Re: 'Aggivessana'

--- In palistudy@..., "Jim Anderson" <jimanderson_on@...> wrote:
> Dear Amara,
>
> >Dear Jim et al,
> >
> >Christine was asking in one of her posts what 'Aggivessana' meant,
I
> >think it is used in several places to address the Nigghantha
people,
> >and I know that 'aggi' means fire, while 'vessana' has something to
do
> >with dwelling, doesn't it (just guessing here)?  Would this mean
that
> >they were fire worshippers too?  Or just that they are warm, living
> >people?
>
> I think Christine has had her question answered by Sakula on d-l.
You're
> quite right about 'aggi' having the meaning of fire, but it is more
> difficult to find out the meaning of 'vessana'. It could have
something to
> do with dwelling. Aggivessana is a proper name derived from
'Aggivessa', I
> think, with the addition of the patronymic affix 'aana' showing some
kind of
> successor or descendant relationship. For 'vessa' PED only gives: "a
> Vai"sya, ie. a member of the third social (ie. lower) grade, a man
of the
> people" but more can be found out in a Sanskrit dictionary as
follows:
>
> ve"sya: 1. the habitation of harlots; 2. Ved. abode, residence
> agnive"sa: N. of an ancient medical authority
> agnive"sya: 1. N. of a teacher; 2. Name of the 22nd muhuurta
>
> So perhaps a literal meaning of 'aggivessa' might be 'abode of fire'
or
> 'Agni's abode' if we think of the fire god. Maybe a name for the
sun?? But
> this is only guessing.
>
> Best wishes,
> Jim


Dear Jim,

Thank you for all the wonderful details,

Amara