ऊर्ध्व

Sanskrit

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *r̥Hdʰwás (“high, upright”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃r̥dʰ-wó-s (“high, upright”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬡𐬀 (ər^əδβa), Ancient Greek ὀρθός (orthós), Latin arduus, Old Norse ǫrðugr (“steep”).

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /uːɾdʱ.ʋɐ́/
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈuːɾd̪ʱ.ʋɐ/

Adjective

ऊर्ध्व • (ūrdhvá) stem

1. rising or tending upwards, raised, elevated, erected, erect, upright, high, above
   • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 1.36.13:

     ऊर्ध्व ऊ षु ण ऊतये तिष्ठा देवो न सविता।
     ऊर्ध्वो वाजस्य सनिता यदञ्जिभिर्वाघद्भिर्विह्वयामहे॥

     ūrdhva ū ṣu ṇa ūtaye tiṣṭhā devo na savitā.
     ūrdhvo vājasya sanitā yadañjibhirvāghadbhirvihvayāmahe.

     Stand up erect to lend us aid, stand up like Savitar the God:
     Erect as strength-bestower we call aloud, with unguents and with priests, on thee.

Usage notes

In Classical Sanskrit occurring chiefly in compounds.

Declension

Noun

ऊर्ध्व • (ūrdhvá) stem, n

1. height, elevation
2. anything placed above or higher (+ ablative)

   ऊर्ध्वं-गच्छति ― √gam ― to go upwards or into heaven, die

Declension

Preposition

ऊर्ध्व • (ūrdhvá)

1. in the sequel, in the later part (e.g. of a book or manuscript; because in Sanskrit manuscripts the later leaves stand above), subsequent, after (with ablative)

   अत ऊर्ध्वम् (ata ūrdhvam), or इत ऊर्ध्वम् (ita ūrdhvam) ― hence forward, from that time forward, after that passage, hereafter

   ऊर्ध्वं संवत्सरात् ― ūrdhvaṃ saṃvatsarāt ― after a year

   ऊर्ध्वं देहात् ― ūrdhvaṃ dehāt ― after life, after death

2. after, after the death of (+ ablative)

   ऊर्ध्वं पितुः ― ūrdhvaṃ pituḥ ― after the father's death

3. in a high tone, aloud

Descendants

• Pali: uddha, ubbha
• Phalura:

  Latin script: huṇḍ

  Arabic script: ہُنڈ

• Prakrit: 𑀉𑀟𑁆𑀠 (uḍḍha), 𑀉𑀤𑁆𑀥 (uddha), 𑀉𑀩𑁆𑀪 (ubbha) (see there for further descendants)
• Irula: உத்த்ய (uttya)

Further reading

• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “ūrdhvá”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 115