pottakam = cuvaTi, and Hindi jOD-

[N. Ganesan]

This is a continuation  of old mail on "pustaka".
Both Paali and Tamil have "pottakam" for pustakam.
http://listserv.liv.ac.uk/cgi-shl/WA.EXE?A2=ind0012&L=indology&P=R25045

Consider the other word for "pottakam" in
Tamil: cuvaTi. This "CuvaTi" has been used for
books from ancient times which then were
written on palm leaves and got bundled together.

The verbal root for "cuvaTi" is "cuvaTutal"
with meanings such as 1) joining (='poruntutal')
2) adding as a pair (='kUTTutal')
3) to impress a tracemark or footprint etc.,
Also, cuvaTi-ttal =  to decorate (OTL)

(OTL) cuvaTi  01 1. Ola book; 2. book, in general;
3. file, bundle, as of records.
[In the Ola book, leaves are "joined" together].

(OTL) cuvaTu  01 1. track, footstep; 2. noise caused by foot-fall;
3. impression; 4. sign, indication; 5. scar, cicatrice, weal; [...]
12. tie; strap, as of harness; band, as of the
ridge of a house; 13. strirrup

'cOTu/cuvaTu' are equivalent words
like the pair kOTu/kuvaTu (Burrow derives skt. kapaTa
from kuvaTu). OTL entries:
cOTi= pair, cOTu= 1) a kind of legging for warriors,
2) pair, couple, brace, set 2) mate partner
3) pair of shoes, slippers.

cOTu in the sense of protective shoes has been used from
ancient times.

  mElOraik kIzOr kuRukik kuRaittiTTa
  kAl *cOTu* aRRa kazaRkAl iruGkaTaluL
  nIlac cuRAp piRazva pOn2Ra pun2al nATan2
  nErArai aTTa kaLattu.

                - kaLavazi nARpatu

"In the battle field where the king of the water-rich
country routed his enemies, the shoe-strapped
legs of the those sitting above (and riding horses) were
severed by those below resembled the hungry sharks
attacking from below in the dark seas."
                               - Translated by Chandra.

Interestingly, this "cOTu/cuvaTu" etc., (=to add, to
join, to collect, to pair together etc.) from Dravidian is
used in MIA in a variety of instances.

R. S. McGregor, Oxford Hindi-English dictionary entries:
a) jOTA [cf. H. joDA and juTnA, juTAnA], a pair
b) jOD 1. a join; union, connection, joint,
patch, seam
c) jODtI = f. reg. adding, addition; counting
d) jODan joining ..
e) jODnA [*yoTayati; Pkt. jOdei]
1. to join; to unite, to connect, to attach
f) jODlA = twin
g) jODA = 1. a pair, a couple ...
h) jODA = joined, ...
i) jODI = a vehicle drawn bt two horses or bullocks.
[Also:
juT = a pair
juTnA = to join
juTAnA= to cause to collect
juTAv = collecting, amassing
juTTi = small bundle as of grass
juDnA = to be joined
juDAnA = to cause to be joined
jutnA/jOtnA = to be attached
jutAi= ploughing
jutAnA= to cause be yoked ...]

C. P. Masica, Aryan and Non-Aryan elements
in North Indian agriculture, p. 100
Aryan and Non-Aryan in India, 1979.
"
joTA (Hindi) "ropes which go around
the bullocks' necks" Skt. yOktra- 'thong,
halter' (RV)  *yuj, *yu fr. IE. "

Rather than from IE roots, hindi jOTA and
tamil cOTu are related in a straight
forward manner.

Regards,
N. Ganesan


-----------------------------
>The Pali "potthaka" is usually explained by Tamilists
>from the following root words. Online Tamil Lexicon:
>
>I) pottu 1. covering, stopping, closing up; 2. mending,
>botching, closing a hole; 3. rent or puncture;
>
>II) pottu-tal 01 1. to bury; 2. to cover, close, as the mouth,
>eyes or ears, with the fingers or otherwise; 3. to close the
>fingers together; 4. to mend, patch,botch, as baskets or bags;
>5. to stitch; 6. to hide, conceal; 7. to beat, flog; 8. to
>light, as a fire; 9. to tie, string together, as a wreath;
>10. to invent, imagine; 11. to mix,unite; 12. to be filled

Prof. Bharat Gupt wrote:
<<<
All these meanings of pusta are covered in the definitions of pusta
gven in the Natyasastra in the context of costume and stage props.
As the NS is a 5th cent bc text, the pre-sangam evidence of the
use of pusta is clearly available and it is obvious that pusta was
common to Tamil and Sanskrit at a very early date.
>>>

Thanks for the comments, but nowadays the NS dating
has been brought forward by several centuries, is it not?

Kind regards,
N. Ganesan


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