Sanskrit

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Alternative scripts

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Etymology

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From Proto-Indo-Iranian *ćwā́, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓ (dog). Cognate with Ancient Greek κύων (kúōn, dog), Latin canis (dog), Avestan 𐬯𐬞𐬀𐬥 (span, dog), Lithuanian šuo, Old Armenian շուն (šun), Old English hund (whence English hound).

Pronunciation

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Noun

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श्वन् (śván) stemm (feminine शुनी)

  1. a dog; hound; cur
    • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 2.39.4:
      ना॒वेव॑ नः पारयतं यु॒गेव॒ नभ्ये॑व न उप॒धीव॑ प्र॒धीव॑।
      श्वाने॑व नो॒ अरि॑षण्या त॒नूनां॒ खृग॑लेव वि॒स्रसः॑ पातम॒स्मान्॥
      nāvéva naḥ pārayataṃ yugéva nábhyeva na upadhī́va pradhī́va.
      śvā́neva no áriṣaṇyā tanū́nāṃ khṛ́galeva visrásaḥ pātamasmā́n.
      Bear us across the sea of life, like two vessels, or like the poles of a car, the axles, the spokes, the fellies of two wheels. Be like two dogs, warding off injury to our people, and, like two coats of mail, defend us from decay.
    • c. 400 BCE, Mahābhārata 5.70.70:
      प्रतिघातेन सान्त्वस्य दारुणं संप्रवर्तते।
      तच्छुनाम्इव गोपादे पण्डितैरुपलक्षितम्॥
      pratighātena sāntvasya dāruṇaṃ saṃpravartate.
      tacchunāmiva gopāde paṇḍitairupalakṣitam.
      With the failure of appeasement, hostility ensues;
      This is observed by the wise in a gopāda (brawl?) of dog-like men.
    • c. 400 BCE, Mahābhārata 17.3.7:
      अयं श्वा भूतभव्येश भक्तो मां नित्यमेव ह।
      स गच्छेत मया सार्धमानृशंस्या हि मे मतिः॥
      ayaṃ śvā bhūtabhavyeśa bhakto māṃ nityameva ha.
      sa gaccheta mayā sārdhamānṛśaṃsyā hi me matiḥ.
      O master of past and present, this dog has been constantly loyal to me like no other.
      Let him go with me side by side, for the sake of my care (for his wellbeing).

Declension

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Masculine an-stem declension of श्वन् (śván)
Singular Dual Plural
Nominative श्वा
śvā́
श्वानौ / श्वाना¹
śvā́nau / śvā́nā¹
श्वानः
śvā́naḥ
Vocative श्वन्
śván
श्वानौ / श्वाना¹
śvā́nau / śvā́nā¹
श्वानः
śvā́naḥ
Accusative श्वानम्
śvā́nam
श्वानौ / श्वाना¹
śvā́nau / śvā́nā¹
शुनः
śúnaḥ
Instrumental शुना
śúnā
श्वभ्याम्
śvábhyām
श्वभिः
śvábhiḥ
Dative शुने
śúne
श्वभ्याम्
śvábhyām
श्वभ्यः
śvábhyaḥ
Ablative शुनः
śúnaḥ
श्वभ्याम्
śvábhyām
श्वभ्यः
śvábhyaḥ
Genitive शुनः
śúnaḥ
शुनोः
śúnoḥ
शुनाम्
śúnām
Locative शुनि
śúni
शुनोः
śúnoḥ
श्वसु
śvásu
Notes
  • ¹Vedic
Feminine ī-stem declension of शुनी (śunī́)
Singular Dual Plural
Nominative शुनी
śunī́
शुन्यौ / शुनी¹
śunyaù / śunī́¹
शुन्यः / शुनीः¹
śunyàḥ / śunī́ḥ¹
Vocative शुनि
śúni
शुन्यौ / शुनी¹
śúnyau / śúnī¹
शुन्यः / शुनीः¹
śúnyaḥ / śúnīḥ¹
Accusative शुनीम्
śunī́m
शुन्यौ / शुनी¹
śunyaù / śunī́¹
शुनीः
śunī́ḥ
Instrumental शुन्या
śunyā́
शुनीभ्याम्
śunī́bhyām
शुनीभिः
śunī́bhiḥ
Dative शुन्यै
śunyaí
शुनीभ्याम्
śunī́bhyām
शुनीभ्यः
śunī́bhyaḥ
Ablative शुन्याः / शुन्यै²
śunyā́ḥ / śunyaí²
शुनीभ्याम्
śunī́bhyām
शुनीभ्यः
śunī́bhyaḥ
Genitive शुन्याः / शुन्यै²
śunyā́ḥ / śunyaí²
शुन्योः
śunyóḥ
शुनीनाम्
śunī́nām
Locative शुन्याम्
śunyā́m
शुन्योः
śunyóḥ
शुनीषु
śunī́ṣu
Notes
  • ¹Vedic
  • ²Brāhmaṇas

Descendants

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  • Dardic:
    • Kalasha: šọ̃́a
    • Kashmiri:
      Arabic script: ہوٗن (hūn)
      Devanagari script: हून (hūn)
    • Shina: śun
  • Pali: , soṇa
  • Prakrit:

Further reading

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