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Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study)

by A. Yamuna Devi | 2012 | 77,297 words | ISBN-13: 9788193658048

This page relates ‘Etymological Derivations of Kshirasvamin� of the study on the Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (in English) which represents a commentary on the Amarakosha of Amarasimha. These ancient texts belong the Kosha or “lexicography� category of Sanskrit literature which deals with the analysis and meaning of technical words from a variety of subjects, such as cosmology, anatomy, medicine, hygiene. The Amarakosa itself is one of the earliest of such text, dating from the 6th century A.D., while the Amarakoshodghatana is the earliest known commentary on that work.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Etymological Derivations of ṣīr峾

[Full title: Derivation of words following ṇiԾ’s ūٰ (2): Etymological Derivations of ṣīr峾]

ṣīr峾 is a grammarian of great merit, as pointed out by Liṅgayasūrin and also evident from the authorship of his other commentaries on grammatical texts. The available commentaries on ś can be catagorized into two groups–one which gives etymology of words with the application of the ṇiԾan rules while the other gives etymologies or mere explanations. To the former belongs the commentaries of ṣīr峾, ٲū貹, ԲԻ岹, ѳܰṭa, Bhānuji and others while to the latter Liṅgayasūrin, Ѳٳ, Ѳś and others.

ṣīr峾 explains most of the words and substantiates many of his derivations with the ṇiԾan rules. General grammatical statements and special or exceptional rules are also brought to notice by the commentator wherever necessary. A sample of these etymologies and the grammatical statements made by ṣīr峾 are highlighted under this section.

(a) ٱ𱹲 (I. 1. 9; p. 5)�

[God:]

Deriving the word ṣīr峾 remarks that the ٳ󾱰첹 pratyayas do not follow the gender of their primitive.

deva eva 𱹲 ٳٲ (Pā. 5. 4. 27) |
srthikā� pratyayā�
prakṛtito liṅgavacanānyativartante'pi |
devataiva 岹ٲ�, ñ徱ٱ (Pā. 5.4. 38) ٳ�
, śṣa� ṃsٱ� ū貹 īٱ� tacca pracuraprayogam |

ṣīr峾 remarks that the gods in groups are used optionally in plural; he adds that the singularity is applicable for the component as well as the compuond:

ete ddaśatdinā saṃghena ܰ ṇa𱹲 saṃghacāriṇo bahuvacanāntā |
첹ٱ� tu samudāyeṣvapi ṛt� śabdā āvayaveṣvapi vartanta iti |

(b) ʳܰṣoٳٲ� (I.1.21; p.8)�

[վṣṇ:]

ṣīr峾 prefers to derive the word in ٲī ٲٱܰṣa for he mentions that the ūٰna nirdhāraṇe� (Pā. 2. 2. 10) prohibits the formation of ṣaṣṭīٲٱܰṣa . He also says that the word cannot be a 첹ⲹ as by the ūٰ Գ󲹳ٱܰṣoٳٲ... (Pā. 2. 1. 61), the compound-word would be ٳٲܰṣa and not ʳܰṣoٳٲ.

Analysis:

The following are the steps in forming a ٲī �(i) The ūٰⲹٲśԾṇa | (Pā. 2. 3. 41) ordains ٲī vibhakti and ṣaṣṭī vibhakti optionally. In the example, the ٲī vibhakti is ordained to the word �ܰṣa� by this ūٰ and (ii) By the yoga of ٲī śauṇḍai� | (Pā. 2. 1. 40) the two words�ܰṣeṣu ܳٳٲ� is compounded into ʳܰṣoٳٲ�.

Though one can find that ṣaṣṭīٲٱܰṣa is popularly prefered by many, ṣīr峾 chooses ٲī ٲٱܰṣa probably on the basis of following reasons-

(i) If ṣaṣṭī vibhakti is to be ordained to the word it is possible by application of two ūٰⲹٲśԾṇa or ṣaṣṭī śeṣe | (Pā. 2. 3. 50)

(ii) If the compound is effected by the former, then as already mentioned by ṣīr峾 the ūٰna nirdhāraṇe� prohibits the formation of ṣaṣṭīٲٱܰṣa .

(iii) If the latter is employed and the compound is effected by the ūٰṣaṣṭī (Pā. 2. 2. 8), the utterence of the words puruṣṇām ܳٳٲ� | immediately evokes doubt in the listener regarding the application of ṣaṣṭī vibhakti by the above mentioned ūٰ.

(iv) Further the vidheya is not mentioned and has to be assumed as Lord վṣṇ.

Note: A better option to avoid all these confusions would be the 貹ñī ٲٱܰṣapuruṣebhya� ܳٳٲ� |

(c) Lakṣmī� (I. 1. 27; p. 10):

ṣīr峾 derives the word as follows:

ṣyٱ ṣmī� |

The ṇād rule (440) lakṣermu� ca ordains ‘ī� and ṣīr峾 quotes the special rule 󲹱ṅyǻīٲܳīپ (Pā. 6/1/68) by which the visarga is not elided�

itīpratyayānta� āta eva ṅyantatbhād 󲹱ṅyǻīٲܳīپ (Pā. 6. 1. 68) sulopābhāva� |

Thus he reminds the ecxeptional rules or special cases of grammatical derivations.

(d) ܻ岹śԲ (I. 1. 28; p. 10)�

[The discus of վṣṇ:]

ś reads the word in neuter gender and ṣīr峾 observes that in usage the word is also employed in masculine gender and cites from Śśܱ󲹳 (14.16)�

ܻ岹śԲ� ṃs lokāśrayatlliṅgasya yathā—bandhureṣa jagatā� ܻ岹śԲ� |[1]

(e) Ҳܳٳ (I. 1. 29; p. 10)�

[Garuda:]

ṣīr峾 highlights that the taddita word Ҳܳٳ which has the �matuppratyaya does not get the substitution of �va� ordained by the rule 󲹲ⲹ� (Pā. 5. 4. 111), as the word �garut� is read in the ⲹ徱ṇa

garuta� pakṣāḥ santyasya garutmān 󲹲ⲹ� (Pā. 5.4.111) iti vatva� yadipāṭhānپ |

(f) Ś (I. 1. 37; p. 13)�

[ī:]

ṣīr峾 remarks that since ī by herself is a bestower of all auspiciousness, she is called Ś and quotes Śśٲ in support.

He also adds that if the wife of Ś were to be denoted then the word would be Śī

ś ٲ� śreyaskarītccivavat ⲹśٲḥ�
ś� 󲹻� ś� ś� ś ܰī
śbhayā |
puṃyoge ca śivasya ٰī śivī |

(g) Ѳܳٱ (I. 1. 41; p. 14)�

[Indra:]

ṣīr峾 deriving the word Ѳܳٱ, reminds one that the word �marut� gets the ñbha� by the rule�tasaumatvarthe (Pā. 4.1.19); thus by making the pada inapplicabe it does not get the Ჹśٱ

maruto santyasya marutn | tasaumatvarthe (Pā. 4.1.19) iti bhaṃjñ� padaⲹ� jaśatva� پ |

(h) (I. 3. 3; p.32)�

[Evening:]

ṣīr峾 specifies that the word is an indeclinable which is not mentioned in ś

sāyamavyayam |

(i) Trisandhya (I. 3. 3; p.32)�

[Periods of the day:]

ṣīr峾 derives the word and quotes the ٳپ첹Գٴ (1557) which optionally ordains the feminine gender which according to him is not desired.

He quotes which ordains the word to be in nueter gender�

پ� Ի� samāhṛtāstrisandhyam |
Գٴ iti pakṣe ٰītva�
Աṣṭ� yan mālā�
ٰԻⲹ� tu napuṃsakam |

(j) ś I.3.21 (p. 36)�

Commenting on ś I. 3. 21 (p. 36)—�ye dve daive yugasahasre tau nṛṇā� kalpau�, ṣīr峾 explains that the pronouns used as īⲹԲ and ūⲹԲ need not adhere to the general rule that the genders of the qualifier and qualified should comply with each other�

峾� īⲹ—mūⲹԲṅgṇe 峾� |

This statement of ṣīr峾 is quoted by Kṛṣṇadaivajña (16th C. A.D) in his commentary īᲹ貹[2] on īᲹṇiٲ (p. 41) justifying the usage of the text:

bhājyācchedya� śudhyati ܳٲ� san sveṣu sveṣu sthanakeṣu krameṇa | yairyairvarṇai� saṃguṇo yaiśca yaiśca rūpairbhāgahare labdhayastā� syuratra | tā labdhaya� ityatra tacchabdasya īⲹԲliṅgatā śٲⲹ� hi yasyā prakṛtirjalasya ityadau daive yugasahasre dve 󳾲� kalpau tu tau nṛṇā�

ityasya vyākhyāvasare 󾱳ٲ� ca kṣīrasminā 峾� vidhīyamānānūdyamānaliṅgagrahaṇe 峾� iti |

This seems to be the reflection of the idea expressed in ʰī貹[3] on the statement in Ѳṣy which reads�

ki� yattatsāsnālṅgūlakakudakhuraviṣṇyartharūpa� sa� ś岹� |

The ʰī貹 remarks that words which equate the sense and word, the use of pronouns need not strictly follow the general rule that the qualifiers should adhere to the gender of the qualifying noun�

ki� yattaditi—uddiśyamānapratinirdiśyamānayorekatvamāpādayanti sarvanāmāni paryāyeṇa talliṅgamupapādata iti kāmacārata� sa ś岹� iti pulliṅgena Ծś� |

(k) ṃśaⲹ (I. 4. 3; p. 39)�

[Doubt:]

ṣīr峾 takes opportunity to give the general tips in grammar. In deriving the term ṃśaⲹ he highlights as to how the meaning of the verb changes with an upasarga

쾱ٲ� saṃśaye san | śī� dihornānārthayo� saṃśabdenaiṣortho dyotyate upasargasya so'rtho dhātūpādhivaśātprakāśate |

(l) ṃv岵ū� (I. 4. 5; p. 39)�

[Transcendental knowledge:]

ṣīr峾 says that the different shades of meaning to a word is also due to the presence of upasarga. This is better illustrated in explaining the term ṃv岵ū�.

He says that the meaning of the word ṃv is right knowledge as well as code of conduct and this is either due to the nature of roots for their varied meanings or due to the influence of prefixes and illustrates it with relevant example�

ṃvñԲ�, yathā-satsaṃvitkaraṇātītā | niyamo'pi, yathā—ṃva� laṅghayecca ya� | (ñⲹ 2.187) dhātūnāmanekārtha-tdupasargavaśād tattadarthatvam |

(m) (I. 4. 7; p. 39)�

[Ignorance:]

In explaining the term , ṣīr峾 says that it is the opposite of knowledge and says that it is the nañ pratyaya used in sense of opposite as in adharma and anartha

ܻ� vedanam ādharmānarthavad viparyaye nañ yadāha,Ծٲⲹśܳḥkٳ nityaśucisukhātmakhyātir | (Pātañjala yogaūٰ -II. 5)

(n) Ahammati (I. 4. 7; pp. 39-40):

Ahammati is synonymous to ; deriving the word, ṣīr峾 remarks that the word aham used here is not the noun of asmad ś岹 but it is a Ծٲ

āhamityasya mananamahaṃmati�, ٳԲٳ󾱳, āhamiti vibhaktipratirūpako Ծٲ� |

(o) Colours:

The ī ends with the mention of colours and ś states that the colours when used as qualities takes masculine gender and when used as qualifiers take the gender of the noun they qualify. (I. 4. 17; p. 42)�

guṇe śܰdaya� ṃs ṇi ṅgٳ tadvat

This statement is well illustrated by ṣīr峾�

ṇa ٰ ٲ ṇāḥ ṃs 貹ṭaⲹ śܰ� ṇa-vadvṛttitāyāṃtvabhidheyaliṅgā� śܰ� 貹ṭa� śܰ śṭ� śܰ� vastram |

In this context, he also quotes the Paninian ūٰ which ordains �ṅīṣ� optionally after a Nominal stem, expressive of colour ending in a ܻٳٲ, gravely accented vowel and having the letter �t� as its penultimate letter: and the letter �n� is substituted in the room of �t’�

ṇādԳܻٳٳٴDZ貹ٳٴDzԲ� (Pā 4.1.39) iti śī ś dz󾱲ī dz󾱳 |

(p) Satyam[4] (I. 5. 24; p. 46)�

[Truth:]

ś gives satyam, tathyam ṛta� and samyag as words for truth and mentions that these words can be used in all three genders–ṣīr峾 illustrates well as to how the word satyam can be used in all the three genders�

gbhedāstriṣūktā� satyaśī�, ٲⲹ� ś岹�, ٲⲹ� | yadā tu satyaktdinā tadvati vartante tadāpi triṣu yathā ٲⲹ� ܱ� satya ٰī ٲⲹ� ܳ | eva� 峾ⲹ niṣṭhurādaya� |

(q) ղԻī (I. 6. 38; p. 56)�

[Lassitude:]

ś gives the word ٲԻī for lassitude; explaining the term ṣīr峾 adds that the word can also be used as a word ending in long ‘ā� similar to Ծ

indriyṇāṃ tanana� drātyasyā� ٲԻī Ծ tandretyabanto'pi |

(r) Ѳ� (I. 6. 39; p. 56)�

[Festival:]

ś gives five synonyms for festival of which is one. ṣīr峾 makes note that the word has �a� ending and is different from mahas ending in �s�, which is a neuter gender word denoting effulgence or lusture�

ḥ�Գٲ�, sāntastu tejo'rtha� klībe |

(s) Gonasa (I. 7. 4; p. 57)�

[Kind of snake:]

According to ṣīr峾, the word gonasa etymologically means a serpant that has the head (hood) resembling that of a cow. He also quotes the ṇiԾ ūٰāñ yā� ṃjñ� Բ� ٳū (Pā. 5.4.118) according to which the ś岹 at the end of a ܱī compound is replaced by �nas� and gets the �acpratyaya; thus the word gonasa is derived.

(t) ūī (I. 9. 18; p. 64)�

[A porpoise:]

ṣīr峾 rightly points out here that it is a ' in' anta word for generally it could be mistaken to be an īԳٲ word:

ulūpīnnanta� ullumpatīti |

(u) Ś (II. 5. 5; p. 125)�

[Jackal:]

ṣīr峾 specifies that this word in feminine gender denotes a jackal also since it smells out the birds or sharpens (the teeth) and is ominous.

He further adds that Ś also denotes a gooseberry, while the word in masculine gender denotes lord Ś as mentioned by Śśٲ:

śinoti ś śakunāvedinī śṛgāle'pi ٰīliṅga� ⲹśٲḥ�
ś� ī� ś
ṣṭ bhavedāmalakī ś |

(v) ѲԴᲹ� (III. 1. 13; p. 238)�

[Fatherly:]

ṣīr峾 explains that the mind is attracted towards him as towards a father and hence ԴᲹ� and is arrived at by the Uṇādiūٰ similar to deriving the word camasa

mano javate'smin pitāyamiti dhāvati ԴᲹ� aṇādko'saḥ—camasāditt manoje'bhilāṣe vasati |

Bhānuji (p.356) records this statement of ṣīr峾 without any remarks probably accepting his derivation.

(w) ʰīṇa (III. 1. 4; p. 236)�

[Skilful:]

ṣīr峾 observes that the etymology of the word actually signifies ' one who has an excellent lute'; but in popular usage the word has lost its original sense and has gained popularity signifying a skilled person.

He also quotes Kumārilabhaṭṭa's view in this regard and also adds that the words Ծṣṇٲ and ś are of similar nature�

ܰٳ� parityajya Ծṇe ūḍh� yadāhu� -nirūḍhā ṣaṇāḥ kāścitsāmarthyādabhidhānavat | kriyante'dyatanai� kāścitśԲԲٱśپٲiti | eva� Ծṣṇٲśu |

(x) վṣv (III. 1. 34; p. 243)�

[Ubiquitous:]

Deriving the word ṣv by the ūٰṣv𱹲ś ṭeⲹñ屹ٲⲹ (Pā 6. 3. 92) remarks that the word ṣv is an indeclinable when it denotes ubiquity�

ṣv sarvato'rthe'vyayam |

(y) 屹ū첹 (III. 1. 35; p. 243)�

[Talkative:]

ṣīr峾 explains that the word cannot be arrived at by the application of the ūٰyajajapa... (Pā 3.2.166) as the ūٰ ordains ū첹 pratyaya only to the two roots mentioned viz., yaj and jap.

ṣīr峾 derives the word on the authority of the ʲ岹[5], that ū첹 is also ordained to vad ٳ

vadyate tacchīlo vadū첹� yajajapa ityatra?[!] vaderanupadeśa�, ⲹ iti padakārakyād ū첹� |

(z) ḍa� (III. 1. 38; p. 244)�

[Stupid:]

ṣīr峾 derives the word from the root jala signifying Բⲹ and remarks that linguistically la and ḍa are considered identical�

jala dhānye ḍalayorekatvam |

This meaning of the root is in keeping with the Ի school while the ṇiԾan school takes the meaning of the root as ٲⲹ, signifying dullness.

It is interesting to note that in ṣīrٲṅgṇ�, ṣīr峾 himself mentions the meaning of the root �jala� as �ٲ� (I. 570) or jala āvaraṇe (X. 10) according to ṇiԾ and remarks that the Ի school does not accept both these meannigs.

(aa) ī (III.1.61; p.249)�

[Fat:]

Commenting on the word ṣīr峾 observes that ī and īԲ are two words to denote a fat person; further he states that the words are formed by addition of two suffixes�

kvarap and kvanipīԲ ī kvanip kvarap ca |

(ab) (III.1.65; p.250)�

[Equal:]

ṣīr峾 remarks that the word in the sense of ‘all� is a word and gives an example that the ‘sun is the same for all’�

samati sarrthe 峾 yathā�ūⲹ� ṣāṃ |

Here in the example the word ṣāṃ is a 峾 ś岹 used in masculine gender genetive form.

The ṇa includes this word in the group�

sardīni 峾ni.

(ac) Ā徱� (III.1.81; p.253)�

[First:]

ś specifies that the word is always in masculine gender.

ṣīr峾 illustrates as to how the words though an adjective of a neuter gender remains in its own gender�

dharmivṛttitve'pyajahalliṅga� yathā—ādirgargakulam |

He also remarks that if the word takes the gender of the qualifier it is used as

dharmavṛttitve bhave yat ādyo cyaliṅga� |

(ad) Ā󲹲ԲԲ� (III. 2. 7; p. 261)�

[Bidding Farewell:]

ṣīr峾 explains that the prefix with the root pracchi signifies “to please by embracing and the like�.

He also substantiates his view with a citation from ѱ𲵳󲹲Իś (I. 9)�

āpracchanna� ṅpūrva� pracchirāliṅganādinānandanārtha� yathā—āpṛcchasva priyasakhamamum |

(ae) ṃsٲ� (III. 2. 23; p. 265)�

[Acquaintance:]

ṣīr峾 explains that the root of the verb though signifies eulogy besides other meanings, the prefix sam in the word ṃsٲ� implies acquaintance�

ṃgٲ� stavana� ṃsٲ� dhātoranekārthasya copasargeṇaiṣo'rtho dyotyate |

(af) ḍh� (III. 3. 44; p. 280)�

[Promise:]

ṣīr峾 observes that the word in the sense of affirmation or promise is an indeclinable�

ḍh� pratijñāne'ṅgīkāre'vyayam |

(ag) 첹� (III. 3. 73; p. 286-87)�

[Sand:]

Deriving the word ṣīr峾 specifies that it is always in plural�

sicyante 첹� Ծٲⲹ� bahutve'yam |

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Ѳٳ also quotes the same and says that the masculine gender is also accepted and cites the ś statement (III. 5. 46) that in determining the gender one should refer to the works of poets and usages.

[2]:

īᲹ貹 of Kṛṣṇadaivajña, p.42. Mrs. Sita Sundar Ram was awarded Ph.D degree for "A Critical study on the text under the supervision of Dr. V. Kameswari, by the University of Madras. Subsequently this has been published by The Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute in 2012.

[4]:

ٲⲹ� tathyamṛta� samyagamūni triṣu tadvati |

[5]:

ʲٲñᲹ occationally refers to ٲⲹԲ and the writers of ʰپśⲹ as the ʲ岹, Ref. Dictionary of Sanskrit grammar, p.234.

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