# वज्राङ्ग (vajrāṅga)

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

वज्राङ्ग (vajrāṅga) is a Sanskrit word meaning a snake, coix Barbata, heliotropium Indicum, a sort of grain, a son of Diti and father of the Asura Taraka. Its 7 recorded definitions are grouped into 5 contexts, among them Vajrāṅga (m.) as snake & Vajrāṅgī (f.) as Coix Barbata, Vajrāṅga (m.) as a snake, Vajrāṅga as a mythological Asura.

- **Etymology:** E. वज्र the thunder-bolt, (as hard,) and अङ्ग body or substance — E. vajra the thunder-bolt, (as hard,) and aṅga body or substance
- **SLP1:** `vajrANga`  **IAST:** vajrāṅga  **Devanagari:** वज्राङ्ग
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajranga
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vajranga/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** वज्रांग (vajrāṃga)

## Meanings by context

### Vajrāṅga (m.) as snake & Vajrāṅgī (f.) as Coix Barbata (3 definitions)
- 1. A snake. 2. A sort of grain.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वज्र (vajra) ाङ्ग (vajrāṅga) [Printed book page 730 ] वज्र (vajra) ाङ्ग (vajrāṅga) m. ( - ङ्गः (-ṅgaḥ) ) A snake. f. ( - ङ्गी (-ṅgī) ) A sort of grain, ( Coix barbata.) E. वज्र (vajra) the thunder-bolt, (as hard,) and अङ्ग (aṅga) body or substance. [ ID=33393 ]
- 1. A snake. 2. A sort of grain.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वज्राङ्ग (vajrāṅga) [Printed book page 653-a ] वज्रा _ ङ्ग (vajrā_ṅga) ( ङ्गः ) ((ṅgaḥ)) 1. m. A snake. ( ङ्गी (ṅgī) ) A sort of grain (Coix barbata). [ ID=32982 ]
- 1. A snake. 2. A sort of grain.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वज्राङ्ग (vajrāṅga) [Printed book page 626-a ] वज्राङ्ग (vajrāṅga) m. ( - ङ्गः (-ṅgaḥ) ) A snake. f. ( - ङ्गी (-ṅgī) ) A sort of grain, (Coix barbata.) “ गवेधु ” (“gavedhu”). the thunder-bolt, (as hard,) अङ्ग (aṅga) body or substance. [ ID=34882 ]

### Vajrāṅga (m.) as a snake (1 definition)
- a snake  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 914,1] वज्रा (vajrā) ङ्ग (ṅga) m. ( prob. for वक्रा (vakrā) ङ्ग (ṅga) ) a snake, L. [ ID=185073 ]

### Vajrāṅga as a mythological Asura (1 definition)
- A son of Diti and father of the Asura Taraka.  
  *The Purana Index*
  > वज्राङ्ग (vajrāṅga) [Printed book page 3-139 ] Vajrāṅga — a son of Diti after her penance and father of Asura Tāraka who gave trouble to the devas; while a boy, under the orders of his mother, had Indra bound and placed before Diti; Brahmā and Kaśyapa medi- ated and set him free; Brahmā gave him for wife a mind- born daughter, Varāṅgī, with whom he went to penance; when Varāṅgī was engaged in tapas Indra threatened her with several guises of the monkey, serpent, jackal, etc., which made her weep in sorrow and fear; meanwhile Vaj- rāṅga's penance had ended and Brahmā had blessed him. He came in search of his wife whom he found crying in fear. Page3-140+ 33 She spoke of the insult offered by Indra and asked for a son, Tāraka, able to vanquish Indra. Then again he entered into a terrible vow when Brahmā blessed him with the son desired by his spouse. Tāraka was born and great festivities were held in his honour. Soon he was crowned king of the Asura world. M. 146. 5, 41 ff; 147. 1-29. [ ID=12112 ]

### Vajrāṅgī (f.) as Coix Barbata (1 definition)
- Coix Barbata  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3B) [Printed book page 914,1] वज्रा (vajrā) ङ्गी (ṅgī) f. Coix Barbata, L. [ ID=185074 ]

### Vajrāṅgī (f.) as Heliotropium Indicum (1 definition)
- Heliotropium Indicum  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Heliotropium Indicum, L. [ ID=185075 ]

## Sources

Definitions from 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