what's in a name?

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~
Namaste,
On a previous post, the alternate name of Siva was in discussion. perhaps we can post the root meaning et�y�mo�log�i�cal or liniage, and spiritual meanings for us to enjoy and rejoice in?

Let me offer one or two to start the discussion: ( please feel free to participate and as always remove any blemishes , or mala, in my understanding).

From the Aitareya Upanishad 3.14 the nama ( name) of Indra ( or divine mind) is Idanra. Idandran is verily his name and is indirectly called Indra. The deva's are fond of being called by indirect names, as it where.

So, what is Indra ( as I ask for his compassion to explain) - Inandra is "It-seeing". What did Sri Indraji see? Brahman directly as Idam.
Brahman is also known as Aham or "I am". All glory to HIM who breathes out the Ved!
Krsna is also known as Kesava - this Kesava is known as 'beautiful haired' - yet as we look to the root we have: 'ka' or Brahman also known Kham, + 'a' for Visnu + 'isa' for Siva or He who controls Brahma + Visnu + and Siva.


please add to this lexicon.

[sarabhanga]

Namaste !

indra is ind-ra or " drop-effecting ".

And keshava derives from kesha-vat (or kesha-iva), being " like the hair ".

[Sudarshan]

Namaste,

One set of etymological meanings:

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inde (dIpayati) Indra - one who brightens, shines.( by his intellect) { given in niruktam}
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bRhatvAt bRhmaNatvAt ca brahman

bRhat = great, big
bRhmaNat - growing

one which is big(infinite) and growing. ( strictly speaking, a bigbang!)
This derivation has been discussed in great depth in Vedanta Desika's SatadUshaNi, and it is shown that these two denote the evolutionary and involutionary nature of Brahman~ jagat kartA
Thus Brahman = the twin

glory + exaltedness
evolution + involution
big + growing
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kaSca aSca ISaSca kesavaH - Shankaracharya uses this in his Vishnu SaharsnAma BhASya, as "Vishnu, the originator of Brahma and Shiva". ( this is stated so in HarivaMsa)
_____________________________

[sarabhanga]

indu (from ind ~ "to drop") is a drop, especially of soma ~ a bright drop or a spark.

indu (or bindu) is the Moon itself (i.e. soma).

And the indavas ("the Moons" ~ as the Moon's fluctuations or flow) are recognized on Earth as (H)indus from the Sindhu ~ both as lightening drops from the heavenly Waters and as brightening sparks from the sacred Fire !

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~

indu (from ind ~ "to drop") is a drop, especially of soma ~ a bright drop or a spark. indu (or bindu) is the Moon itself (i.e. soma).

And the indavas ("the Moons" ~ as the Moon's fluctuations or flow) are recognized on Earth as (H)indus from the Sindhu ~ both as lightening drops from the heavenly Waters and as brightening sparks from the sacred Fire !

Namaste Sarabhanga and Sudershan,
your posts are excellent and thank you for sharing... I will add to the posts, yet thought the posts in Indra were most rewarding to read!
Ind as a drop of soma ( that is 'pressed' from experiences) are the food of Indra... and we can offer this food.
More later... and thank you again.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~

Adding Dharma-raj's name:

Yudhi�thira from yudhi, “in the battle”, and sthira, “calm, undisturbed” or he that
is calm in battle.


“To know the world you forget the SELF, to know the SELF you forget the world”. Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

[saidevo]

Atman

The root-meaning of Atman is 'that which pervades' (atati iti Atma). 'Pervading' is the swaupa lakshanam or swabhava lakshanam (inherent characteristic) of Atman. Pervasion indicates dynamism. And the pervasion of Atman takes place in space or Akasa. Atmic pervasion is not direct: it happens inside a form that pervades some space, just like the electricity in a copper wire. Pervasion requires and is meaningless without a pre-existing space.

The Veda says that space came from Atman (Atmanah Akashah). This means that Atman existed even before space. This is contradictory: if Atman requires space to pervade, clearly space must be pre-existent, so how can space come from Atman?

His Holiness Shri Datta Swami explains this contradiction stating that the term Atman in its root meaning can only be applied to a soul where it is fixed and therefore the saying that space came from Atman is only metaphorical (rupaka alankara), when it applies to Brahman (as here). This is because the word Brahman does not reveal the inherent characteristics (swarupa lakshanam) of the thing that it is used to describe. It is used only with reference to the associated quality (tatashta lakshanam) of greatness.

(Source: http://www.universal-spirituality.org)

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Saidevo,

Atman is �the breath; the soul or principle of life and sensation; the individual soul, self, or abstract individual; essence, nature, character, or peculiarity; the person or whole body considered as one and opposed to the separate members of the body; the body; the understanding, intellect, or mind; the highest personal principle of life; effort or firmness; the sun or fire; or a son�.

See This Atman is Brahman for the original context.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste

A few more of my favorite words and roots... pls add to the list if you care to.

Arjuna: a�"no," rajju�"rope," the symbol of bondage, and na�"no." Although he is free, he thinks he is in bondage. Also from arj, "to earn".

Bh�rata: bha (divine illumination) + rata (engrossed). India; name of Arjuna, or Dhritarashtra.