Middle Marvari word

[Madhav Deshpande]

For this word, one may explore the possible connection with the Sanskrit
root chind "to cut, to tear".  In Marathi, the word cindhii occurs in the
sense of a torn strip of cloth, but in a Marathi poem, the soldier/gaurd
says to the intruder:  "Be warned.  Don't take even one step forward, I
will cut you down to pieces" (khabardaar, jar .taac maarunii yaal pu.dhe
cindha.dyaa u.davin raai raai eva.dhyaa).  Here the word cindha.dii is
used in the sense of torn pieces.  It is conceivable that the  Marwari
word cindhaRa/cindhaRiyo is a derivation from the agentive formation from
the root chid with the affix t.r : chindit.r, (already Prakritic, because
the standard Paninian form will be chett.r).  While the Sanskrit form is
chinatti, the form chindati is widely attested in Prakrits.
	Madhav Deshpande

On Fri, 28 Mar 1997, Richard D. Saran wrote:

> I am interested in the derivation of the MiM word cindhaRa/cindhaRiyo,
> which refers to a type of soldier in Middle Period Rajasthan.  Might it be
> related to the Sanskrit compound cihnadhara?  Has anyone ever encounted
> cihnadhara in a context that suggests "soldier" would be an appropriate
> meaning?
> 
> Any suggestions?
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Richard D. Saran
> South Asia Division
> Graduate Library
> University of Michigan
> Ann Arbor, MI 48109
> USA
> (313) 936-2346
> rdsaran at umich.edu
> 
> 
> 
>