नभस्

Sanskrit

FWOTD – 16 October 2021

Alternative scripts

Etymology

    From Proto-Indo-Iranian *nábʰas (cloud, mist), from Proto-Indo-European *nébʰos. Cognate with Avestan 𐬥𐬀𐬠𐬀𐬵 (nabah), Ancient Greek νέφος (néphos), Latin nebula, Hittite 𒉈𒂊𒁉𒅖 (nēpis).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    नभस् • (nábhas) stemn

    1. mist, fog, clouds, vapour
      • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 7.96.6:
        तं शग्मासो अरुषासो अश्वा बृहस्पतिं सहवाहो वहन्ति।
        सहश्चिद्यस्य नीलवत्सधस्थं नभो न रूपमरुषं वसानाः॥
        taṃ śagmāso aruṣāso aśvā bṛhaspatiṃ sahavāho vahanti.
        sahaścidyasya nīlavatsadhasthaṃ nabho na rūpamaruṣaṃ vasānāḥ.
        Him, this Bṛhaspati, his red-hued horses, drawing together, full of strength, bring hither.
        Robed in red colour like the cloud, they carry the Lord of Might whose friendship gives a dwelling.
    2. the sky or atmosphere (in dual: heaven and earth)
    3. ether (as an element)

    Declension

    Neuter as-stem declension of नभस्
    singular dual plural
    nominative नभः (nábhaḥ) नभसी (nábhasī) नभांसि (nábhāṃsi)
    accusative नभः (nábhaḥ) नभसी (nábhasī) नभांसि (nábhāṃsi)
    instrumental नभसा (nábhasā) नभोभ्याम् (nábhobhyām) नभोभिः (nábhobhiḥ)
    dative नभसे (nábhase) नभोभ्याम् (nábhobhyām) नभोभ्यः (nábhobhyaḥ)
    ablative नभसः (nábhasaḥ) नभोभ्याम् (nábhobhyām) नभोभ्यः (nábhobhyaḥ)
    genitive नभसः (nábhasaḥ) नभसोः (nábhasoḥ) नभसाम् (nábhasām)
    locative नभसि (nábhasi) नभसोः (nábhasoḥ) नभःसु (nábhaḥsu)
    vocative नभः (nábhaḥ) नभसी (nábhasī) नभांसि (nábhāṃsi)

    Descendants

    • Pali: nabha
    • Prakrit: 𑀡𑀳 (ṇaha)
    • Bengali: নভ (nobho)
    • Hindi: नभ (nabh)
    • Tamil: நபம் (napam)

    References