अश्वत्थ
Appearance
Sanskrit
[edit]Alternative forms
[edit]Alternative scripts
- অশ্বত্থ (Assamese script)
- ᬅᬰ᭄ᬯᬢ᭄ᬣ (Balinese script)
- অশ্বত্থ (Bengali script)
- 𑰀𑰫𑰿𑰪𑰝𑰿𑰞 (Bhaiksuki script)
- 𑀅𑀰𑁆𑀯𑀢𑁆𑀣 (Brahmi script)
- အၐွတ္ထ (Burmese script)
- અશ્વત્થ (Gujarati script)
- ਅਸ਼੍ਵਤ੍ਥ (Gurmukhi script)
- 𑌅𑌶𑍍𑌵𑌤𑍍𑌥 (Grantha script)
- ꦄꦯ꧀ꦮꦠ꧀ꦡ (Javanese script)
- 𑂃𑂬𑂹𑂫𑂞𑂹𑂟 (Kaithi script)
- ಅಶ್ವತ್ಥ (Kannada script)
- អឝ្វត្ថ (Khmer script)
- ອຨ຺ວຕ຺ຖ (Lao script)
- അശ്വത്ഥ (Malayalam script)
- ᠠᡧᠣᠸᠠᢠᡨᠠ (Manchu script)
- 𑘀𑘫𑘿𑘪𑘝𑘿𑘞 (Modi script)
- ᠠᠱᢦᢐᠲᠠ᠋ (Mongolian script)
- 𑦠𑧋𑧠𑧊𑦽𑧠𑦾 (Nandinagari script)
- 𑐀𑐱𑑂𑐰𑐟𑑂𑐠 (Newa script)
- ଅଶ୍ଵତ୍ଥ (Odia script)
- ꢂꢯ꣄ꢮꢡ꣄ꢢ (Saurashtra script)
- 𑆃𑆯𑇀𑆮𑆠𑇀𑆡 (Sharada script)
- 𑖀𑖫𑖿𑖪𑖝𑖿𑖞 (Siddham script)
- අශ්වත්ථ (Sinhalese script)
- 𑩐𑩿 𑪙𑩾𑩫 𑪙𑩬 (Soyombo script)
- 𑚀𑚧𑚶𑚦𑚙𑚶𑚚 (Takri script)
- அஶ்வத்த² (Tamil script)
- అశ్వత్థ (Telugu script)
- อศฺวตฺถ (Thai script)
- ཨ་ཤྭ་ཏྠ (Tibetan script)
- 𑒁𑒬𑓂𑒫𑒞𑓂𑒟 (Tirhuta script)
- 𑨀𑨮𑩇𑨭𑨙𑩇𑨚 (Zanabazar Square script)
Etymology
[edit]Uncertain. The plausible etymologies proposed in the literature are:
- Per Turner, from a substrate term that has been Sanskritised + -त्थ (-ttha, “wood”), a suffix also found in कपित्थ (kapittha, “bael tree”), डित्थ (ḍittha, “wooden elephant”), and डवित्थ (ḍavittha, “wooden antelope”).[1] In this case, the first element is probably not अश्व (aśva, “horse”).
- Per Mayrhofer, compare Proto-Iranian *HacwaHastiš (“alfalfa, lucerne”, literally “horse food”).[2] If truly cognate, the Sanskrit term must have originally been *अश्व-द्-थ (aśva-d-tha), but it is not easy to reconcile the suffix with expected Proto-Indo-European *h₁éd-t-is (“food”), nor is the ashvattha tree typically used as horse food. The expected cognate of the Iranic term would be *अश्वत्ति (aśvatti).
Mayrhofer[3] lists some other attempted Indo-European etymologies, none of which are convincing:
- Per Adalbert Kuhn and quoted by Uhlenbeck, a Prakritism from अश्व (aśva, “horse”) + स्थ (stha, “stand”).[4] This etymology arises from a story in the Brāhmaṇas about the tree being a receptacle for the horse-form of the god अग्नि (agni), and thus probably a post-hoc explanation.
- Per Fay, a compound from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ékʷeh₂ (“water”) + *dh₃tós (“given”).
- Per Lassen, a Prakritism from अ- (a-) + स्वस्थ (svastha), i.e. "not self-dependent", referring to the continual shivering of its leaves. Emeneau supports this etymology but rather in reference to the tree's epiphytism;[5] he later withdrew his support and instead favoured a substrate borrowing.
The given name अश्वत्थामन् (aśvatthāman) is unrelated according to Mayrhofer.
Pronunciation
[edit]- (Vedic) IPA(key): /ɐɕ.ʋɐt.tʰɐ́/, [ɐɕ.ʋɐt̚.tʰɐ́]
- (Classical Sanskrit) IPA(key): /ɐɕˈʋɐt̪.t̪ʰɐ/, [ɐɕˈʋɐt̪̚.t̪ʰɐ]
Noun
[edit]अश्वत्थ • (aśvatthá) stem, m (Vedic, Classical Sanskrit)
- ashvattha, sacred fig (a tree of species Ficus religiosa)
- a vessel made from ashvattha wood
- c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 1.135.8:
- अत्राह॒ तद्व॑हेथे॒ मध्व॒ आहु॑तिं॒ यम॑श्व॒त्थमु॑प॒तिष्ठ॑न्त जा॒यवो॒ऽस्मे ते स॑न्तु जा॒यवः॑
सा॒कं गावः॒ सुव॑ते॒ पच्य॑ते॒ यवो॒ न ते॑ वाय॒ उप॑ दस्यन्ति धे॒नवो॒ नाप॑ दस्यन्ति धे॒नवः॑- átrā́ha tádvahethe mádhva ā́hutiṃ yámaśvatthámupatíṣṭhanta jāyávoʼsmé té santu jāyávaḥ
sākáṃ gā́vaḥ súvate pácyate yávo ná te vāya úpa dasyanti dhenávo nā́pa dasyanti dhenávaḥ
- 1890 translation by R. T. H. Griffith
- Ride hither to the offering of the pleasant juice, the holy Fig-tree which victorious priests surround: victorious be they still for us. At once the cows yield milk, the barleymeal is dressed. For thee, O Vâyu, never shall the cows grow thin, never for thee shall they be dry.
- átrā́ha tádvahethe mádhva ā́hutiṃ yámaśvatthámupatíṣṭhanta jāyávoʼsmé té santu jāyávaḥ
- अत्राह॒ तद्व॑हेथे॒ मध्व॒ आहु॑तिं॒ यम॑श्व॒त्थमु॑प॒तिष्ठ॑न्त जा॒यवो॒ऽस्मे ते स॑न्तु जा॒यवः॑
- the upper अरणि (araṇi) made of ashvattha wood
- (astronomy) Synonym of श्रोणा (śroṇā, “name of a नक्षत्र (nakṣatra)”)
- c. 600 BCE – 400 BCE, Pāṇini, Aṣṭādhyāyī 4.2.5:
- संज्ञायां श्रवणाश्वत्थाभ्याम्
- saṃjñāyāṃ śravaṇāśvatthābhyām
- संज्ञायां श्रवणाश्वत्थाभ्याम्
- a name of the sun
- name of a people
- 550 CE, Varāhamihira, Bṛhat Saṃhitā
Declension
[edit]Masculine a-stem declension of अश्वत्थ (aśvatthá) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Singular | Dual | Plural | |
Nominative | अश्वत्थः aśvattháḥ |
अश्वत्थौ / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthaú / aśvatthā́¹ |
अश्वत्थाः / अश्वत्थासः¹ aśvatthā́ḥ / aśvatthā́saḥ¹ |
Vocative | अश्वत्थ áśvattha |
अश्वत्थौ / अश्वत्था¹ áśvatthau / áśvatthā¹ |
अश्वत्थाः / अश्वत्थासः¹ áśvatthāḥ / áśvatthāsaḥ¹ |
Accusative | अश्वत्थम् aśvatthám |
अश्वत्थौ / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthaú / aśvatthā́¹ |
अश्वत्थान् aśvatthā́n |
Instrumental | अश्वत्थेन aśvatthéna |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthā́bhyām |
अश्वत्थैः / अश्वत्थेभिः¹ aśvatthaíḥ / aśvatthébhiḥ¹ |
Dative | अश्वत्थाय aśvatthā́ya |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthā́bhyām |
अश्वत्थेभ्यः aśvatthébhyaḥ |
Ablative | अश्वत्थात् aśvatthā́t |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthā́bhyām |
अश्वत्थेभ्यः aśvatthébhyaḥ |
Genitive | अश्वत्थस्य aśvatthásya |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvattháyoḥ |
अश्वत्थानाम् aśvatthā́nām |
Locative | अश्वत्थे aśvatthé |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvattháyoḥ |
अश्वत्थेषु aśvatthéṣu |
Notes |
|
Descendants
[edit]- Prakrit: 𑀅𑀲𑁆𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀣 (assattha), 𑀆𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀣 (āsattha), 𑀅𑀲𑁆𑀲𑁄𑀢𑁆𑀣 (assŏttha), 𑀅𑀁𑀲𑁄𑀢𑁆𑀣 (aṃsŏttha), 𑀆𑀲𑁄𑀢𑁆𑀣 (āsŏttha)
- Assamese: আঁহত (ãhot)
- Pali: assattha
- ⇒ Bengali: অশোত (ośōt), আশোত (aśōt)
- → Bengali: অশ্বত্থ (ośśottho) (learned)
- → Sinhalese: අශ්වත්ථ (aśwattha) (learned)
Adjective
[edit]अश्वत्थ • (aśvattha) stem (Classical Sanskrit)
Declension
[edit]Masculine a-stem declension of अश्वत्थ (aśvattha) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Singular | Dual | Plural | |
Nominative | अश्वत्थः aśvatthaḥ |
अश्वत्थौ / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthau / aśvatthā¹ |
अश्वत्थाः / अश्वत्थासः¹ aśvatthāḥ / aśvatthāsaḥ¹ |
Vocative | अश्वत्थ aśvattha |
अश्वत्थौ / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthau / aśvatthā¹ |
अश्वत्थाः / अश्वत्थासः¹ aśvatthāḥ / aśvatthāsaḥ¹ |
Accusative | अश्वत्थम् aśvattham |
अश्वत्थौ / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthau / aśvatthā¹ |
अश्वत्थान् aśvatthān |
Instrumental | अश्वत्थेन aśvatthena |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थैः / अश्वत्थेभिः¹ aśvatthaiḥ / aśvatthebhiḥ¹ |
Dative | अश्वत्थाय aśvatthāya |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थेभ्यः aśvatthebhyaḥ |
Ablative | अश्वत्थात् aśvatthāt |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थेभ्यः aśvatthebhyaḥ |
Genitive | अश्वत्थस्य aśvatthasya |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvatthayoḥ |
अश्वत्थानाम् aśvatthānām |
Locative | अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvatthayoḥ |
अश्वत्थेषु aśvattheṣu |
Notes |
|
Feminine ā-stem declension of अश्वत्था (aśvatthā) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Singular | Dual | Plural | |
Nominative | अश्वत्था aśvatthā |
अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थाः aśvatthāḥ |
Vocative | अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थाः aśvatthāḥ |
Accusative | अश्वत्थाम् aśvatthām |
अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थाः aśvatthāḥ |
Instrumental | अश्वत्थया / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthayā / aśvatthā¹ |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थाभिः aśvatthābhiḥ |
Dative | अश्वत्थायै aśvatthāyai |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थाभ्यः aśvatthābhyaḥ |
Ablative | अश्वत्थायाः / अश्वत्थायै² aśvatthāyāḥ / aśvatthāyai² |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थाभ्यः aśvatthābhyaḥ |
Genitive | अश्वत्थायाः / अश्वत्थायै² aśvatthāyāḥ / aśvatthāyai² |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvatthayoḥ |
अश्वत्थानाम् aśvatthānām |
Locative | अश्वत्थायाम् aśvatthāyām |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvatthayoḥ |
अश्वत्थासु aśvatthāsu |
Notes |
|
Neuter a-stem declension of अश्वत्थ (aśvattha) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Singular | Dual | Plural | |
Nominative | अश्वत्थम् aśvattham |
अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थानि / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthāni / aśvatthā¹ |
Vocative | अश्वत्थ aśvattha |
अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थानि / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthāni / aśvatthā¹ |
Accusative | अश्वत्थम् aśvattham |
अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थानि / अश्वत्था¹ aśvatthāni / aśvatthā¹ |
Instrumental | अश्वत्थेन aśvatthena |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थैः / अश्वत्थेभिः¹ aśvatthaiḥ / aśvatthebhiḥ¹ |
Dative | अश्वत्थाय aśvatthāya |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थेभ्यः aśvatthebhyaḥ |
Ablative | अश्वत्थात् aśvatthāt |
अश्वत्थाभ्याम् aśvatthābhyām |
अश्वत्थेभ्यः aśvatthebhyaḥ |
Genitive | अश्वत्थस्य aśvatthasya |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvatthayoḥ |
अश्वत्थानाम् aśvatthānām |
Locative | अश्वत्थे aśvatthe |
अश्वत्थयोः aśvatthayoḥ |
अश्वत्थेषु aśvattheṣu |
Notes |
|
References
[edit]- ^ Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “aśvatthá”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 41
- ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) “aśvatthá-”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan][1] (in German), volume I, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 140
- ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1956–1980) “aśvattháḥ”, in Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary][2] (in German), Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 61
- ^ Uhlenbeck, C. C. (1898–1899) Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch der altindischen Sprache (in German), Amsterdam: Johannes Müller
- ^ Emeneau, M. B. (1944–1950) “The strangling figs in Sanskrit literature”, in University of California Publications in Classical Philology[3], volume 13, page 370
Further reading
[edit]- Monier Williams (1899) “अश्वत्थ”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 115.
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- Sanskrit terms derived from substrate languages
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