𐨦𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨞

Ashokan Prakrit

Etymology

From Sanskrit ब्राह्मण (brāhmaṇá).

Noun

𐨦𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨞 (bramaṇa) m

1. (Hinduism) Alternative form of 𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀸𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (brāmhaṇa, “a brahmana”)
   • c. 257 BCE, Aśoka, Rock Edict 4 Shahbazgarhi:

     𐨧𐨂𐨟𐨣𐨎 𐨙𐨟𐨁𐨣 𐨀𐨯𐨎𐨤𐨚𐨁𐨤𐨟𐨁 𐨭𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨞𐨎𐨦𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨞𐨣𐨎 𐨀𐨯𐨎𐨤𐨚𐨁𐨤𐨟𐨁

     bhutanaṃ ñatina asaṃpaṭipati śramaṇaṃbramaṇanaṃ asaṃpaṭipati

     […] discourtesy to relatives, (and) discourtesy to Brāhmaṇas and Śramaṇas.

Alternative forms

Attested at Mansehra and Shahbazgarhi.

Dialectal forms of 𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀸𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (“bramhana”)
Variety	Location	Forms edit
Central	Kalsi	𑀩𑀁𑀪𑀦 (baṃbhana)
	Delhi-Topra	𑀩𑀸𑀪𑀦 (bābhana)
East	Dhauli	𑀩𑀁𑀪𑀦 (baṃbhana), 𑀩𑀸𑀪𑀦 (bābhana)
	Jaugada	𑀩𑀁𑀪𑀦 (baṃbhana), 𑀩𑀸𑀪𑀦 (bābhana)
Northwest	Shahbazgarhi	𐨦𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨞 (bramaṇa)
	Mansehra	𐨦𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨞 (bramaṇa), 𐨦𐨨𐨞 (bamaṇa)
West	Girnar	𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀸𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (brāmhaṇa), 𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (bramhaṇa), 𑀩𑀸𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (bāmhaṇa), 𑀩𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (bamhaṇa)
	Sopara	𑀩𑀁𑀪 (baṃbha)

Map of dialectal forms of 𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀸𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (“bramhana”)
𑀩𑀁𑀪𑀦 (baṃbhana) (3) 𑀩𑀸𑀪𑀦 (bābhana) (3) 𐨦𐨿𐨪𐨨𐨞 (bramaṇa) (2) 𐨦𐨨𐨞 (bamaṇa) (1) 𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀸𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (brāmhaṇa) (1) 𑀩𑀸𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (bāmhaṇa) (1) 𑀩𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (bamhaṇa) (1) 𑀩𑁆𑀭𑀫𑁆𑀳𑀡 (bramhaṇa) (1) 𑀩𑀁𑀪 (baṃbha) (1)