खलु

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Sanskrit

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Alternative scripts

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Etymology

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(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

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Particle

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खलु (khálu)

  1. indeed; certainly; verily (particle indicating certainty or emphasis)
  2. pray; may (particle indicating entreaty)
    • c. 400 CE, Kālidāsa, Abhijñānaśākuntalam Act 1:
      खलुखलु बाणः सन्निपात्योऽयमस्मिन्
      मृदुनि मृगशरीरे पुष्पराशाविवाग्निः ।
      na khalu na khalu bāṇaḥ sannipātyoʼyamasmin
      mṛduni mṛgaśarīre puṣparāśāvivāgniḥ.
      Heaven forbid this arrow be shot into that feeble body of the fawn like fire upon a heap of flowers!
  3. now; now then; now further; furthermore (particle indicating continuation, e.g. in reasoning or narration)
    • c. 1 CE – 200 CE, Vimalakīrtinirdeśa 11.1:
      अथ खलु भगवान् विमलकीर्तिं लिच्छविम् एतद् अवोचत्
      atha khalu bhagavān vimalakīrtiṃ licchavim etad avocat
      Then the Blessed One said to Vimalakīrti the Licchavi, ...
  4. particle indicating prohibition
    खलु कृत्वाkhalu kṛtvādon't do that; stop doing that already

Usage notes

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  • Rarely used alone at the beginning of an expression; often combined with another particle such as अथ (atha). It can be merely expletive.
  • As a prohibitory particle, it is often used with the gerund.

Descendants

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  • Ashokan Prakrit: 𐨑𐨆 (kho) (Shāhbāzgarhi, Mansehra)
  • Pali: khalu, kho

References

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