Sanskrit

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Alternative scripts

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Etymology

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Of unclear origin. Possibly from an early Prakritic form of the root पृच् (pṛc, to mix, fill, give lavishly), via a series of sound changes (illustrated for its derivatives) पृच् (pṛc) > *पृञ्चा (pṛñcā, presentation of the mixed potion) > पूजा (pūjā, worship, respect, reverence), as well as *पृञ्चन (pṛñcana, mixing (for a guest of honor)) > पूजन (pūjana, honoring, hospitable reception). This derivation has the advantage of not having to derive पूजन (pūjana) from the later-attested पूजा (pūjā). Other less likely theories derive the root from Dravidian (unlikely given the root's Vedic presence and high usage frequency), or from an unattested *पूर्या (pūryā), from the root पॄ (pṝ, to give, grant), which is likely related to पृच् (pṛc) regardless.[1]

Pronunciation

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Root

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पूज् (pūj)

  1. to worship, revere, honor, respect, regard
  2. to honor or present with
  3. to initiate, consecrate

Derived terms

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References

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  1. ^ Mayrhofer, Manfred (1996) “PŪJ”, in Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎[1] (in German), volume 2, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 154

Further reading

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  • Monier Williams (1899) “पूज्”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, [], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 0641/1.
  • Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1893) “पूज्”, in A practical Sanskrit dictionary with transliteration, accentuation, and etymological analysis throughout, London: Oxford University Press
  • William Dwight Whitney, 1885, The Roots, Verb-forms, and Primary Derivatives of the Sanskrit Language, Leipzig: Breitkopf and Härtel, page 099
  • Otto Böhtlingk, Richard Schmidt (1879-1928) “पूज्”, in Walter Slaje, Jürgen Hanneder, Paul Molitor, Jörg Ritter, editors, Nachtragswörterbuch des Sanskrit [Dictionary of Sanskrit with supplements] (in German), Halle-Wittenberg: Martin-Luther-Universität, published 2016