[Advaita-l] A help required regarding some Sanskrit words

[Naresh Cuntoor]

> in which there is no modification) and  nIrasa (that in which there is
> no essence) exemplify the application of the negative sense directly

Incidentally nIrasa can mean either devoid of rasa, i.e., dry.
Or something filled with rasa! नितरां रसः यत्र .. It is used as a
synonym of some juicy fruit (can't remember which one).

>
> The word niHSreyasa is never used to mean "that in which there is no
> Sreyas". Rather, it meansthe best, "that than which there is no better".
> This exemplifies the situation where the negative meaning is not applied
> directly to the word-stem to which the prefix nis- is added, but to its
> hypothetical counter-positive. It is like the English usage of prefix in-
> in words like 'invaluable', or suffix -less in words like 'priceless'. What

IMO, this is not the sense of निःश्रेयः whose explanation is simpler -
निश्चितं श्रेयः निःश्रेयसम्.

Anyway, further discussion, if any, is probably best offline.


Naresh
vaak.wordpress.com