Questions tagged [etymology]

Questions regarding the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history.

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
1 vote
2 answers
136 views

What is the etymology (nirukta or nispatti) of Visha in Rig Veda?

What is the etymology (nirukta or nispatti) of Visha in Rig Veda? What is the Mukhya Artha and what are the Amukhya arthas during in Vedic Sanskrit? Some people were claiming that Rig Veda 10.136.7 ...
user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
67 views

What is the source/book to learn origin/etymology of sanskrit and Vedic-Sanskrit words?

As the sanskrit language is created by god and every sanskrit word incorporates a huge amount of Hindu philosophy in it. So, I want to know the book or source where I can know about origin or ...
river's user avatar
  • 6,018
-1 votes
1 answer
134 views

What is the meaning of the word 'Gītā (गीता)'?

Well, it's a no-brainer that etymologically, the word 'gītā' literally means 'that which is sung or chanted'. However, by that logic even Rāmacaritamānasa is sung or chanted, or even a daily ārtī (आरती...
Vivikta's user avatar
  • 12.7k
2 votes
1 answer
122 views

What is the meaning of Hrishikesha?

All I know is that Krishna or Arjuna is called Hrishikesha. What is the meaning of Hrishikesha?
Fun life's user avatar
  • 3,076
15 votes
2 answers
1k views

What is the meaning of Uma?

Consort of Lord Shiva is mostly known by her name 'Parvati'. But in Vedas, Upanishads, and Puranas we find the name of 'Uma' being used. Right from the 5th Anuvaka of Sri Rudram which starts with 'नमः ...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48k
7 votes
1 answer
156 views

What is the meaning of Lakshmi?

Each word in Sanskrit can be interpreted in myriad ways, and thus a single word can have several different and unrelated meanings. A famous example of such "multiplicity" would be the word, &...
Vivikta's user avatar
  • 12.7k
6 votes
1 answer
159 views

Differences between Siddha, a Sannyasi, a Bhakta and Rishis?

What is briefly the main difference between a Siddha, a Sannyasi, a Bhakta and a Rishi?
Lucky Pashu's user avatar
  • 2,084
5 votes
2 answers
212 views

Etymology of the word Brahmā (ब्रह्मा)

Brahmā (ब्रह्मा) who is the creator aspect of the Trimurti God, while Vishnu (विष्णु) and Shiva (शिव ) being the Preserver and the Destroyer aspects. The most frequently used etymological meaning for ...
Vivikta's user avatar
  • 12.7k
5 votes
1 answer
289 views

What is the etymology of the term Veda?

There are revelation (such as hymns, stotras, etc.) even in the scriptures other than Vedas yet they ain't part of Vedas. It makes me wonder What is its etymology or definition of Veda? What is a ...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
37 views

Etymology of “priyā”?

What is the etymological meaning of Sanskrit term Priyā ? where can we find its usage examples in the scriptures?
Lucky Pashu's user avatar
  • 2,084
4 votes
1 answer
262 views

What is the authentic Nishpatthi (Etymology) of Samadhi?

According to Wikipedia, Various interpretations for the term's etymology are possible: sam, "together"; a, "toward"; stem of dadhati, "puts, places": "a putting or ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
224 views

What does the term Āstika-Nāstika mean- as such - without any connection with one particular faith?

There are different shades of interpretation of the terms Āstika-Nāstika. Most of the answers on this forum relate to the interpretations that are propounded by some vested groups to denigrate other ...
user965167's user avatar
  • 1,097
6 votes
2 answers
376 views

What are the etymologies for the word Rudra?

What are the etymologies for the word Rudra? There is a story in the Vedas where Rudra was born crying and then Brahma, his father, said "Don't cry", (mA ruda), so then he got the name "Rudra", or ...
Ikshvaku's user avatar
  • 21.9k
3 votes
0 answers
145 views

What is the meaning of mahavakya and how was/is it used?

What is the meaning of mahavakya? What was/is it used for, I mean what is its importance? What does mahavakya convey? This is not specifically with respect to Advaita Vedanta, but in general whichever ...
Krishna Varna's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
315 views

What's the significance of the name Panchashikha?

Panchashikha is a character who appears in the Mahabharata. I found the name interesting. A shikha is the tuft of hair that remains after an upanayana ceremony. Why would someone be named Panchashikha ...
covfefe's user avatar
  • 151
5 votes
2 answers
427 views

Are some of the words from Vedas still untranslatable?

This question quotes the Sanskrit grammarian Yāska as saying he didn't know the meaning of some 400 words of the Vedas. Is this still the case with modern translations of Vedas?
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
80 views

Which is the earliest scripture to use the word "varna" to denote caste?

The Rig Vedic Purusha Sukta mentions Rajanya, Brahmin, Vaishya and Sudra, but doesn't call them Varnas. Which scripture first uses the word varna for the classification-scheme?
S K's user avatar
  • 1
25 votes
0 answers
657 views

Which are those 400 words of Veda not known or understood to even Yaska?

Nirukta is one of six Vedangas which are very essential to completely understanding Vedas. Nirukta is the study of the origin of Sanskrit words i.e etymology which is very useful for understanding and ...
Pandya's user avatar
  • 25.9k
5 votes
4 answers
798 views

Why does chandogya upanishad use kannada-telugu words?

In the Chandogya Upanishad, the word “मटची” “maTacI” is used to describe famine in the Kuru kingdom. “मटचीहतेषु कुरुष्वाटिक्या सह जायया उषस्तिर्ह चाक्रायण इभ्यग्रामे प्रद्राणक उवास” (1.10.1). ...
Anisha's user avatar
  • 2,521
6 votes
1 answer
267 views

What is the source of "Vriyate iti Varnaha?"

The author of the blog post What's your Varna quotient? uses a certain definition of varṇa: The generic definition of the term 'Varna' comes from 'Vriyate Iti Varnaha' implying that one can choose ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
9 votes
2 answers
317 views

What is the etymology reason for the swarupa order in the construction of the word "Sat-chit-ananda"?

Why are the swarupas of the word Satcitananda constructed in this way in relationship wit Brahman and not Ananda-chit-sat? Are the order of these swarupas like stepping stones of realization?
Frank Hestermann's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
158 views

What is Ahalyā's birth name?

Is 'Ahalyā' the real name of Gautama's wife or is it an acquired name? At least, the Monier-Williams dictionary seems to think it's an acquired one. The word is listed as a + halyā: अ-हल्या (A-...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
68 views

What is the meaning of "Aum"? [duplicate]

I have heard that many saints saying aum when they are in meditation. Not only saints, but many mantras like: aum namah shivaya; aum sreekrishnaya namah have "aum" present in it. Questions: ...
user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
192 views

Are Shiva & Vishnu etymologically connected?

It has always struck me as interesting, or perhaps odd, that the root phonemes of Shiva, [sh]+[v], are the reverse of the root phonemes of Vishnu, [v]+[sh]. Is there any accounting for this?
Rubellite Yakṣī's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
9k views

What is the meaning of Narayana?

So far I have been breaking the word into nara (नर) + Ayana (आयन) = home of nara (jiva). But lately I have realized I couldn't break it this way because to make it nArAyaNa (नारायण), nAra (नार) is ...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ's user avatar
15 votes
3 answers
2k views

What is the meaning of Ramayana?

Ramayana is a sacred epic about the life of Lord Rama. Can anyone explain the meaning/etymology of the word "Ramayana?"
Udhav Sarvaiya's user avatar
14 votes
6 answers
1k views

Who is considered Hindu?

Keeping geographical location aside, who is considered to be a Hindu? (i.e. not belonging to other religions) Should that person accept authority of someone (Vedas, some God, philosophy etc.)?
iammilind's user avatar
  • 19.7k
6 votes
2 answers
294 views

Do scriptures define what a "sect" (सम्प्रदाय ) is?

I guess a sect (सम्प्रदाय ) is one that only subscribes to a subset of Hindu beliefs and/or worships only a subset of Hindu gods. Is there anything in scriptures about this? What is the etymology of ...
S K's user avatar
  • 1
1 vote
0 answers
244 views

Etymology of Sringa

Sringa is an Ancient Indian musical instrument. In an answer to my previous question, it was pointed out that Mahabharat contains a reference to a ruler of the kingdom of Stri Rajya, also known as ...
MathGod's user avatar
  • 1,025
12 votes
3 answers
476 views

What is meaning of the word Mimamsa etymologically?

I am aware that Mimamsa is about philosophy and means critical reflection.But I am interested in the actual etymology of the word so please stick to that point.
Sona Parivraj's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
615 views

What are the various etymological derivations for the word "Upanishad"?

One I have found myself from a commentary on one Upanishad. It says the word is derived like this: Upa (meaning near)+ Nishanna (specially present). So, "near which, sons, animals-like fruits of ...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
2 votes
1 answer
431 views

Are Gandharvs related to Gandhar?

Gandharvas are a class of male nature spirits, having superb musical skills and are guardians of Soma. Gandhar was an ancient kingdom located in modern day Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is mentioned, ...
MathGod's user avatar
  • 1,025
4 votes
1 answer
243 views

Is Sage Panini related to Panis?

Sage Panini was a great grammarian of Ancient India. There is a word mentioned in Rig-Veda, Pani, which means different things according to the context. One of the meanings (albeit in later sources) ...
MathGod's user avatar
  • 1,025
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Was Laxman Kumara named after Lakshmana?

Laxman Kumara was the only son1 of Duryodhana and Bhanumati. He battled in the Mahabharata war and did perform many acts of bravery, like saving King Bahlika, killing Shikandi's son, etc. He was later ...
Bhargav Rao's user avatar
  • 2,358
3 votes
0 answers
287 views

Why is the Sanctum Sanctorum called Garbha Griha?

The place where the deity in a temple is placed (prathishtana) is in english called Sanctum Sanctorum. We refer to it as Garbha Griha. The simple sanskrit meaning of this term is 'Home of the Womb' (...
Suresh Ramaswamy's user avatar
13 votes
4 answers
1k views

What is the meaning of Saraswati?

Devi Saraswati is the Goddess of knowledge, learning and creativity. But what is the etymological meaning of the name Saraswati? How does Nirukta explain the name Saraswati? I guess it's related to '...
Tezz's user avatar
  • 48k
10 votes
3 answers
2k views

What is Fullness and Emptyness (void) according to the Vedas?

I was reading a post containing the following lines taken from Veda, where I could not understand. That is Fullness, this is Fullness; from Fullness comes Fullness. When Fullness is taken from ...
Kailash Chandra Polai's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
4k views

What is the meaning/definition of the word Shudra?

I would like to know the meaning/definition of the word Shudra? Some 3-4 years back, in a commentary of an Upanishad I found someone explaining the word Shudra to mean the one who is always in grief (...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ's user avatar
15 votes
5 answers
4k views

What is the meaning of Brahman & Vasudeva?

As there is definite meaning of the names such as Lord Shiva, Indra, Vishnu etc. I want the meaning of Brahman Vasudeva By the word Brahman, I mean with ultimate reality. (Though personally, I ...
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ's user avatar
16 votes
5 answers
5k views

What does the word 'Asura' mean in the Vedas?

The Danavas and Daityas are referred to as Asuras in the Puranas but in The Vedas many Devas are also referred as Asuras. May the golden-handed, life-bestowing, well-guiding, exhilarating and ...
Karmanya Nanda's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
293 views

What is the scriptural definition of scripture (shAshtra)?

Since childhood I am a big fan of SwAmi VivekAnanda and I used to read (and still do) a lot of books written by him. Now, when I have grown up, I have the understanding that although they are ...
Rickross's user avatar
  • 111k
8 votes
1 answer
541 views

What are the etymologies and literal meanings of the words (kṣatriya, śūdra, etc.) used to indicate one's varṇa?

For brāhmaṇa, there is already a question here: What is the etymology of brahman/brahmin? For śūdra, Monier Williams says "of doubtful derivation". Apte says: शूद्रः [शुच्-रक् पृषो˚ चस्य दः दी...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
650 views

Is the etymology of the name Yudhishthira correct?

As we know, the eldest of the Pandavas is Yudhishthira (IAST : Yudhiṣṭhira and Devanagari: युधिष्ठिर). It is said that he got his name due to his steadiness in war. This is also a famous one. From ...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
  • 25.7k
3 votes
1 answer
623 views

What is the etymology of the word Satagopuram

I would like to know the etymology of the word 'sata-gopuram' (the 'chadari' placed on the head) with respect to the prefix 'sata' (or 'chada')
user95307's user avatar
12 votes
3 answers
4k views

What is the meaning of Indra?

Like there is a meaning of the word Shiva which is explained here, what is the meaning of Indra?
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
3k views

Sanskrit and Sounds of Lord Shiva

I recently heard in "Veda parichaya" in a local channel that the sounds of the alphabet(Sanskrit) originated from Lord Shiva’s ‘damru’. Can anyone elaborate on these sounds and their relation to ...
RBz's user avatar
  • 241
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why Yudhishtira is called Ajāta śatru (अजात शत्रु)?

One of the exclusive names of Yudhishtira is Ajāta śatru (अजात शत्रु). Ajāta śatru = Who has no enemies. Why is he called as Ajāta śatru. Kauravas are his enemies. Aren't they? Why is the name ...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
  • 25.7k
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

Which Hindu scriptures use the word Ārya and in what sense?

What does the word "Ārya" really mean in the context of Hinduism? And which Hindu scriptures use this word and in what sense? If you think the question is too broad, limit your answer to The Vedas, ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
7 votes
3 answers
2k views

Why is Sanātana Dharma also sometimes called Ārṣa Dharma?

Most Hindus are familiar with the term "Sanātana Dharma" which is used in several scriptures. E.g., Manusmṛti 4.138 uses the term as follows: satyaṃ brūyāt priyaṃ brūyānna brūyāt ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
48 views

Sanatana dharma or Hindu [duplicate]

From somewhere I came to know 'Hindu' is a geographical word, it is not a religious one. Original word is 'Sanatana'. Is it true?
Krishna Kumar Gupta's user avatar