ਫਿਰਿ

Old Punjabi

Etymology

Etymology tree

Sanskrit स्पृ (spṛ)der.?

Ashokan Prakrit *𑀨𑀺𑀭𑀢𑀺 (*phirati)

Takka Apabhramsa 𑆦𑆴𑆫𑆅 (phiraï)

Old Punjabi ਫਿਰਿ (phiri)

Inherited from Takka Apabhramsa 𑆦𑆴𑆫𑆅 (phiraï), from Prakrit 𑀨𑀺𑀭𑀇 (phiraï), from Ashokan Prakrit *𑀨𑀺𑀭𑀢𑀺 (*phirati).

Verb

ਫਿਰਿ (phiri) (intransitive)

1. to go round, circle
2. to wander, ramble, walk, travel, run
   • 1604, Guru Nanak, Ādi Granth ang 1019:

     ਜੋ ਭਾਗੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਜੋਨੀ ਫਿਰਣਾ ॥

     jo bhāgai tisu jonī phiraṇā.

     • 1972 translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

       One who runs away will wander in reincarnation.

   • 1604, Guru Nanak, Ādi Granth ang 1102:

     ਭੈ ਤੇ ਬੈਰਾਗੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਹਰਿ ਖੋਜਤ ਫਿਰਣਾ ॥

     bhai te bairāgu ūpajai hari khojata phiraṇā.

     • 1972 translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

       Through the Fear of God, the attitude of detachment wells up, and one sets out in search of the Lord.

3. to return, turn back, turn away

Descendants

• Punjabi: phirnā

  Gurmukhi script: ਫਿਰਨਾ

  Shahmukhi script: پھِرْنا

• Saraiki: phiraṇ

  Devanagari script: फिरण (phiraṇ)

  Multani script: 𑊜𑊢𑊕 (phrṇ /⁠phiraṇ⁠/)

  Shahmukhi script: پِھرَݨ

Further reading

• “ਫਿਰਣਾ”, in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Dictionary, SriGranth.org, 2024
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “*phirati”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 510