प्रभाति

From प्र- (pra-, “forwards”) +‎ भाति (bhā́ti, “to shine”).

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /pɾɐ.bʱɑː.ti/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /pɾɐ.bʱɑː.t̪i/

प्रभाति • (prabhāti) third-singular indicative (class 2, type P, present, root प्रभा)

1. to shine forth, brighten, shine, gleam
   • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 1.121.7:

     स्वि॒ध्मा यद्व॒नधि॑तिरप॒स्यात्सूरो॑ अध्व॒रे परि॒ रोध॑ना॒ गोः ।
     यद्ध॑ प्र॒भासि॒ कृत्व्याँ॒ अनु॒ द्यूनन॑र्विशे प॒श्विषे॑ तु॒राय॑ ॥

     svidhmā́ yádvanádhitirapasyā́tsū́ro adhvaré pári ródhanā góḥ.
     yáddha prabhā́si kṛ́tvyām̐ ánu dyū́nánarviśe paśvíṣe turā́ya.

     When the bright-edged hatchet is ready for its work, the directing priest is able to have the victim bound in the sacrifice;
     when Indra, you shine upon the days that are appropriated to sacred rites, then (success attends) upon the man who goes with his cart, the driver (of cattle), or the active (shepherd).

2. to appear, seem, look like (with or without इव (iva, “like, as if”))
   • c. 400 BCE, Mahābhārata 4.11.10:

     इदं तवेष्टं यदि वै सुरोपम ब्रवीहि यत्ते प्रसमीक्षितं वसु ।
     न तेऽनुरूपं हयकर्म विद्यते प्रभासि राजेव हि सम्मतो मम ॥

     idaṃ taveṣṭaṃ yadi vai suropama bravīhi yatte prasamīkṣitaṃ vasu.
     na teʼnurūpaṃ hayakarma vidyate prabhāsi rājeva hi sammato mama.

     If this be your desire, O god-like one, tell me what remuneration is sought by you.
     This office of horse-training does not become you, because you look like a king and you are agreeable to me.

   • 200 BCE – 1200, Kāvya literature
3. to illuminate, enlighten
   • c. 600 BCE, Taittirīya Upaniṣad

• Pali: pabhāti

• Monier Williams (1899) “प्रभाति”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 683.