—
1) [adjective] of, characterised by or suitable for residences or homes; residential.
2) [adjective] dabbed, sprayed with perfume; perfumed.
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Vāsaka (ವಾಸಕ):—
1) [noun] a building suitable for, constructed for purposes of, living in; a residence.
2) [noun] a room with a bed, for sleeping in; a bed room.
3) [noun] a pleasant odour; a swet smell; a fragrance.
4) [noun] that which is filled with, dabbed or sprayed with perfume.
5) [noun] the plant Adhatoda vasica ( = Justicia adhatoda) of Acanthaceae family.
6) [noun] another plant Justicia gendrussa ( = Gendrusa vulgaris) of the same family.
7) [noun] a woven fabric; cloth.
8) [noun] a kind of bird.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
Nepali dictionary
Vasaka (वसक):—n. Bot. vasaka; an Ayurvedic medicinal herb;
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: Ka, Vaca, Vasa, Vassa.
Starts with (+12): Vacakam, Vacakan, Vacakananam, Vacakancey, Vacakapatam, Vacakappa, Vacakappanku, Vacakaputtakam, Vacakaram, Vacakatatti, Vacakatitcai, Vacakayinkaryam, Vasakaghrita, Vasakaghrita, Vasakah, Vasakala, Vasakalu, Vasakana, Vasakanem, Vasakarana.
Full-text (+68): Antaravasaka, Patavasaka, Vasakasajja, Ashuddhavasaka, Vasakasajjika, Vanavasaka, Jatavasaka, Shrivasaka, Suvasaka, Vacakam, Sarvavasaka, Vindhyavasaka, Gramavasaka, Vasakah, Vasi, Kasanotpatana, Vasakasajjike, Caru, Ataru, Ishvaravasaka.
Relevant text
Search found 43 books and stories containing Vasaka, Vasa-ka, Vāsa-ka, Vāsaka, Vasakā, Vaśakā, Vāśaka, Vashaka; (plurals include: Vasakas, kas, Vāsakas, Vasakās, Vaśakās, Vāśakas, Vashakas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Ashta Nayikas and Dance Forms (study) (by V. Dwaritha)
Part 1-2 - Introduction and definition of Vāsakasajjikā < [Chapter 3 - Vāsakasajjikā]
Part 12 - Examples of Sāmānyā Vāsakasajjikā < [Chapter 3 - Vāsakasajjikā]
Part 3 - Portrayal of a Vāsakasajjikā on stage < [Chapter 3 - Vāsakasajjikā]
Garuda Purana (by Manmatha Nath Dutt)
Chapter CCXXVII - Different names of the Ayurvedic Drugs < [Dhanvantari Samhita]
Chapter CXCV - Medical treatment of female complaints < [Dhanvantari Samhita]
Chapter CXCVII - Preparations of medicinal oils and Ghritas < [Dhanvantari Samhita]
Rig Veda (translation and commentary) (by H. H. Wilson)
Rig Veda 8.101.6 < [Sukta 101]
Sushruta Samhita, Volume 6: Uttara-tantra (by Kaviraj Kunja Lal Bhishagratna)
Chapter XXXIX - Symptoms and Treatment of Fever (Jvara) < [Canto III - Kaya-chikitsa-tantra (internal medicine)]
Chapter LI - Symptoms and Treatment of Asthma (Shvasa) < [Canto III - Kaya-chikitsa-tantra (internal medicine)]
Chapter XLV - Symptoms and Treatment of Hemorrhage (Rakta-pitta) < [Canto III - Kaya-chikitsa-tantra (internal medicine)]
Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (study) (by K. Vidyuta)
9. Dwellings outside the Prākāras < [Chapter 3 - Prākāra Lakṣaṇa]
Bhesajjakkhandhaka (Chapter on Medicine) (by Hin-tak Sik)
Medicines (c): Leaves (Paṇṇa/Patra) < [Chapter 4 - Medicinal Substances in the Chapter on Medicine]
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