Nirukta
Nirukta is one of the six Vedangas, dealing with etymology and the explanation of difficult Vedic words.
Vedanga — Etymology·Vedic / Smriti
- Nirukta is the Vedanga of etymology — the science of word derivation and meaning in the Vedas.
- It is called the 'ears of the Vedas' — helping to hear and understand the deeper meaning of Vedic words.
- The primary text is Yaska's Nirukta (c. 700-500 BCE) — the oldest surviving work of linguistic analysis in any language.
- Yaska's Nirukta builds on an earlier Nighantu (glossary of Vedic words) in 5 sections.
- It classifies words into nouns (nama), verbs (akhyata), prefixes (upasarga), and particles (nipata).
- Nirukta established the principle that all nouns are ultimately derived from verbal roots (dhatu).
- It provides multiple etymological explanations for the same word, enabling different interpretations of Vedic hymns.
- Yaska debates with Shakatayana on whether all nouns are verb-derived — a key debate in Indian linguistics.
Structural Organization
AdhyayaChapter→PadaWord entry→DhatuVerbal root
Example: Nirukta 1.1 — classification of types of words
Key Topics
Word Classification
Nouns, verbs, prefixes, and particles
Dhatu (Verbal Roots)
All nouns traced back to verb roots
Nighantu Glossary
5-section Vedic word list that Nirukta comments on
Multiple Meanings
Different etymologies giving different Vedic interpretations
Deity Etymology
Names of Vedic deities analyzed etymologically
Key Figures
Yaska
Author of Nirukta — father of Indian linguistics and etymology
Shakatayana
Earlier linguist — debated with Yaska on word origins
Durga
Author of the most important commentary on Nirukta
Key Texts & Works
Nirukta (Yaska)
12 chapters on Vedic etymology — oldest Indian linguistic text
Nighantu
Pre-Nirukta Vedic word glossary in 5 sections