--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "kishore patnaik"
<kishorepatnaik09@...> wrote:
>
>
> Interestingly, the word druh also has a meaning priest, like in
> asuradruh (Sage Sukra)... the practical dictionary of Sanskrit
> mentions the meaning I have given. It is available online.
Macdonnell's _Practical Sanskrit Dictionary_ (whose online version you
are evidently referring to) doesn't list that meaning. What Macdonnell
translates as 'priest of the asuras' is the Sanskrit compound
asuradruhbrahma, where the measning 'priest' is expressed by the term
brahma, not by druh!!
Indeed, asuradruh is translated by Macdonnell as 'foe of asuras' -- the
same as Monier-Williams' 'enemy of the asuras' noticed in an earlier
post.
(See entry from that dictionary at
http://tinyurl.com/2t57ck)
It remains to explain why asuradruhbrahma means 'priest of the asuras';
in fact, it would make better sense to translate this compound
as 'priest of *the enemies* of the asuras'! I will try to check this
meaning better...
Regards,
Francesco