Method of Etymology — Deriving Meaning from Roots
Nirukta (Yaska) · 1 · Verse 20
niruktaetymology-methoddhatuverbal-rootyaska
Sanskrit Original
एकैकस्मिन् पदे अनेके अर्थाः प्रतिपद्यन्ते। यथाशास्त्रं तु व्युत्पादयन् अर्थम् आचष्टे। धातोरेव शब्दः, तस्मात् धात्वर्थो मुख्यः॥
ekaikasmin pade aneke arthāḥ pratipadyante | yathāśāstraṃ tu vyutpādayan artham ācaṣṭe | dhātor eva śabdaḥ, tasmāt dhātvartho mukhyaḥ ||
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Multiple meanings can be reached from a single word. The etymologist (Nairuktika) explicates meaning according to the śāstra. Since a word derives from a verbal root (dhātu), the root-meaning is primary. This is the core method of Nirukta — tracing every word back to its verbal root.