Yoni, Yonī: 26 definitions




In Hinduism

Ayurveda (science of life)

Source: Google Books: Essentials of Ayurveda

The Yoni (योनि, “female gential tract”) consists of three folds. In its last fold is situated the uterus lying between urinary bladder and rectum.

Source: gurumukhi.ru: Ayurveda glossary of terms

1) Yoni (योनि):—Source material

2) Place of origin; Root cause of everything

3) Vagina

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Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Yoni (योनि).—Same as Dhūtapāpā: a river in Kuśadvīpa.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 122. 71.

1b) The sacrificial fire-place, a vitasti in measurement and in appearance like the lips of an elephant.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 265. 34.

1c) From Prakṛti.*

  • * Vāyu-purāṇa 101. 228.
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Vastushastra (architecture)

Source: McGill: The architectural theory of the Mānasāra

Yoni (योनि, “womb”) refers to the fourth of āyādiṣaḍvarga, six principles that constitute the “horoscope” of an architectural or iconographic object, according to the Mānasāra. Their application is intended to “verify” the measurements of the architectural and iconographic object against the dictates of astrology that lay out the conditions of auspiciousness.

Yoni is “womb, receptacle” (or “matrix”, as Dagens translates it), and is eight in number. In order from one to eight, they are:

  1. dhvajā or aśvā, mare;
  2. dhūmā, she-buffalo (literally, “smoke”);
  3. siṃhā, lioness;
  4. śunakā, bitch;
  5. vṛṣabhā, cow;
  6. gardabhā, female donkey;
  7. gajā or dantī, elephant;
  8. kākā, female crow.

Among these, the first, third, fifth and seventh yonis are considered auspicious and therefore to be preferred, and the rest, inauspicious and to be avoided.

Source: OpenEdition books: Architectural terms contained in Ajitāgama and Rauravāgama

Yoni (योनि) refers to “n. of one of the āyādi formulas §§ 2.6, 7.”.—(For paragraphs cf. Les enseignements architecturaux de l'Ajitāgama et du Rauravāgama by Bruno Dagens)

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Vyakarana (Sanskrit grammar)

Source: Wikisource: A dictionary of Sanskrit grammar

Yoni (योनि).—Place of origin: cf. तपः श्रुतं च योनिश्च एतद् ब्राह्मणकारणम् (tapaḥ śrutaṃ ca yoniśca etad brāhmaṇakāraṇam), M. Bh. on P. V.1.115: cf. also M.Bh. on P.IV.1. 48 Vart. 9; cf. also ओष्ठयोनिरोष्ठयः (oṣṭhayoniroṣṭhayaḥ).

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Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Isvara Samhita Vol 5

Yoni (योनि) refers to a specific part of the kuṇḍas “fire-pit” described in the twenty-fifth chapter of the Īśvarasaṃhitā, dealing with the classification of the places for building the fire-pits.  Accordingly, “two parts each are to be marked for yoni like a semi-circle so as n would stay on the western part of the two sides of the string in the middle. Making into two strings reach the two curved edges of the elevated part, it shall be stretched upto the region of the earth dug (for the purpose) from its base to resemble the banyan leaf. Thus is formed the auspicious yoni for all fire pits”.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

Source: Google Books: Manthanabhairavatantram

Yoni (योनि) refers to the “womb of energy” (between the anus and the genitals), according to the Śrīmatottara-tantra, an expansion of the Kubjikāmatatantra: the earliest popular and most authoritative Tantra of the Kubjikā cult.—Accordingly, as Bhairava explains: “[...] The womb (of energy) (yoni) between the anus and the genitals shines like heated gold. One should imagine that it [i.e., parāśakti—the supreme energy] enters the other body up to the end of emission (in the End of the Twelve). O goddess, that very moment, (the disciple) is well pierced and so falls shaking (to the ground). Having visualized (the goddess) entering into the middle of the Heart in the form of a flame, the goddess in the sheath of the lotus (of the Heart) can cause even mountains to fall”.

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In Buddhism

Theravada (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Pali Kanon: Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines

'modes of generation.' There are 4 generation from the egg, from the mother's womb, from moisture, and spontaneous rebirth (opapātika) in heaven, hell, etc. Explained in M.12.

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Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita Sastra

Yoni (योनि, “womb”) refers to four different kind of “births” among men and animals, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra (chapter XIV).—Men (manuṣya) and animals (tiryagyoni) are of four kinds: born from an egg (aṇḍaja), born from exudation (saṃsvedaja), apparitional (upapāduka) or born from a placenta (jarāyuja). These are the four “wombs’ or yoni which are listed in Dīgha, III, p. 230; Majjhima, I, p. 73; etc. To illustrate these four types of birth, the Kāraṇaprajñapti in Tibetan, Vibhāṣā and Kośa (III, p. 28) have gathered a long series of examples. The Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra mentions the cases of Viśākhā, Āmrapāli and Ārāmavāsā.

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General definition (in Buddhism)

Source: Wisdom Library: Dharma-samgraha

Yoni (योनि) or Caturyoni refers to the “four wombs” as defined in the Dharma-saṃgraha (section 90):

  1. aṇḍaja (egg-born)
  2. saṃsvedaja (moisture-born),
  3. jarāyuja (viviparous),
  4. upapāduka (spontaneously-born).

The Dharma-samgraha (Dharmasangraha) is an extensive glossary of Buddhist technical terms in Sanskrit (e.g., yoni). The work is attributed to Nagarjuna who lived around the 2nd century A.D.

In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)


Yoni (योनि).—What is the meaning of nuclei (yoni)? The place of birth of a living being is called nucleus (nuclei is the plural). The nucleus is like a container. What is the difference between birth (janman) and nucleus? Nucleus is the container and birth is like what is contained in it. It can also be said that nucleus is like the foundation and birth is the structure built on the foundation.

How many nuclei (yoni) of birth are there and which are they? There are nine namely living matter (sacitta), cold (śita), covered (saṃvṛta), non living beings (acitta), hot (uṣṇa), exposed (vivṛta), mixed (living and non living being), Hot and cold (śītoṣṇa) and covered-uncovered (saṃvṛta-vivṛta).

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India history and geography


Yoni (“female generative organs”) refers to a factor taken into consideration, by consulting an astrologer, before marriage among the Agamudaiyans (a cultivating case foundin all the Tamil districts).—The asterisms are supposed to belong to several animals. An [11]individual belongs to the animal to which the asterism under which he was born belongs. For example, a man is a horse if his asterism is Aswini, a cow if his asterism is Uththirattadhi, and so on. The animals of husband and wife must be on friendly terms, and not enemies. The elephant and man, horse and cow, dog and monkey, cat and mouse, are enemies. The animals of man and wife should not both be males. Nor should the man be a female, or the wife a male animal.

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Languages of India and abroad

Pali-English dictionary

Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionary

yoni : (f.) origin; realm of existence; the female organ; knowledge; species.

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

Yoni, (f.) (Vedic yoni) 1. the womb.—2. origin, way of birth, place of birth, realm of existence; nature, matrix. There are four yonis or ways of being born or generation, viz. aṇḍaja oviparous creation, jalābuja viviparous, saṃsedaja moisture-sprung, opapātika spontaneous: M. I, 73; D. III, 230; Miln. 146; Vism. 552, 557 sq.; cp. VbhA. 203 sq.—frequent in foll. combinations: tiracchāna° the class of animals, the brute creation A. I, 37, 60; V, 269; It. 92; Pv IV. 111; Vism. 103, 427; PvA. 27, 166; nāga° birth among the Nāgas S. III, 240 sq. (in ref. to which the 4 kinds of birth, as mentioned above, are also applied); Vism. 102 (niraya-nāga-yoni); pasu°=tiracchāna° Pv. II, 1312; pisāca° world of the Pisācas S. I, 209; peta° the realm of the Petas PvA. 68 (cp. peta).—kamma° K. as origin A. III, 186.—yoni upaparikkhitabba (=kiṃjātikā etc.) S. III, 42.—ayoni unclean origin Th. 1, 219.—3. thoroughness, knowledge, insight Nett 40.—ayoni superficiality in thought S. I, 203 (“muddled ways” Mrs. Rh. D.).—yoniso (Abl.) “down to its origin or foundation, ” i.e. thoroughly, orderly, wisely, properly, judiciously S. I, 203 (“in ordered governance” K. S. I. 259); D. I, 118 (wisely); It. 30 (āraddha āsavānaṃ khayāya); Pug. 25; Vism. 30, 132, 599; PpA 31. Opp. ayoniso disorderly improperly Pug. 21; DhA. I, 327; PvA. 113, 278.—Esp. frequent in phrase yoniso manasikāra “fixing one’s attention with a purpose or thoroughly, ” proper attention, “having thorough method in one’s thought” (K. S. I. 259) Ps. I, 85 sq.; It. 9; J. I, 116; Miln. 32; Nett 8, 40, 50, 127; Vism. 132; PvA. 63. See also manasikāra.—Opp. ayoniso manasikāra disorderly or distracted attention D. III, 273; VbhA. 148; ThA. 79. In BSk. the same phrase: yoniśo manasikāraḥ Divy 488; AvŚ I. 122; II, 112 (Speyer: “the right & true insight, as the object of consideration really is”). See further on term Dial. III, 218 (“systematized attention”); K. S. I. 131; II, 6 (“radical grasp”).

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Marathi-English dictionary

Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionary

yōni (योनि).—f (S) Pundendum muliebre or vulva. Hence 2 Place or seat of birth or production; spring, source, fountain, origin. 3 A form or modification of being; a class or nature of created existence, animate or inanimate. 84,00000 are enumerated. Ex. cauṛyāṃyaśī lakṣa yōni bhōgāvyā tēvhāṃ naradēhācī prāpti. The yōni bearing speciality are manuṣyayōni, paśuyōni, pakṣīyōni, jalajajīvayōni, kīṭakayōni or jīvayōni; then vṛkṣayōni, dhātuyōni &c. The vegetable kingdom, the mineral kingdom &c.

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

yōni (योनि).—f Spring or origin. A form of being.

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Sanskrit dictionary

Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Yoni (योनि).—m. f. [yu-ni Uṇ.4.51]

1) Womb, uterus, vulva, the female organ of generation.

2) Any place of birth or origin, generating cause, spring, fountain; स्वासु योनिषु शाम्यति (svāsu yoniṣu śāmyati) Ms.9.321; सा योनिः सर्ववैराणां सा हि लोकस्य निर्ऋतिः (sā yoniḥ sarvavairāṇāṃ sā hi lokasya nirṛtiḥ) U.5.3; जगद्योनिरयोनिस्त्वम् (jagadyonirayonistvam) Ku.2.9;4.43; oft. at the end of comp. in the sense of 'sprung or produced from'; ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दुःखयोनय एव ते (ye hi saṃsparśajā bhogā duḥkhayonaya eva te) Bg. 5.22.

3) A mine.

4) An abode, a place, repository, seat, receptacle.

5) Home, lair.

6) A family, stock, race, birth, form of existence; as मनुष्ययोनि, पक्षि°, पशु° (manuṣyayoni, pakṣi°, paśu°) &c.

7) The asterism पूर्वफल्गुनी (pūrvaphalgunī).

8) Water.

9) The base (of a sāman) i. e. the ऋक् (ṛk) which is set to music and sung as सामन् (sāman); योनिश्चासौ शस्या च योनिशस्या (yoniścāsau śasyā ca yoniśasyā) ŚB. on MS. 7.2.17.

1) Copper; L. D. B.

11) The primary cause; कला पञ्चदशी योनिस्तद्धाम प्रतिबुध्यते (kalā pañcadaśī yonistaddhāma pratibudhyate) Mb.12.34.4.

12) The source of understanding; एषा धर्मस्य वो योनिः समासेन प्रकीर्तिता (eṣā dharmasya vo yoniḥ samāsena prakīrtitā) Ms.2.25 (com. yonirjñaptikāraṇaṃ 'vedo'khilo dharmamūlam' ityā- dinoktamityarthaḥ).

13) Longing for, desire (vāsanā); संसार- सागरगमां योनिपातालदुस्तराम् (saṃsāra- sāgaragamāṃ yonipātāladustarām) Mb.12.25.15.

14) Seed, grain. °पोषणम् (poṣaṇam) the growing of seed.

Derivable forms: yoniḥ (योनिः).

--- OR ---

Yonī (योनी).—See योनि (yoni).


Yoni (योनि).—mfn. (-niḥ-niḥ or -nī) 1. The vulva. 2. A mine. 3. Cause, origin. 4. Water. 5. Place or site of birth or production in general. 6. A repository, a seat. 7. Home, abode, nest. 8. A form of existence, race, birth, as in “devayoni,” &c. E. yu to join or mix, Unadi aff. ni .

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

Yoni (योनि).—i. e. yu + ni, m. f., and , f. 1. The vulva, [Suśruta] 2, 397, 10; the womb, [Pañcatantra] 188, 5; 6. 2. Place of birth, [Hitopadeśa] iv. [distich] 68. 3. Origin, [Mānavadharmaśāstra] 2, 25. 4. A mine. 5. Water.

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

Yoni (योनि).—[masculine] [feminine], yonī lap, womb, vulva; place of origin or abiding, home, lair, nest, etc.; family, race, caste; source, spring; seat, place i.[grammar]; adj. born among, sprung from (—°); yonitas by birth or blood.


1) Yoni (योनि):—mf. (in, [Ṛg-veda] only m.; sometimes also f(yonī). ; [from] √2. yu) the womb, uterus, vulva, vagina, female organs of generation, [Ṛg-veda] etc. etc. (together with the liṅga, a typical symbol of the divine procreative energy, [Religious Thought and Life in India 224])

2) place of birth, source, origin, spring, fountain (ifc. = sprung or produced from), [ib.]

3) place of rest, repository, receptacle, seat, abode, home, lair, nest, stable, [Ṛg-veda; Atharva-veda; Śatapatha-brāhmaṇa]

4) family, race, stock, caste, the form of existence or station fixed by birth (e.g. that of a man, Brāhman, animal etc.; ifc. = belonging to the caste of), [Manu-smṛti; Mahābhārata] etc.

5) seed, grain (cf. yonī-poṣaṇa)

6) a [particular] part of a fire-pit, [Hemādri’s Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi]

7) a mine, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

8) copper, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

9) water, [Naighaṇṭuka, commented on by Yāska]

10) the regent of the Nakṣatra Pūrvaphalgunī, [Varāha-mihira’s Bṛhat-saṃhitā]

11) Name of the sound e, [Upaniṣad]

12) of a [particular] verse or formula, [Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra]

13) Yonī (योनी):—[from yoni] f. Name of a river in Śālmala-dvīpa, [Viṣṇu-purāṇa]

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

Yoni (योनि):—[(niḥ-ni)] 2. m. f. The vulva; a mine; origin; water.

[Sanskrit to German] (Deutsch Wörterbuch)


Yoni (योनि):—


Yoni (योनि):—m. f. (dieses in der alten Sprache seltener und yonī) f.

1) Schooss ; Geburtsort , Mutterleib , vulva.

2) Heimat , Haus , Lager , Nest , Stall u.s.w. —

3) Stätte des Entstehens oder Bleibens ; daher Ursprung , Quelle , Ausgangspunkt , (zum Empfang zubereiteter) Raum , Behälter , Sitz u.s.w. Der Ursprung — , die Grundlage eines Sāman ist die erste Ṛc eines Tṛka Comm. zu [Jaiminiyanyāyamālāvistara 9,2,6.] Am Ende eines adj. Comp. entstanden — , hervorgegangen aus.

4) Geburtsstätte , so v.a. Familie , Geschlecht , Stamm , Kaste , Race , die durch die Geburt bestimmte Daseinsform (als Mensch , Brahmane u.s.w. , Thier u.s.w.). —

5) ein best. Theil an einer Feuergrube [Hemādri’s Caturvargacintāmaṇi 1,136,11.fgg.] —

6) Fruchtkorn , Same.

7) der Regent des Mondhauses Pūrvaphalgunī.

8) Bez. des Spruches eṣa te yoniḥ ([Vājasaneyisaṃhitā 7.12,c.23,2,b]) [Kātyāyana’s Śrautasūtra 19,2,14.] —

9) mystische Bez. des Lautes e. —

10) Wasser.

11) yonī Nomen proprium eines Flusses in Śālmaladvipa [Wilson's Uebersetzung des Viṣṇupurāṇa ,4,28.]

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Hindi dictionary

Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary

Yoni (योनि):—(nf) vagina, female organ of generation; the form of existence or station fixed by birth (according to Hindu traditional belief these forms number eighty four lacs); ~[vdāra/mukha] the orifice of the womb; ~[bhraṃśa] a disease in which uterus is displaced-prolapsus uteri; -[mārga] vagina; -[viṣayaka/saṃbaṃdhī] vaginal, sexual.

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