Page 14 - NAMAH-Oct-2016
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Namah Vol. 24, Issue 3, 15th October 2016
appearance. The plant cireta is bitter in taste, so one of its
names is tikta.
5. Ricinus communis is named as pañcangulm
because its leaves are like a [human] palm 4. Touch
with five fingers. Theleavesofthebharangn i(Clerodendrumserratum)
are rough, so it is named as kharaśāka.
6. Musk root is known as jātamāmmsi because
its roots resemble matted hair. 5. Potency
a. Black pepper is hot in potency, so one of
C. Names denoting place of origin, habitat, its names is ussnna.
flowering season, etc. b. White Sandalwood tree is cool in potency,
so one of its names is śīta.
1. Place
Cardamom is known as drāviddī because it is 6. Special action
a south Indian crop. Ipomoea sepiaria cures sterility and bestows
one with progeny so it is known as putrada.
2. Habitat
a. Sacred Lotus is known as jalaja because it E. Names denoting pharmacological actions
grows in water.
b. Similarly giri-mallikā which grows in 1. The plant popularly known as viddannga is
mountains is known as kūttaja. a good anti-helmenthic so one of its names
is krrmighna,meaning worm-killer.
3. Season
a. The bakula or Mimusopsel engi is known as 2. Elephant’s Foot (Amorphophallus) cures
śāradika because it flowers in autumn. rectal haemorrhoids and is known as arśaghna.
b. Swallow Worts or arka flowers in all seasons
so it is named as sadāpusspa. 3. Aerva lanata is known as pāsās nan bhedī because it
has the potency to dissolve stones in the gallbladder.
D. Names denoting properties of plants
F. Names denoting utility
1. Colour
Turmeric is known as pīta because its rhizome 1. Bastard teak, popularly known as palāśa is
is yellow in colour. used in fire sacrifices so it is otherwise known
as yājñīka.
2. Odour
a. Sweet Flag (vaca) is also known as ugragandhā 2. The wood of the Lagerstroemia parvi flora
because it has a characteristically strong smell. is used for making chariots, so it is known as
b. Winter cherry is known aśvagandhā because syandanadruma.
it emits a smell like that of the body odour
of a horse. 3. Bamboo, popularly known as vammśa, is
used for making bows, so it is also known
3. Taste as dhanudruma.
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