Dear Madhav,

There is a similar example in the name Sahampati given to one of the Brahmas who features in the Pali Canon. Przyluski argued that originally this must have been Sabhaapati ("lord of the assembly [of gods]"). See J. Przyluski, "Brahma Sahampati," Journal Asiatique 205 (1924): 155-163. I don't think he really explains *why* this nasal gets infixed, but he does summon several examples to show that it is not an isolated incident.

Best,

Nathan McGovern

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

What is the source of the pattern in names like अन्नम्भट्ट, कृष्णम्भट्ट, बालम्भट्ट etc?  This is very common in Maharashtra as well.  Our family Purohita was one बाळंभटजी, and according to a genealogy of our family transmitted to me by my father, our ancestor 16 generations ago was someone named लुकंभट.  Where does this addition of अम् come from?  I see this in names like Krishnamacharya and Annamacharya.  

Madhav M. Deshpande

Professor Emeritus, Sanskrit and Linguistics

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Senior Fellow, Oxford Center for Hindu Studies

[Residence: Campbell, California, USA]

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