By M. A. Alwar
Gender[edit]
Irā is a feminine form.
Origin[edit]
It can be derived in two ways:
- It can be split as "iṁ kāmaṁ rāti dadāti" which means 'That which fulfills desires' by adding the suffix ka to i+rā.
- It can be split as "eti gacchatīti" which means 'That which goes'. It is obtained by adding the suffix i+ran+ṭāp with the absence of guṇa by nipātana.
Meanings[edit]
It is used in several meanings:
- The Earth
- Sentence
- Liquor
- Water[1]
- Sarasvatī[2]
- Food
- One of the wives of Kaśyapa
- Name of a demon
- Water
Usage[edit]
Āśvalāyanagṛhyasūtram[edit]
In the sense of water as, “Carrying water, and sprinkling ghee, Let them enter along with MItra.”[3]
Garuḍa[edit]
In the sense of wife of Kaśyapa as in, “I shall now recite the names of the lawful wives of Kaśyapa – Aditi, Diti, Danu, Kālā, Amāyu, Siṁhikā, Muni, Kadru, Prādhā, Irā, Krodhā, Vinatā, Surabhi, Khaśā”[4]
Harivaṁśam[edit]
In the sense of a demon as in “Marīciḥ, Maghavān, Irā, śañkhaśirāḥ and Vṛkaḥ”.[5]
References[edit]
- Shabdakalpadrumah by Raja Radhakantdev, Varadaprasada Vasu, Haricarana Vasu