[palistudy] Re: Pali "pavana" as an adjective?

>
>Strangely, the following definition is provided for _pavana_ as a noun in
>A.P Buddhadatta's _CPED_:
>  1. (Masculine) the wind.
>  2. (Neuter) a big forest.
>I can imagine that #1 is a metaphorical meaning that has derived from a base
>meaning "equivalent to 'sodhana'" as you say --but it seems to me likely
>that both of these meanings are predicated on a fundamentally different root
>from the Sanskritic explanation provided by Mason.  I would be very much
>surprised if Buddhadatta were entirely in error on this one --especially as
>it seems clear that Mason is at least *partly* in error.

It seems plausible there are two separate derivations, for example:

1) puu > pavana , purification, winnowing of grain, wind (in no
particular order)

2) (p)pa + vana (forest) > (p)pavana

prava.na is the Sanskrit form of the latter, 'side of mountain,
declivity' alt. 'big forest'. Panini (viii, 4, 5) cites this word as
an example of n in 'vana' > .n when preceded by certain prefixes
(including 'pra').

The cognate Pali pavana is cited by PED as occuring in D, M, S, Th,
J, Cp, Miln, Vism.

An alternative explanation mentioned by MW would derive 2 from the Sk
root pru, 'go, jump'.

best regards,

/Rett