# निकुम्भ (nikumbha)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/nikumbha

निकुम्भ (nikumbha) is a Sanskrit word meaning Croton polyandrum, an epithet of a Danava, of a Rakshasa, a son of Kumbhakarna, an attendant of Shiva or Skanda, an epithet of one of the Vishve Devas. Its 21 recorded definitions are grouped into 11 contexts, among them Multiple Meanings (Plant, Persons), Attendant/Warrior of Śiva or Skanda, Dānava/Asura Figure.

- **Etymology:** E. कु the earth भू to be, affix खच्, and नि prefixed — E. ku the earth bhū to be, affix khac, and ni prefixed
- **SLP1:** `nikumBa`  **IAST:** nikumbha  **Devanagari:** निकुम्भ
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikumbha
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/nikumbha/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** निकुंभ (nikuṃbha), निकुम्भा (nikumbhā)

## Meanings by context

### Multiple Meanings (Plant, Persons) (6 definitions)
- 1. The son of Kumbhakarna and brother of Ravana. 2. A plant.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नि (ni) कु (ku) म्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 465 ] नि (ni) कु (ku) म्भ (nikumbha) m. ( - म्भः (-mbhaḥ) ) 1 The son of KUMBHAKARṆA, the brother of RĀVAṆA. 2 A plant, ( Croton polyandrum.) E. कु (ku) the earth भू (bhū) to be, affix खच् (khac), and नि (ni) prefixed. [ ID=21584 ]
- 1. A brother of Ravana. 2. A plant.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > निकुम्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 415-a ] नि - कुम्भ (ni-kumbha) ( म्भः ) ((mbhaḥ)) 1. m. Brother of Rā- vana; a plant (Croton). [ ID=21071 ]
- 1. The son of Kumbhakarna and brother of Ravana. 2. A plant.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > नि (ni) कु (ku) म्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 388-a ] नि (ni) कु (ku) म्भ (nikumbha) m. ( - म्भः (-mbhaḥ) ) 1. The son of KUMBHAKARṆA, the brother of RĀVAṆA. 2. A plant, (Croton polyandrum) E. कु (ku) the earth, भू (bhū) to be, affix खच्, (khac,) and नि (ni) prefixed. [ ID=21571 ]
- 1. A plant. 2. A proper name.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > निकुम्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 0470-a ] निकुम्भ (nikumbha) ni-kumbha, m. 1. A plant, Croton polyandrum, Hariv. 3843. 2. A proper name, 8002. [ ID=7397 ]
- 1. A plant. 2. Name of several men.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > निकुम्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 268 ] निकुम्भ (nikumbha) m. N. of a plant & sev. men. [ ID=16283 ]
- 1. The plant Croton Polyandrum. 2. A Danava who was the son of Prahlada. 3. A Rakshasa. 4. A son of Kumbhakarna. 5. An attendant of Shiva. 6. An attendant of Skanda. 7. One of the Visve Devas. 8. A hero on the side of the Kurus. 9. A king of Ayodhya, son of Haryashva and father of Samhatashva.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > निकुम्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 0483-a ] निकुम्भ (nikumbha) ni-kumbha, as, m. the plant Croton Polyandrum; N. of a Dānava who, like Kumbha, was son of Pra-hlāda, (he was father of Sunda and Upa-sunda); N. of a Rakṣas; of a son of Kumbha- karṇa; of an attendant of Śiva; of one of Skanda's attendants; N. of one of the Viśve Devāḥ, (also read viskumbhu ); N. of a hero on the side of the Kurus; N. of a king of Ayodhyā, son of Hary-aśva and father of Saṃhatāśva; ( ī ), f. the plant Croton Polyandrum. —Nikumbhākhya-jīva (°bha-ākh°), am, n. a plant, Croton Jamalgota ( = jaya-pāla ). [ ID=24390 ]

### Attendant/Warrior of Śiva or Skanda (2 definitions)
- an attendant of Shiva or Skanda  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of an attendant of either Śiva ( Hariv. ) or Skanda ( MBh. ) [ ID=107878 ]
- a warrior of Skanda  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Nikumbha 3, a warrior of Skanda. § 615 u (Skanda): IX, 45 η, 2558. [ ID=7671 ]

### Dānava/Asura Figure (2 definitions)
- an epithet of a Danava  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a Dānava (son of Prahlāda and brother of Kumbha, father of Sunda and UPasunda), MBh. [ ID=107875 ]
- the name of several Asuras  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > निकुम्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 518-1 ] Nikumbha 1, name of several Asuras. § 90 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 65, 2527 (son of Prahlāda).—§ 92 (do.): I, 65, 2534 (another, son of Danu).—§ 130 (do.): I, 67, 2662 (incarnate as king Devādhipa).—§ 246 (Sundopasundop.): I, 209, 7620 ( Daityendraḥ, father of Sunda and Upasunda). [ ID=7669 ]

### King of Ayodhyā (2 definitions)
- name of an ancient king of Ayodhya  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a king of A-yodhyā (son of Hary-aśva and father of Saṃhatāśva or Varhaṇāśva), Hariv.; Pur. [ ID=107881 ]
- 1. The son of Haryashva and father of Barhanashva. 2. Killed in the Rama-Ravana war. 3. Deep in Kshatriya duty.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > निकुम्भ (nikumbha) [Printed book page 2-235 ] Nikumbha (I) — the son of Haryaśva and father of Barhaṇāśva 1 (Samhatāśva- Vā. P.: Amitāśva- Vi. P. ); killed in the Rāma-Rāvaṇa war; 2 deep in Kṣatriya dharma. 3 [ Footnote: 1) Bhā. IX. 6. 24-25; M. 12. 33; Vi. IV. 2. 45.] [ Footnote: 2) Bhā. IX. 10. 18; Br. III. 63. 64.] [ Footnote: 3) Vā. 88. 62-63.] [ ID=7110 ]

### Kuru Warrior (2 definitions)
- of a hero on the side of the Kurus  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a hero on the side of the Kurus, MBh. [ ID=107880 ]
- a Kuru warrior  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > Nikumbha 2, a Kuru warrior. § 600 (Ghaṭotkaśavadhap.): VII, 156 κ, 6850. [ ID=7670 ]

### Rākṣasa Son of Kumbhakarṇa (2 definitions)
- of a Rakshasa  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a Rākṣasa, R. [ ID=107876 ]
- a son of Kumbhakarna  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of a son of Kumbha-karṇa, L. [ ID=107877 ]

### Brahmarākṣasa Son of Sphūrja (1 definition)
- A Brahmarakshasa, son of Sphurja, residing in Sutalam.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Nikumbha (II) — a Brahmarākṣasa and son of Sphūrja residing in Sutalam. Br. II. 20. 21; III. 7. 95; Vā. 50. 21; 69. 130. [ ID=7111 ]

### Form/Aspect of Gaṇeśa (1 definition)
- A Ganesha who appeared in a dream to a Brahmana during King Divodasa's time, demanding his worship at the city gate, conferring benefits on all except the queen seeking a son, and cursing the city to ruin after the enraged king destroyed his temple.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Nikumbha (IV) — a Gaṇeśa who appeared in a dream to a Brahmana in King Divodāsa's time and asked his wor- ship to be conducted at the city gate; conferred benefits on all except the queen who wanted a son. Suyaśā, the queen of Divodāsa propitiated Nikumbha with rich offerings; Page2-236+ 27 the enraged king destroyed the temple and the deity cursed the city to be ruined, informed Śiva of this; from that time the temple became that of the Lord Avimukta. Br. III. 67. 28 to the end; Vā. 92. 25-59. [ ID=7113 ]

### One of the Viśve Devās (1 definition)
- an epithet of one of the Vishve Devas  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > of one of the Viśve Devās, Hariv. ( विस्कुम्भु (viskumbhu) C. ) [ ID=107879 ]

### Son of Bala (1 definition)
- a son of Bala  
  *The Purana Index*
  > Nikumbha (III) — a son of Bala. Br. III. 6. 33. [ ID=7112 ]

### The Plant Croton (1 definition)
- Croton polyandrum  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 544,3] नि - कुम्भ (ni-kumbha) m. Croton Polyandrum (also f( ई (ī) )., L. ) [ ID=107874 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; The Purana Index; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546