मण्डल

Pali

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• maṇḍala (Latin script)
• 𑀫𑀡𑁆𑀟𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• মণ্ডল (Bengali script)
• මණ‍්ඩල (Sinhalese script)
• မဏ္ဍလ or မꧣ္ꩨလ or မꧣ်ꩨလ (Burmese script)
• มณฺฑล or มัณฑะละ (Thai script)
• ᨾᨱ᩠ᨯᩃ (Tai Tham script)
• ມຓ຺ຑລ or ມັຓຑະລະ (Lao script)
• មណ្ឌល (Khmer script)
• 𑄟𑄕𑄴𑄓𑄣 (Chakma script)

Noun

मण्डल n

1. circle
2. disc
3. round platform
4. circus ring
5. round flat surface

Declension

Declension table of "मण्डल" (neuter)

Case \ Number	Singular	Plural
Nominative (first)	मण्डलं (maṇḍalaṃ)	मण्डलानि (maṇḍalāni)
Accusative (second)	मण्डलं (maṇḍalaṃ)	मण्डलानि (maṇḍalāni)
Instrumental (third)	मण्डलेन (maṇḍalena)	मण्डलेहि (maṇḍalehi) or मण्डलेभि (maṇḍalebhi)
Dative (fourth)	मण्डलस्स (maṇḍalassa) or मण्डलाय (maṇḍalāya) or मण्डलत्थं (maṇḍalatthaṃ)	मण्डलानं (maṇḍalānaṃ)
Ablative (fifth)	मण्डलस्मा (maṇḍalasmā) or मण्डलम्हा (maṇḍalamhā) or मण्डला (maṇḍalā)	मण्डलेहि (maṇḍalehi) or मण्डलेभि (maṇḍalebhi)
Genitive (sixth)	मण्डलस्स (maṇḍalassa)	मण्डलानं (maṇḍalānaṃ)
Locative (seventh)	मण्डलस्मिं (maṇḍalasmiṃ) or मण्डलम्हि (maṇḍalamhi) or मण्डले (maṇḍale)	मण्डलेसु (maṇḍalesu)
Vocative (calling)	मण्डल (maṇḍala)	मण्डलानि (maṇḍalāni)

Sanskrit

Alternative scripts

Alternative scripts

• মণ্ডল (Assamese script)
• ᬫᬡ᭄ᬟᬮ (Balinese script)
• মণ্ডল (Bengali script)
• 𑰦𑰜𑰿𑰚𑰩 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀫𑀡𑁆𑀟𑀮 (Brahmi script)
• မဏ္ဍလ (Burmese script)
• મણ્ડલ (Gujarati script)
• ਮਣ੍ਡਲ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌮𑌣𑍍𑌡𑌲 (Grantha script)
• ꦩꦟ꧀ꦝꦭ (Javanese script)
• 𑂧𑂝𑂹𑂙𑂪 (Kaithi script)
• ಮಣ್ಡಲ (Kannada script)
• មណ្ឌល (Khmer script)
• ມຓ຺ຑລ (Lao script)
• മണ്ഡല (Malayalam script)
• ᠮᠠᢏᡷᠠᠯᠠ (Manchu script)
• 𑘦𑘜𑘿𑘚𑘩 (Modi script)
• ᠮᠠᢏᢎᠠᠯᠠ᠋ (Mongolian script)
• 𑧆𑦼𑧠𑦺𑧉 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐩𑐞𑑂𑐜𑐮 (Newa script)
• ମଣ୍ଡଲ (Odia script)
• ꢪꢠ꣄ꢞꢭ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆩𑆟𑇀𑆝𑆬 (Sharada script)
• 𑖦𑖜𑖿𑖚𑖩 (Siddham script)
• මණ‍්ඩල (Sinhalese script)
• 𑩴𑩪 𑪙𑩨𑩽 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚢𑚘𑚶𑚖𑚥 (Takri script)
• மண்ட³ல (Tamil script)
• మణ్డల (Telugu script)
• มณฺฑล (Thai script)
• མ་ཎྜ་ལ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒧𑒝𑓂𑒛𑒪 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨢𑨘𑩇𑨖𑨬 (Zanabazar Square script)

Etymology

Unknown. Several theories have been proposed:

• Mayrhofer and Turner agree on *मण्ड (maṇḍa, “round”) +‎ -ल (-la), based on the lexeme found in the Classical compounds नौमण्ड (naumaṇḍa, “chief part of a ship”), मण्डचरवन्त् (maṇḍacaravant, “as if going in a circle; having a noose (?)”). Further etymology is unknown, but Dardic descendants may support a non-retroflexed *मन्द (manda) as the ultimate source.
  • Mayrhofer proposes the following Indo-European cognates: Proto-Slavic *mǫdo (“testicle”) if the retroflexion is spontaneous, or Old Irish mell (“ball”) (> modern Irish meall) if we assume l-induced retroflexion of *mel-nd- under Fortunatov's law.
  • Burrow, later supported by Turner, proposes borrowing from Proto-Dravidian *maṇḍ- (“to be bent”), with cognates Tamil மண்டி (maṇṭi, “kneeling”), முடலை (muṭalai, “ball, globe”).
• Tedesco proposes वृत्त (vṛtta, “round”) +‎ -ल (-la), undergoing Prakrit-like sound changes via ad-hoc intermediate *वट्टल (vaṭṭala) > *वण्टल (vaṇṭala) > *वण्डल (vaṇḍala). He furthermore proposes initial v- > m- as a common Middle Indo-Aryan sound change; see मुण्ड (muṇḍa, “bald”) for more. Turner rejects this etymology on phonological grounds.
• Borrowed from substrate language. Compare Nihali मौड्ढारी (moḍḍhārī, “triangle”), for the "triangle" sense in the Caturvargacintāmaṇi.

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /mɐ́ɳ.ɖɐ.lɐ/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ˈmɐɳ.ɖɐ.l̪ɐ/

Adjective

मण्डल • (máṇḍala) stem

1. circular, round
   • 550 CE, Varāhamihira, Bṛhat Saṃhitā

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of मण्डल (máṇḍala)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	मण्डलः máṇḍalaḥ	मण्डलौ / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalau / máṇḍalā¹	मण्डलाः / मण्डलासः¹ máṇḍalāḥ / máṇḍalāsaḥ¹
Vocative	मण्डल máṇḍala	मण्डलौ / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalau / máṇḍalā¹	मण्डलाः / मण्डलासः¹ máṇḍalāḥ / máṇḍalāsaḥ¹
Accusative	मण्डलम् máṇḍalam	मण्डलौ / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalau / máṇḍalā¹	मण्डलान् máṇḍalān
Instrumental	मण्डलेन máṇḍalena	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलैः / मण्डलेभिः¹ máṇḍalaiḥ / máṇḍalebhiḥ¹
Dative	मण्डलाय máṇḍalāya	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलेभ्यः máṇḍalebhyaḥ
Ablative	मण्डलात् máṇḍalāt	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलेभ्यः máṇḍalebhyaḥ
Genitive	मण्डलस्य máṇḍalasya	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलानाम् máṇḍalānām
Locative	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलेषु máṇḍaleṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Feminine ā-stem declension of मण्डला (máṇḍalā)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	मण्डला máṇḍalā	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलाः máṇḍalāḥ
Vocative	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलाः máṇḍalāḥ
Accusative	मण्डलाम् máṇḍalām	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलाः máṇḍalāḥ
Instrumental	मण्डलया / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalayā / máṇḍalā¹	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलाभिः máṇḍalābhiḥ
Dative	मण्डलायै máṇḍalāyai	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलाभ्यः máṇḍalābhyaḥ
Ablative	मण्डलायाः / मण्डलायै² máṇḍalāyāḥ / máṇḍalāyai²	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलाभ्यः máṇḍalābhyaḥ
Genitive	मण्डलायाः / मण्डलायै² máṇḍalāyāḥ / máṇḍalāyai²	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलानाम् máṇḍalānām
Locative	मण्डलायाम् máṇḍalāyām	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलासु máṇḍalāsu
Notes	¹Vedic ²Brāhmaṇas

Neuter a-stem declension of मण्डल (máṇḍala)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	मण्डलम् máṇḍalam	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलानि / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalāni / máṇḍalā¹
Vocative	मण्डल máṇḍala	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलानि / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalāni / máṇḍalā¹
Accusative	मण्डलम् máṇḍalam	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलानि / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalāni / máṇḍalā¹
Instrumental	मण्डलेन máṇḍalena	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलैः / मण्डलेभिः¹ máṇḍalaiḥ / máṇḍalebhiḥ¹
Dative	मण्डलाय máṇḍalāya	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलेभ्यः máṇḍalebhyaḥ
Ablative	मण्डलात् máṇḍalāt	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलेभ्यः máṇḍalebhyaḥ
Genitive	मण्डलस्य máṇḍalasya	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलानाम् máṇḍalānām
Locative	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलेषु máṇḍaleṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Noun

मण्डल • (máṇḍala) stem, n

1. (rarely m) disk (especially of the sun or moon)
2. anything round
3. circle, globe, orb, ring, circumference, ball, wheel

   मण्डलेन ― maṇḍalena ― in a circle

   • c. 700 BCE, Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa
4. (astronomy) the path or orbit of a heavenly body
   • c. 400 CE, Lāṭadeva, Sūryasiddhānta
5. a halo round the sun or moon
   • 550 CE, Varāhamihira, Bṛhat Saṃhitā
6. a ball used for playing
   • c. 400 BCE, Mahābhārata
7. (surgery) circular bandage
   • c. 600 BCE – 600 CE, Suśruta, Suśruta Saṃhitā
8. (also in the plural) a sort of cutaneous eruption or leprosy with circular spot
9. round mole or mark (caused by a fingernail etc.) on the body
   • Lāṭyāyana, Lāṭyāyana-śrauta-sūtra
   • c. 300 BCE, Kātyāyana, Kātyāyana-śrauta-sūtra
10. (military) circular array of troops
    • c. 400 BCE, Mahābhārata
    • Kām
11. (geography) district, arrondissement, territory, province, country
    • c. 400 BCE, Mahābhārata
12. mandala (a surrounding district or neighbouring state; the circle consisting of a ruler's near and distant neighbours)
    • c. 200 BCE – 200 CE, Manusmṛti 7.154
    • Yājñ
    • c. 400 BCE, Mahābhārata
13. a multitude, group, band, collection, whole body, society, company
14. mandala (division of the book of the Rigveda)

Declension

Neuter a-stem declension of मण्डल (máṇḍala)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	मण्डलम् máṇḍalam	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलानि / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalāni / máṇḍalā¹
Vocative	मण्डल máṇḍala	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलानि / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalāni / máṇḍalā¹
Accusative	मण्डलम् máṇḍalam	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलानि / मण्डला¹ máṇḍalāni / máṇḍalā¹
Instrumental	मण्डलेन máṇḍalena	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलैः / मण्डलेभिः¹ máṇḍalaiḥ / máṇḍalebhiḥ¹
Dative	मण्डलाय máṇḍalāya	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलेभ्यः máṇḍalebhyaḥ
Ablative	मण्डलात् máṇḍalāt	मण्डलाभ्याम् máṇḍalābhyām	मण्डलेभ्यः máṇḍalebhyaḥ
Genitive	मण्डलस्य máṇḍalasya	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलानाम् máṇḍalānām
Locative	मण्डले máṇḍale	मण्डलयोः máṇḍalayoḥ	मण्डलेषु máṇḍaleṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Usage notes

In Hemādri's Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi also applied to anything triangular; compare मण्डलक (maṇḍalaka).

Derived terms

• मण्डलिन् (maṇḍalin, “chief, leader”, literally “possessor of the territory”)
  • Pali: maṇḍalin
  • Prakrit: 𑀫𑀁𑀟𑀮𑀺 (maṃḍali)
    • Bengali: মোড়ল (mōṛol, “chief of a village”)

Descendants

Descendants

• Dardic:
  • Kalasha: māṇḍal (“coffin”), māṇḍau
  • Kashmiri: manḍul (“circle”)

    Devanagari script: मन्डुल

    Arabic script: مانڈل

• Pali: maṇḍala
• Prakrit: 𑀫𑀁𑀟𑀮 (maṃḍala) (see there for further descendants)

Borrowed terms

• Bengali: মণ্ডল (monḍol)

• Hindi: मंडल (maṇḍal)

• Punjabi: ਮੰਡਲ (maṇḍal)

• Tamil: மண்டலம் (maṇṭalam)

• → Old Javanese: maṇḍala
  • > Javanese: ꦩꦤ꧀ꦝꦭ (mandhala), ꦩꦤ꧀ꦢꦭ (mandala) (inherited)
  • → Balinese: ᬫᬡ᭄ᬟᬮ (mandala)
• → Thai: มณฑล (mon-ton)

Further reading

• Monier Williams (1899) “मण्डल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 0775.