वसिष्ठ

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hwásištʰas (“best, most excellent”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁wés-isth₂-o-s, superlative degree of *h₁wésus (“good”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬬𐬀𐬵𐬌𐬱𐬙𐬀 (vahišta, “best”).

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /ʋɐ́.siʂ.ʈʰɐ/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ʋɐ.s̪iʂ.ʈʰɐ/

वसिष्ठ • (vásiṣṭha) stem

1. superlative degree of वसु (vasu); best, most excellent
   • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 2.9.1:

     नि होता॑ होतृ॒षद॑ने॒ विदा॑नस् त्वे॒षो दी॑दि॒वाँ अ॑सदत् सु॒दक्षः॑ ।
     अद॑ब्धव्रतप्रमति॒र् वसि॑ष्ठः सहस्रम्भ॒रः शुचि॑जिह्वो अ॒ग्निः ॥

     ní hótā hotṛṣádane vídānas tveṣó dīdivā́m̐ asadat sudákṣaḥ.
     ádabdhavratapramatir vásiṣṭhaḥ sahasrambharáḥ śúcijihvo agníḥ.

     Accustomed to the Priest's place, the Priest hath seated him, bright, splendid, passing mighty,
     Whose foresight keeps the Law from violation, excellent, pure-tongued, bringing thousands, Agni.

• Sauraseni Prakrit: 𑀯𑀲𑀺𑀝𑁆𑀞 (vasiṭṭha)
  • Hindi: बसीठ (basīṭh, “village headman”) (dated)

वसिष्ठ • (vásiṣṭha) stem, m

1. (Hinduism) Vasishtha, husband of Arundhati, attributed as the author of the 7th Mandala of the Rigveda and one of the seven Saptarshis.
   • c. 1500 BCE – 1000 BCE, Ṛgveda 7.88.4:

     वसि॑ष्ठं ह॒ वरु॑णो ना॒व्याधा॒दृषिं॑ चकार॒ स्वपा॒ महो॑भिः।
     स्तो॒तारं॒ विप्रः॑ सुदिन॒त्वे अह्नां॒ यान्नु द्याव॑स्त॒तन॒न्यादु॒षासः॑॥

     vásiṣṭhaṃ ha váruṇo nāvyā́dhādṛ́ṣiṃ cakāra svápā máhobhiḥ.
     stotā́raṃ vípraḥ sudinatvé áhnāṃ yā́nnú dyā́vastatánanyā́duṣā́saḥ.

     Varuna placed Vasistha in the vessel, and deftly with his night made him a Rsi.
     When days shone bright the Sage made him a singer, while the heavens broadened and the Dawns were lengthened.