प्रेष्ठ

From Proto-Indo-European *préyH-isth₂-o-s, from *preyH- (“to love, like”).

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /pɾɐ́.jiʂ.ʈʰɐ/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ˈpɾeːʂ.ʈʰɐ/

प्रेष्ठ • (préṣṭha) stem (metrical Vedic práyiṣṭha)

1. superlative degree of प्रिय (priyá) dearest, most beloved or desired
   • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 6.26.8:

     वयं ते अस्यामिन्द्र द्युम्नहूतौ सखायः स्याम महिन प्रेष्ठाः ।

     vayaṃ te asyāmindra dyumnahūtau sakhāyaḥ syāma mahina preṣṭhāḥ.

     O Indra, at this holy invocation, may we be thy friends and thy most beloved.

2. (with the locative of the object) very fond of, most fond of
   • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 6.63.1:

     क्व त्या वल्गू पुरुहूताद्य दूतो न स्तोमोऽविदन्नमस्वान् ।
     आ यो अर्वाङ्नासत्या ववर्त प्रेष्ठा ह्यसथो अस्य मन्मन् ॥

     kva tyā valgū puruhūtādya dūto na stomoʼvidannamasvān.
     ā yo arvāṅnāsatyā vavarta preṣṭhā hyasatho asya manman.

     Where hath the hymn with reverence, like an envoy, found both fair Gods to-day, invoked of many-
     Hymn that hath brought the two Nāsatyas hither? Be most fond of this man's thought, ye both Gods.

प्रेष्ठ • (preṣṭha) stem, m

1. a lover, husband