Alternative spellings of this word include Vifal.

In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Nighantu (Synonyms and Characteristics of Drugs and technical terms)

Source: Wisdom Library: Raj Nighantu

Viphala (विफल) refers to “fruitless trees”, as mentioned in a list of four synonyms in the second chapter (dharaṇyādi-varga) of the 13th-century Raj Nighantu or Rājanighaṇṭu (an Ayurvedic encyclopedia). The Dharaṇyādi-varga covers the lands, soil, mountains, jungles and vegetation’s relations between trees [viz., Viphala] and plants and substances, with their various kinds.

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.

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: archive.org: Shiva Purana - English Translation

Viphala (विफल) refers to “that which is futile”, according to the Śivapurāṇa 2.3.17 (“The dialogue between Indra and Kāmadeva”).—Accordingly, as Brahmā said to Kāma: “[...] Securing a wonderful boon from Brahmā, the great demon Tāraka has become invincible and a pest for everyone. The entire world is harassed by him. Many virtuous rites are destroyed. The gods have become miserable and so also the sages. He had been fought by the gods to the utmost of their ability formerly. But the weapons of all the gods became quite futile [i.e., viphala]. [...]”.

context information

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.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

Source: The University of Sydney: A study of the Twelve Reflections

Viphala (विफल) refers to “futile” [?], according to Pūjyapāda’s Sarvārthasiddhi.—Accordingly, “[...] Even if human birth is attained, a good country, a good family, keen senses, health, etc. are more and more difficult of attainment. When all these are attained, if true faith is not acquired, human birth becomes useless like the face without vision. And even after attaining this rare true faith, if anyone is immersed in worldly pleasures, it is (? viphala—candanadahanam iva viphalam) like burning sandal-wood paste for the sake of ash. [...]”.

context information

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)

Source: Google Books: CRC World Dictionary (Regional names)

Viphala in India is the name of a plant defined with Pandanus tectorius in various botanical sources. This page contains potential references in Ayurveda, modern medicine, and other folk traditions or local practices It has the synonym Pandanus odoratissimus L.f. (among others).

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

· Der Naturforscher (1774)
· Ceiba (1975)
· Proceedings of the Indian Science Congress Association (1984)
· Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden (1911)
· Supplementum Plantarum (1781)
· Journal of a voyage to the South Seas (1773)

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

context information

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

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

viphala : (adj.) fruitless; profitless.

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

Viphala, (adj.) (vi+phala) fruitless, useless Sdhp. 527. (Page 629)

context information

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

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

viphala (विफल).—a S pop. viphaḷa a Fruitless, unprofitable, vain, idle.

Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-English

viphala (विफल) [-ḷa, -ळ].—a Fruitless, vain.

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.

Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Viphala (विफल).—a.

1) Fruitless, useless, vain, ineffectual, unprofitable; मम विफलमेतदनुरूपमपि यौवनम् (mama viphalametadanurūpamapi yauvanam) Gītagovinda 7; जगता वा विफलेन किं फलम् (jagatā vā viphalena kiṃ phalam) R. G.; Śiśupālavadha 9.6; Kumārasambhava 7.66; Meghadūta 7.

2) Idle, unmeaning.

3) Having no testicles.

-lā Name of a plant (ketakī).

-lam Fruitlessness, unprofitableness; नावमः कर्मकल्पोऽपि विफलायेश्वरार्पितः (nāvamaḥ karmakalpo'pi viphalāyeśvarārpitaḥ) Bhāgavata 8.5.48.

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

Viphala (विफल).—mfn.

(-laḥ-lā-laṃ) Vain, idle, unmeaning, fruitless, useless. E. vi privative, and phala fruit.

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

Viphala (विफल).—adj. vain, fruitless useless Böhtl. Ind. Spr. 1395.

Viphala is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms vi and phala (फल).

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

Viphala (विफल).—[adjective] fruitless, useless, unsuccessful, idle, vain; having no testicles.

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

1) Viphala (विफल):—[=vi-phala] [from vi] a See sub voce

2) [=vi-phala] b mf(ā)n. bearing no fruit (as a tree), [Kāvya literature; Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]

3) [v.s. ...] fruitless, useless, ineffectual, futile, vain, idle, [Yājñavalkya; Harivaṃśa] etc.

4) [v.s. ...] having no testicles, [Rāmāyaṇa]

5) [v.s. ...] m. Pandanus Odoratissimus, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

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

Viphala (विफल):—[vi-phala] (laḥ-lā-laṃ) a. Vain, useless.

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

Viphala (विफल) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit word: Vihala.

[Sanskrit to German]

Viphala 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.

Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Viphala (विफल) [Also spelled vifal]:—(a) failed, unsuccessful; vain, inefficacious; fruitless, futile; ~[tā] failure; inefficacy, fruitlessness, futility.

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Prakrit-English dictionary

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

Viphāla (विफाल) in the Prakrit language is related to the Sanskrit word: Vipāṭa.

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.

Kannada-English dictionary

Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Viphala (ವಿಫಲ):—[adjective] without results; unprofitable; unsuccessful; fruitless.

--- OR ---

Viphala (ವಿಫಲ):—[noun] that which yields no results or is unsuccessful, fruitless.

context information

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

See also (Relevant definitions)

Partial matches: Phala, Vi.

Starts with: Viphalaprerana, Viphalasha, Viphalashrama, Viphalashramatva, Viphalata, Viphalate, Viphalatevade, Viphalatva, Viphalaya.

Ends with: Aviphala, Ritiviphala.

Full-text (+9): Viphalata, Vihala, Aviphala, Vaiphalya, Viphalashramatva, Viphalibhuta, Viphalibhavishnu, Viphalibhu, Viphalikarana, Viphalikrita, Viphali, Viphalaprerana, Viphalatva, Viphalashrama, Vipata, Vishalaphalika, Viphalibhavishnuta, Viphalibhavishnutva, Vipalam, Viphalasha.

Relevant text

Search found 7 books and stories containing Viphala, Vi-phala, Viphāla; (plurals include: Viphalas, phalas, Viphālas). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:

Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary) (by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja)

Verse 2.1.100 < [Chapter 1 - Vairāgya (renunciation)]

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Chaitanya Bhagavata (by Bhumipati Dāsa)

Verse 2.14.11 < [Chapter 14 - Yamarāja’s Saṅkīrtana]

Verse 2.18.80 < [Chapter 18 - Mahāprabhu’s Dancing as a Gopī]

Verse 3.4.361 < [Chapter 4 - Descriptions of Śrī Acyutānanda’s Pastimes and the Worship of Śrī Mādhavendra]

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Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)

Verse 2.23.22 < [Chapter 23 - The Killing of Śaṅkhacūḍa During the Rāsa-dance Pastime]

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Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī)

Verse 4.1.21 < [Part 1 - Laughing Ecstasy (hāsya-rasa)]

Verse 2.4.8 < [Part 4 - Transient Ecstatic Disturbances (vyābhicāri-bhāva)]

Verse 3.3.123 < [Part 3 - Fraternal Devotion (sakhya-rasa)]

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The Tattvasangraha [with commentary] (by Ganganatha Jha)

Verse 509-510 < [Chapter 9 - Examination of the Relation between Actions and their Results]

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The Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)

Chapter 22 - Soma Gets a Boon < [Section 1 - Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya]

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Click here for all 7 books