अश्वत्थ

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Sanskrit

अश्वत्थः ― aśvatthaḥ ― ashvattha tree

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

Etymology

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.

Compare also the given name अश्वत्थाम (aśvatthāma).

Pronunciation

Noun

अश्वत्थ • (aśvatthá) stem, m (Vedic, Classical Sanskrit)

  1. ashvattha, sacred fig (a tree of species Ficus religiosa)
    Synonyms: पिप्पल (pippala), प्लक्ष (plakṣa)
  2. 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.
    • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 10.97.5
  3. the upper अरणि (araṇi) made of ashvattha wood
  4. (astronomy) Synonym of श्रोणा (śroṇā, “name of a नक्षत्र (nakṣatra)”)
    • c. 600 BCE – 400 BCE, Pāṇini, Aṣṭādhyāyī 4.2.5:
      संज्ञायां श्रवणाश्वत्थाभ्याम्
      saṃjñāyāṃ śravaṇāśvatthābhyām
  5. a name of the sun
  6. name of a people

Declension

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
  • ¹Vedic

Descendants

Adjective

अश्वत्थ • (aśvattha) stem (Classical Sanskrit)

  1. relating to the नक्षत्र (nakṣatra) of the same name

Declension

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
  • ¹Vedic
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
  • ¹Vedic
  • ²Brāhmaṇas
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
  • ¹Vedic

References

  1. ^ Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “aśvatthá”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 41
  2. ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) “aśvatthá-”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen‎ (in German), volume I, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 140
  3. ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1956–1980) “aśvattháḥ”, in Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen‎ (in German), Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 61
  4. ^ Uhlenbeck, C. C. (1898–1899) Kurzgefasstes etymologisches Wörterbuch der altindischen Sprache (in German), Amsterdam: Johannes Müller
  5. ^ Emeneau, M. B. (1944–1950) “The strangling figs in Sanskrit literature”, in University of California Publications in Classical Philology‎, volume 13, page 370

Further reading

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