tretAyuga - etymology

[Jonathan Silk]

A Tibetan translation (?) of a commentary on the Lankavatara-sutra by an
author named Jnanavajra contains in a list of the four yugas (kRta tretA
etc) a rendering of tretAyuga which indicates that the translators took the
term as if from the root trA, protect, rather than as related to three (the
historically correct derivation). This is to my knowledge unusual or
unique. I wonder if there might be some Indian etymology which links
tretAyuga with trA somehow?  Any hints?


Jonathan Silk

jonathan.silk at yale.edu

Dept. of Religious Studies
320 Temple St.
New Haven CT 06520

tel. 203-432-0828