𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺

Ashokan Prakrit

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *h₁wes-

Proto-Indo-European *h₁wésus?

Proto-Indo-European *h₁es-?

Proto-Indo-European *h₁su-

Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hsu-

Sanskrit सु- (su-)

Proto-Indo-Iranian *wárnas

Sanskrit वर्ण (varṇa)

Sanskrit सुवर्ण (suvarṇa)

Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH-der.

Proto-Indo-Iranian *gr̥Híš

Sanskrit गिरि (giri)

Ashokan Prakrit 𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (suvaṃṇagiri)

Inherited from Sanskrit सुवर्णगिरि (suvarṇagiri, literally “gold mountain”), from सुवर्ण (suvarṇa, “gold”) +‎ गिरि (giri, “mountain”). By surface analysis, 𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡 (suvaṃṇa) +‎ 𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (giri).

Proper noun

𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (suvaṃṇagiri /suvaṇṇagiri/) m

1. Suvarnagiri, Kanakagiri (an ancient settlement in the Maurya empire, in modern Karnataka, India)
   • 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

Alternative forms

Attested at Brahmagiri and Siddapura.

Dialectal forms of 𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (“Suvarnagiri”)
Variety	Location	Forms edit
South	Siddapura	𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (suvaṃṇagiri)
	Brahmagiri	𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (suvaṃṇagiri)

Map of dialectal forms of 𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (“Suvarnagiri”)
𑀲𑀼𑀯𑀁𑀡𑀕𑀺𑀭𑀺 (suvaṃṇagiri) (2)

References

• Andersen, Paul Kent (1990) “suvaṃṇagiri-”, in Studies in the Minor Rock Edicts of Aśoka, Freiburg: Hedwig Falk, page 176