गोधा

Pali

Alternative forms

Noun

गोधा f

  1. Devanagari script form of godhā (monitor lizard)

Declension

Prakrit

Noun

गोधा (godhā)

  1. Devanagari script form of 𑀕𑁄𑀥𑀸 (monitor lizard)

Sanskrit

Alternative forms

Etymology

Traditionally explained as गो (go, ox; cattle) + धा (dhā), from धयति (dhayati, to suck), literally "cow-sucker", which is likely based on either folk etymology[1] or folk belief about milk-sucking reptile or amphibian common to some Indo-European cultures.[2] Possibly comparable with Old Armenian կովադիաց (kovadiacʻ, lizard), Northern Kurdish bizinmij (monitor lizard, literally goat sucker), and even Latin būfō (toad).

Pronunciation

Noun

गोधा • (godhā́) stemf

  1. a kind of monitor lizard or other big lizard
    • c. 1200 BCE – 1000 BCE, Atharvaveda 4.3.6:
      मूर्णा॒ मृग॒स्य द॒न्ता अ॒पिशीर्णा उ पृष्ट॒यः ।
      निम्रु॒क् ते गोधा॒ भवतु नीचा॒यच् छशयु॒र् मृगः॒ ॥
      mū́rṇā mṛ́gasyá dantā́ apíśī́rṇā́ ú pṛṣṭayáḥ.
      nímruk té gódhā bhávátú nī́cāyác cháśáyur mṛ́gaḥ.
      Ruined (are) the teeth of the beast; crushed in also (its) ribs;
      Disappearing be for thee the godhā́ (monitor lizard); downward go the lurking(?) beast.
  2. sinew, chord
    • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 8.69.9:
      अव स्वराति गर्गरो गोधा परि सनिष्वणत् ।
      पिङ्गा परि चनिष्कदद् इन्द्राय ब्रह्मोद्यतम् ॥
      ava svarāti gargaro godhā pari saniṣvaṇat.
      piṅgā pari caniṣkadad indrāya brahmodyatam.
      The gargara (musical instrument) utters its sound, the chord resonates;
      the bowstring vibrates; to Indra is the hymn presented.
  3. a leather strap worn around the left arm to prevent injury from a bowstring

Declension

Feminine ā-stem declension of गोधा
singular dual plural
nominative गोधा (godhā́) गोधे (godhé) गोधाः (godhā́ḥ)
accusative गोधाम् (godhā́m) गोधे (godhé) गोधाः (godhā́ḥ)
instrumental गोधया (godháyā)
गोधा¹ (godhā́¹)
गोधाभ्याम् (godhā́bhyām) गोधाभिः (godhā́bhiḥ)
dative गोधायै (godhā́yai) गोधाभ्याम् (godhā́bhyām) गोधाभ्यः (godhā́bhyaḥ)
ablative गोधायाः (godhā́yāḥ)
गोधायै² (godhā́yai²)
गोधाभ्याम् (godhā́bhyām) गोधाभ्यः (godhā́bhyaḥ)
genitive गोधायाः (godhā́yāḥ)
गोधायै² (godhā́yai²)
गोधयोः (godháyoḥ) गोधानाम् (godhā́nām)
locative गोधायाम् (godhā́yām) गोधयोः (godháyoḥ) गोधासु (godhā́su)
vocative गोधे (gódhe) गोधे (gódhe) गोधाः (gódhāḥ)
  • ¹Vedic
  • ²Brāhmaṇas

Descendants

  • Pali: godhā
  • Prakrit: 𑀕𑁄𑀥𑀸 (godhā), 𑀕𑁄𑀳𑀸 (gohā)
    • Hindi: गोह (goh)
    • Punjabi: ਗੋਹ (goh)

References

  1. ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1992) “godhā́-¹”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎[1] (in German), volume I, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 498
  2. ^ Ermacora, Davide (2017) “The comparative milk-suckling reptile”, in Anthropozoologica, volume 52, number 1, →DOI, pages 59–81