अष्ट्रा

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *HáštraH (“whip, goad”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵ-tro-m (“instrument of propelling”), from *h₂eǵ- (“to drive”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬭𐬁 (aštrā, “whip”), Middle Persian [script needed] (ʾštl /⁠aštar⁠/, “whip”). Compare also Hungarian ostor (“whip”), an Indo-Iranian borrowing.

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /ɐ́ʂ.ʈɾɑː/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ɐʂ.ʈɾɑː/

अष्ट्रा • (áṣṭrā) stem, f

1. goad or whip for driving cattle
   • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 6.58.2.2:

     अष्ट्रां॑ पू॒षा शि॑थि॒राम् उ॒द्वरी॑वृजत् सं॒चक्षा॑णो॒ भुव॑ना दे॒व ई॑यते ॥

     áṣṭrāṃ pūṣā́ śithirā́m udvárīvṛjat saṃcákṣāṇo bhúvanā devá īyate.

     Brandishing here and there his slack whip, beholding every creature, Pūṣan, the god, goes forth.