(Attention North Indians: Do not swallow the schwa when you read the Devanagari in this post. If you do, many examples will not make sense. For example, \u00e0\u00a4\u2026\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u0153\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8 is Arjuna, not Arjun) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sanskrit has this system where you can be addressed by a name formed by your father’s name, mother’s name, the name of one of your prominent ancestors, or even the place where you are from. This name can be used along with your given name, or in place of it. There are some characters from some of the Itihaasas we know only using their appellations, and we don’t know their given names at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, \u00e0\u00a4\u2026\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u0153\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8, the son of \u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a1\u00e0\u00a5\u0081, is a \u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a1\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5, though the term is more commonly used as a collective term for the five brothers. He is also referred to as \u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a5 and \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u2039\u00e0\u00a5\u02c6\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00af after his mother’s names \u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a5\u0192\u00e0\u00a4\u00a5\u00e0\u00a4\u00be and \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac, and those two terms seem to be reserved for him, though there were three others who could be called\u00c2\u00a0 \u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a5\u00c2\u00a0and \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u2039\u00e0\u00a5\u02c6\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00af.\u00c2\u00a0 Krishna addressed him as \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4 when he made the promise to reincarnate himself, acknowledging his descent from the emperor \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4. Of course, he could also have been called \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5 as he was a descendent of kuru, but that term was reserved for his cousins. There was another\u00c2\u00a0\u00e0\u00a4\u2026\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u0153\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8 before this one. He was the one who made\u00c2\u00a0 Parashurama lose his shit and\u00c2\u00a0 go off on a Kshatriya killing spree. He was the son of \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u0192\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af and is known to us as \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u0153\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8. Likewise, \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u0192\u00e0\u00a4\u00b7\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3, the son of \u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5, was known both as \u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5 \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u0192\u00e0\u00a4\u00b7\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3 and just \u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5. He was also referred to as \u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5, indicating his descent from \u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u0081, though this term was used for the entire clan as well.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among women, we know \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a4\u00be, the daughter of \u00e0\u00a4\u0153\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a4\u2022 as \u00e0\u00a4\u0153\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac. We also know her as \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a5\u02c6\u00e0\u00a4\u00a5\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac because she came from \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u00a5\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a4\u00be. Being addressed by the place of their origin seems to have been common for women, and there are many women we know of in no other way. For example, Dashratha’s wives \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00b6\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a4\u00be and \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u02c6\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac were from \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u2039\u00e0\u00a4\u00b6\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2 and \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00af respectively. \u00e0\u00a4\u2014\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u00a7\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac and \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac were from \u00e0\u00a4\u2014\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u00a7\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0 and \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0 respectively. We do not know of their given names. \u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac was the daughter of \u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6 who was from \u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u0161\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2 and therefore also called \u00e0\u00a4\u00aa\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u0161\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac. I am not sure of her real name either (was it \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u0192\u00e0\u00a4\u00b7\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3\u00e0\u00a4\u00be?). Knowing women by their places of origin seems to have been more common than for men, presumably because women moved to their husbands’ place after marriage, and people at their new homes referred to their daughters in law by where they came from. Presumably that is why we know \u00e0\u00a4\u2026\u00e0\u00a4\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u00ac\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00be and \u00e0\u00a4\u2026\u00e0\u00a4\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u00ac\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00be by their real names; \u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b6\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac would have referred to both of them. Interestingly, I cannot think of any woman who was known by her mother’s name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In referring to people by their father’s, mother’s, ancestor’s or place name, Sanskrit seems to be using a grammatical transformation that is common in other contexts as well. For example \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0 (beautiful) is transformed to \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a5\u02c6\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af (beauty). \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u02c6\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a7\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5 \u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3 is the mineral (\u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3) that came from \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a7\u00e0\u00a5\u0081 (sea), a term that survives in Hindi as \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u02c6\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00a7\u00e0\u00a4\u00be \u00e0\u00a4\u00a8\u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a5\u008d. The term \u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a4\u00be is obviously related to \u00e0\u00a4\u00b2\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3, telling us that the association of beauty with saltiness has carried into Hindi from Sanskrit. \u00e0\u00a4\u2014\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5 is that which is due to the \u00e0\u00a4\u2014\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u0081 (I will refrain from a fascinating digression into gru, gravity etc.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This grammatical transformation must have held even when Sanskrit transformed into the Prakrits. Chandragupta \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af was so known because he sat on the peacock throne, but \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af looks like it must have come from \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a5\u2039\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0, not \u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a5\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if you have read so far and are now curious about how to call your children after yourself or your spouse (or yourself after your ancestors) , here are the rules. I’ll add a disclaimer – I have worked out these rules myself, so if there are any errors, corrections or clarifications, please feel free to let me know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To transform your name into your kids’ appellation, you need to take the first and the last vowel. (and remember that in Sanskrit, the name always ends with a vowel. My name, for example, is \u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3 – Ravikirana, not \u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3\u00e0\u00a5\u008d) The first vowel gets transformed into its longest form, while the longest form stays as it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The rules for the last vowel are not 100% consistent, but these are the rules:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These rules cover almost all the cases. There may be some adjustments for euphony or some cases that I have not thought about, but using the above rules, you should be able to address your son or daughter easily, so go ahead and do that right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My sons are \u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u2022\u00e0\u00a4\u00bf\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a3 if I use my full name, or \u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af if I use my short one. As they are sons of my wife \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a4\u00be as well, they are \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a5\u0152\u00e0\u00a4\u00ae\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00af too. One thing I am not sure of is what I will call my grandchildren from my first son. His name is \u00e0\u00a4\u00b8\u00e0\u00a4\u201a\u00e0\u00a4\u00b5\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00a6, and I am not sure what the rules for \u00e0\u00a4\u2026\u00e0\u00a4\u201a are. I guess I have time to figure it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(P.S. According to the above rules, an Indian is either \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4 or \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac. The term commonly used for us: \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac\u00e0\u00a4\u00af makes sense if we consider ourselves poetically as the children of mother \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac, but I guess even then, according to the rules, it should be \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00af and \u00e0\u00a4\u00ad\u00e0\u00a4\u00be\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a4\u00a4\u00e0\u00a5\u2021\u00e0\u00a4\u00af\u00e0\u00a5\u20ac, so I am not quite sure how to reconcile them.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(Attention North Indians: Do not swallow the schwa when you read the Devanagari in this post. If you do, many examples will not make sense. For example, \u00e0\u00a4\u2026\u00e0\u00a4\u00b0\u00e0\u00a5\u008d\u00e0\u00a4\u0153\u00e0\u00a5\u0081\u00e0\u00a4\u00a8 is Arjuna, not Arjun) Sanskrit has this system where you can be addressed by a name formed by your father’s name, mother’s name, the name of one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[55],"tags":[355],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3709"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3709"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3709\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3756,"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3709\/revisions\/3756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3709"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3709"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ravikiran.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3709"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}