𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢

Ashokan Prakrit

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *méǵh₂s

Proto-Indo-Iranian *maȷ́ʰā́

Sanskrit महत् (mahat)

Proto-Indo-European *meh₁-der.

Sanskrit मात्रा (mātrā)

Ashokan Prakrit 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta)

Inherited from Sanskrit महामात्र (mahāmātra, “chief, best”), from महत् (mahat) +‎ मात्रा (mātrā).

Noun

𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta /mahāmātta/) m

1. mahāmāta, official, administrator
   • c. 258 BCE, Aśoka, Minor Rock Edict 1 Brahmagiri.1:

     𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀻𑀢𑁂 𑀅𑀬𑀧𑀼𑀢𑀲 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢𑀸𑀡𑀁 𑀘 𑀯𑀘𑀦𑁂𑀦 𑀇𑀲𑀺𑀮𑀲𑀺 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢𑀸 𑀆𑀭𑁄𑀕𑀺𑀬𑀁 𑀯𑀢𑀯𑀺𑀬𑀸 𑀳𑁂𑀯𑀁 𑀘 𑀯𑀢𑀯𑀺𑀬𑀸

     suvaṃṇagirīte ayaputasa mahāmātāṇaṃ ca vacanena isilasi mahāmātā ārogiyaṃ vataviyā hevaṃ ca vataviyā

     • 1997 translation by Romila Thapar

       From Suvarnagiri, on the order of his Highness the Prince, and the officers: good health to the officers of Isila who are to be instructed thus.

Alternative forms

Attested at Brahmagiri, Dhauli, Jaugada, Kalsi and Siddapura.

Dialectal forms of 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (“official”)
Variety	Location	Forms edit
Central	Kalsi	𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta)
East	Dhauli	𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta)
	Jaugada	𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta)
Northwest	Shahbazgarhi	𐨨𐨱𐨨𐨟𐨿𐨪 (mahamatra)
	Mansehra	𐨨𐨱𐨨𐨟𐨿𐨪 (mahamatra)
West	Girnar	𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢𑁆𑀭 (mahāmātra)
South	Siddapura	𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta)
	Brahmagiri	𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta)

Map of dialectal forms of 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (“official”)
𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢 (mahāmāta) (5,1) 𐨨𐨱𐨨𐨟𐨿𐨪 (mahamatra) (2,1) 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀸𑀢𑁆𑀭 (mahāmātra) (1,1)

Descendants

• Prakrit: 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀫𑀢𑁆𑀢 (mahāmatta, “elephant-driver”) (see there for further descendants)

References

• Andersen, Paul Kent (1990) “mahāmāta-”, in Studies in the Minor Rock Edicts of Aśoka, Freiburg: Hedwig Falk, page 163
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “mahāmātra”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 572