Nighantu (critical study)
by Gopalakrishna N. Bhat | 1985 | 71,168 words
This is an English study of the Nighantu and its commentary called the Nirukta by Yaska. The Nighantu is an ancient Sanskrit lexicon dealing with the words of the Vedic language. This essay presents a detailed analysis of the extant five chapters of this text and examines it's authorship, tracing meanings of words through Vedic texts by providing a...
4. Rearrangement of the words listed in the Nighantu
[Full title: A few suggestions for the rearrangement of the words listed in the Nighantu]
Words, while do not give the sense assigned in a particular list of synonyms, can be shifted to the other proper synonym list. For example, the word vipah is listed in angulinamani (Nigh.2.5.9). The word is not properly which r used in the sense of finger; so it can be shifted to medhavinamani (Nigh.3.15) and stotinamani (3.16). The word is explained in the sense of medhavi or stoty by sayana. 1 441.? 2. The usual words which are not included in the list but by which the lists of synonyms are called, can be included in the particular list. For example, the word dik in the list of dinnamani (1.4); usas in the list of usonamani (1.6); megha in the list of meghanamani (1.10); bala in balanamani (2.9); dhana in dhananamani (2.10); gau in gonamani (2.11); bahu in bahunamani (3.1); grha in grhanamani; sukha in sukhanamani, etc. 3. Words should be arranged in the alphabatical order; and to follow a systematic way they should be listed in their nominative forms. 4. All the synonyms of nouns should be listed in a
L 468 single chapter; and the verbal forms in a separate chapter. The prepositions, indeclinables etc, should be listed separately. 5. Otherwise, if the present set up is not to be changed, 11 st of synonyms of grha, medhavi, stoty, Tajna, kupa and stena can be shifted to second chapter from third chapter of the Nighantu. As already observed, the second chapter deals with man and his associates; and the third chapter deals with abstract qualities. 1 6. The following lists of synonyms can be included in the third chapter in an orderly manner: ksipranamani (2.15); antikanamani (2.16); bahunamani (3.1); hrasvanamani (3.2); mahannamani (3.3); nirnitantarhitanamani (3.25); duranamani (3.26); purananamani (3.27) and navanamani (3.28). 7. Vajranamani and Isvaranamani from the second chapter (2.20; 2.22) and the dyava prthivinamadheyani from the third chapter (3.30) can be shifted to the first chapter; as the first chapter deals with physical things like earth, air, water, etc. 8. The words which cannot be traced in the extant Vedas may be conveniently deleted from the list.