zimIdin, ziva, zibi

[N. Ganesan]

"ziva" occurs mostly as an adjective in the Rig Veda. In Tamil,
the adjective, "cem-" means 1) "good/auspicious" and 2) "red" in
many, many words. In Dravidian, word-initial k- & c- alternate
(cf. Emeneau's paper, JAOS). Tamil "kempu" = red ruby;
"kempaTTikai" = ruby necklace; Ear = "kivi" (kannada) = "cevi"
(tamil). Similar to "tamizh" > "dramiDa" > "draviDa", it was discussed
here drav. "kem" (good/elegant/graceful) > Skt. "zima" > Skt. "ziva".
Notably, ziva with the meanings obtained in Vedic does not occur
in Avestan and Old Iranian.

The root "kem-"(good) can form a word: "kimIdin/zimIdin",
"kimIdA/zimIdA"; Vedic Aryan texts call "kimIdin" & "kimIdA" as
demon & demoness respectively. "kimIdin/zimIdin" may be compared to
the kannada proper  name, "kempe"; One main street in Bangalore is
called after Kempe Gowda;- That "kempe" served Wodeyars in important
positions. Many gothrams among tamil castes call themselves as
"cempan". Cholas are called "cempiyar" in classical sangam texts.

After a few centuries of Vedic period where "kimIdin/zimIdin" and
"ziva" are attested, an important name from Buddhist jatakas
begins to appear: "zibi". Is "zibi" related to "ziva" etymologically?
Greek accounts talk of a group of people as Siboi;
This corresponds to people of zibi-deza (Siboi are neighbors of the
Sudroi in Greek sources, sudroi < zUdras). zibi country is
located in Jhang dist. in the Pakistani Panjab (Awasthi, Purana index,
1992). Are "kimIdin/zimIdin" folks of "zibi-deza"?

In Tamil sangam poems dating to 2nd or 1st cent. BCE,
Chola kings (cempiyar) are traced to King Zibi who is said to have
given refuge to a dove and gave his own flesh instead to the eagle
pursuing the dove.

  "You are a descendent of that powerful man who was generous
   without end and who because he was afraid a dove might die
   that had come to him for shelter, escaping with its tiny steps
   from the swoop of a kite with sharp claws and curving wings,
   entered the scale, and at the act, even among the holy men ..."
     (Translation of puRam 43 by Hart & Heifetz;
     Their translation of the entire puRanAnURu will appear
     next month from Columbia univ. press).

PuRam 228 calls the Cholas by their well-known name, "cempiyar".

It appears kimIdin/zimIdin, ziva, and (later) zibi are related
to the Dravidian adjective, "kem-" (good as well as red).
Have submitted the tamil etymology 1) for karko.taka/zarko.taka
as "gem-giver" (#43, 25-nov-99 Indology post) and 2) tamil
kATikam/kAzakam > Skt. zATI on 19-dec-99.

Does this proposed change from Dravidian k- -> z- and, the change
inherent in Dravidian between k- & c-,  play a role in
IE *k to Vedic z-? Any thoughts on this are most welcome.

Happy New Millennium!
N. Ganesan



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