[INDOLOGY] Inquiry on Name-Bestowal Practices in South Asia

[Rolf Heinrich Koch]

Dear Yang Qu.

As far as I know from India and western Samnyasins, at least the 
birthday or the horoscope is used on the side of the namesake.

The nakṣatra provides the first (mūla) letter for the name.

Best

Heiner

Am 17.04.2025 um 01:18 schrieb Yang Qu via INDOLOGY:
>
> Dear esteemed colleagues,
>
> I hope this message finds you well. I’m currently seeking 
> sources—scholarly or otherwise—that examine the practice and 
> significance of name-bestowal in South Asian contexts. In particular, 
> I’m interested in moments when ascetics, spiritual teachers, or even 
> literati confer a new name—often Sanskritized or Indianized—on a 
> disciple as part of a formal initiation process.
>
> I’m especially curious about cases where Indian spiritual teachers 
> give new names to foreign disciples, thereby ritually establishing a 
> spiritual bond, such as the relationship of a “heart-son” or similar 
> affiliation.
>
> I would be deeply grateful for any guidance, references, or 
> suggestions you may have.
>
> Warmest thanks in advance,
> Yang Qu
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> INDOLOGY mailing list
> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology

-- 
Dr. R. H. Koch - Germany/Sri Lanka
www.rolfheinrichkoch.wordpress.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://list.indology.info/pipermail/indology/attachments/20250417/db93a5c5/attachment.htm>