The meaning of the kannada word 'ar.a' in old Kannada

[Shikaripura Harihareswara]

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This is in response to the question asked recently in the Indology website:
[Question:
Once, Prof. George Hart told me that Kannada in old times used the word,
"a.ram" in the place of dharma. Is this so? In early Kannada texts (Jain?)
or in inscriptions, is a word like "ara" or "aram" or "aRam" ever occur? -
Thanks,
N. Ganesan]
-------RESPONSE---
The Meaning of 'ar.a' in old Kannada:
1. 'r' is the special 'r.' , some times called as 'shakata rEfa', here.
Refer Keshiraja's 'shabdamaNi darpaNa 1. 29, vrutti, p 23, D L N Edition,
"rEphe puttuva tANamam beTTattaguchcharise, r.kAram puTTugum")
2.  Kittel Dictionary gives the meanings of 'ar.a' as 'virtue, charity,
alms, law, Dharma or Yama. It quotes 'Chaturaasya Nighantu' 1.82 for its
meaning as Dharma; 'Shabdamanjari' of tOTadaarya 117 for 'Java=Yama';
"kabbigara kaipidi 15 for 'Yama' - all in Kannada.
3.  Same meanings are also given in the "Kannada Nighantu" of Kannada
Saahitya Parishat, Bangalore.
4.  The use of the word 'ar.a' as 'Dharma' appears in:
        'Adi Puraana', 3.63 by Pampa (c. 941 AD);
        'Shaanti Puraana' ,  4.121  by Ponna (c. 950 AD);
        'Ajita Tirthakara Puraana  tilakam', 1.21 vachana, by Ranna ( 993 AD);
'nEminATha puraaNa' 1.58, by nEmichandra (c. 1170 AD);
'kabbigara kAva' 223, by Aandayya, (C. 1235).
5.  The word is used in the sense of ' Virtuous work, Dharma kaarya' in:
        'shabdaanushasana', 140, vyAkhyana by bhattakaLanka (1604 AD);
'chikadEvaraaj vijaya', 5.106 by thirumalaarya (1704 AD);
6. It is used in the sense of 'Yama Dharma raaja'
'karntaka shabda saara', 3.35 Ed by S G Narasimhaachar & M A Ramanija
Ayyangaar (1400 AD);
'gadaa yuddha', 1.62 by Ranna (C 1007 AD);
7.  The notion that all charitable activities are virtuous, and in a way is
'Dharma' in action, the meanings of Righteousness ('Dharma') and Charity
('Daana rUpada sahaaya) got intermixed, and 'ar.a' used in both the senses.
Considering 'Yama' as the Lord of 'Dharma', the meaning was extended to
'Yama' the emodiment of Dharma also.
8.  With the meaning of 'Charity' for 'ar.a', the following were dervied:
        'ara.aganji' = 'dharmakkagi koduva ganji'
( Ref. 'Dharmamruta 4.48 by  nayasEna (c. 1112))
'ara.avattige' ('aravantige' and several other forms of it) = Dharmashaala
where water and other cool drinks are given free for travelers.
(Ref. 'karnAtaka jaimini bharata' 3.9 by lakshmIsha (c.1600), etc.)
'ar.amantame' = dharma satra (Ref Epigraphia karnatika, V III, soraba)
9.  In the sense of "Dharma' the following were derived:
        'ar.agadal' = dharma samudra
(Ref. 'nithi manjari'  8, by R narasimhaacharya (1860)
        'ar.aguli' = 'dharma naasha maaduva manushya, dharamadrOhi'
(Ref 'Aadi puraaNa, 4.76 by pampa (c. 941);  and  pampa rAmaayana 9.11, by
naagachandra (C. 1100)
If you need the exact quotations, and other details on this subject, please
write to me.
Thanks!
-Harihareswara
Stockton, California.
December 5, 2000
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