(from the Sanskrit word dhattura) Name for the thornapple genus of plants, which is a distant cousin of the potato.
Poisonous alkaloids found in the datura plant cause intoxication in small doses and disease and death in greater doses.
In imitation of their patron divinity's narcotic revels, Shiva devotees (bhakta) consume the datura plant's inflated seedpods as intoxicants.
Datura must, of course, be ingested with caution and under the supervision of someone who is familiar with its properties.
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