साधना

See also: साधन and सोध्नु

Hindi

Pronunciation

• (Delhi) IPA^(key): /sɑːd̪ʱ.nɑː/, [säːd̪ʱ.näː]

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old Hindi साधना (sādhanā), from Sanskrit साध्नोति (sādhnoti, “to accomplish”).

Verb

साधना • (sādhnā) (transitive, Urdu spelling سَادْھنَا)

1. to accomplish, acquire knowledge of
2. to practice, attempt
3. to aim at; shoot at

   उसने अपनी बंदूक़ जानवर पे साधी।

   usne apnī bandūq jānvar pe sādhī.

   He aimed his gun at the animal.

   निशाना साधना ― niśānā sādhnā ― to aim at the target

Conjugation

Impersonal forms of साधना

Undeclined
Stem		साध sādh
Infinitive		साधना sādhnā
Oblique Infinitive		साधने sādhne
Conjunctive		साधकर, साधके sādhkar, sādhke
Progressive		साधते-साधते sādhte-sādhte
Participles
		dir m s	m p obl m s	f s	f p
Infinitive		साधना sādhnā	साधने sādhne	साधनी sādhnī	साधनीं sādhnī̃
Habitual		साधता sādhtā	साधते sādhte	साधती sādhtī	साधतीं sādhtī̃
Perfective		साधा sādhā	साधे sādhe	साधी sādhī	साधीं sādhī̃
Prospective Agentive		साधनेवाला sādhnevālā	साधनेवाले sādhnevāle	साधनेवाली sādhnevālī	साधनेवालीं sādhnevālī̃
Adjectival	Perfective	साधा हुआ sādhā huā	साधे हुए sādhe hue	साधी हुई sādhī huī	साधी हुईं sādhī huī̃
	Habitual	साधता हुआ sādhtā huā	साधते हुए sādhte hue	साधती हुई sādhtī huī	साधती हुईं sādhtī huī̃

Personal forms of साधना

Non-Aspectual
			Singular			Plural
			1st मैं	2nd तू	3rd यह/वह, ये/वो	2nd तुम	1st हम	3rd, 2nd ये/वो/वे, आप
Indicative	PERF	m	साधा sādhā			साधे sādhe
		f	साधी sādhī				साधीं sādhī̃
	FUT	m	साधूँगा sādhūṅgā	साधेगा sādhegā		साधोगे sādhoge	साधेंगे sādheṅge
		f	साधूँगी sādhūṅgī	साधेगी sādhegī		साधोगी sādhogī	साधेंगी sādheṅgī
Subjunctive	FUT	m f	साधूँ sādhū̃	साधे sādhe		साधो sādho	साधें sādhẽ
Contrafactual	PST	m	साधता sādhtā			साधते sādhte
		f	साधती sādhtī				साधतीं sādhtī̃
Imperative	PRS	m f		साध sādh		साधो sādho		साधिये1 sādhiye1
	FUT	m f		साधियो sādhiyo		साधना sādhnā		साधियेगा1 sādhiyegā1
Habitual Aspect
Indicative	PRS	m	साधता हूँ sādhtā hū̃	साधता है sādhtā hai		साधते हो sādhte ho	साधते हैं sādhte ha͠i
		f	साधती हूँ sādhtī hū̃	साधती है sādhtī hai		साधती हो sādhtī ho	साधती हैं sādhtī ha͠i
	PST	m	साधता था sādhtā thā			साधते थे sādhte the
		f	साधती थी sādhtī thī				साधती थीं sādhtī thī̃
Presumptive	PRS PST	m	साधता हूँगा sādhtā hūṅgā	साधता होगा sādhtā hogā		साधते होगे sādhte hoge	साधते होंगे sādhte hoṅge
		f	साधती हूँगी sādhtī hūṅgī	साधती होगी sādhtī hogī		साधती होगी sādhtī hogī	साधती होंगी sādhtī hoṅgī
Subjunctive	PRS	m	साधता हूँ sādhtā hū̃	साधता हो sādhtā ho		साधते हो sādhte ho	साधते हों sādhte hõ
		f	साधती हूँ sādhtī hū̃	साधती हो sādhtī ho		साधती हो sādhtī ho	साधती हों sādhtī hõ
Contrafactual	PST	m	साधता होता sādhtā hotā			साधते होते sādhte hote
		f	साधती होती sādhtī hotī				साधती होतीं sādhtī hotī̃
Perfective Aspect
			Singular			Plural
			1st मैं	2nd तू	3rd यह/वह, ये/वो	2nd तुम	1st हम	3rd, 2nd ये/वो/वे, आप
Indicative	PRS	m	साधा हूँ sādhā hū̃	साधा है sādhā hai		साधे हो sādhe ho	साधे हैं sādhe ha͠i
		f	साधी हूँ sādhī hū̃	साधी है sādhī hai		साधी हो sādhī ho	साधी हैं sādhī ha͠i
	PST	m	साधा था sādhā thā			साधे थे sādhe the
		f	साधी थी sādhī thī				साधी थीं sādhī thī̃
	FUT	m	साधा हूँगा sādhā hūṅgā	साधा होगा sādhā hogā		साधे होगे sādhe hoge	साधे होंगे sādhe hoṅge
		f	साधी हूँगी sādhī hūṅgī	साधी होगी sādhī hogī		साधी होगी sādhī hogī	साधी होंगी sādhī hoṅgī
Presumptive	PRS PST	m	साधा हूँगा sādhā hūṅgā	साधा होगा sādhā hogā		साधे होगे sādhe hoge	साधे होंगे sādhe hoṅge
		f	साधी हूँगी sādhī hūṅgī	साधी होगी sādhī hogī		साधी होगी sādhī hogī	साधी होंगी sādhī hoṅgī
Subjunctive	PRS	m	साधा हूँ sādhā hū̃	साधा हो sādhā ho		साधे हो sādhe ho	साधे हों sādhe hõ
		f	साधी हूँ sādhī hū̃	साधी हो sādhī ho		साधी हो sādhī ho	साधी हों sādhī hõ
	FUT	m	साधा होऊँ sādhā hoū̃	साधा होए sādhā hoe		साधे होओ sādhe hoo	साधे होएँ sādhe hoẽ
		f	साधी होऊँ sādhī hoū̃	साधी होए sādhī hoe		साधी होओ sādhī hoo	साधी होएँ sādhī hoẽ
Contrafactual	PST	m	साधा होता sādhā hotā			साधे होते sādhe hote
		f	साधी होती sādhī hotī				साधी होतीं sādhī hotī̃
Progressive Aspect
Indicative	PRS	m	साध रहा हूँ sādh rahā hū̃	साध रहा है sādh rahā hai		साध रहे हो sādh rahe ho	साध रहे हैं sādh rahe ha͠i
		f	साध रही हूँ sādh rahī hū̃	साध रही है sādh rahī hai		साध रही हो sādh rahī ho	साध रही हैं sādh rahī ha͠i
	PST	m	साध रहा था sādh rahā thā			साध रहे थे sādh rahe the
		f	साध रही थी sādh rahī thī				साध रही थीं sādh rahī thī̃
	FUT	m	साध रहा हूँगा sādh rahā hūṅgā	साध रहा होगा sādh rahā hogā		साध रहे होगे sādh rahe hoge	साध रहे होंगे sādh rahe hoṅge
		f	साध रही हूँगी sādh rahī hūṅgī	साध रही होगी sādh rahī hogī		साध रही होगी sādh rahī hogī	साध रही होंगी sādh rahī hoṅgī
Presumptive	PRS PST FUT	m	साध रहा हूँगा sādh rahā hūṅgā	साध रहा होगा sādh rahā hogā		साध रहे होगे sādh rahe hoge	साध रहे होंगे sādh rahe hoṅge
		f	साध रही हूँगी sādh rahī hūṅgī	साध रही होगी sādh rahī hogī		साध रही होगी sādh rahī hogī	साध रही होंगी sādh rahī hoṅgī
Subjunctive	PRS	m	साध रहा हूँ sādh rahā hū̃	साध रहा हो sādh rahā ho		साध रहे हो sādh rahe ho	साध रहे हों sādh rahe hõ
		f	साध रही हूँ sādh rahī hū̃	साध रही हो sādh rahī ho		साध रही हो sādh rahī ho	साध रही हों sādh rahī hõ
	FUT	m	साध रहा होऊँ sādh rahā hoū̃	साध रहा होए sādh rahā hoe		साध रहे होओ sādh rahe hoo	साध रहे होएँ sādh rahe hoẽ
		f	साध रही होऊँ sādh rahī hoū̃	साध रही होए sādh rahī hoe		साध रही होओ sādh rahī hoo	साध रही होएँ sādh rahī hoẽ
Contrafactual	PST	m	साध रहा होता sādh rahā hotā			साध रहे होते sādh rahe hote
		f	साध रही होती sādh rahī hotī				साध रही होतीं sādh rahī hotī̃
			1st मैं	2nd तू	3rd यह/वह, ये/वो	2nd तुम	1st हम	3rd, 2nd ये/वो/वे, आप
			Singular			Plural

¹The forms साधिये (sādhiye) and साधियेगा (sādhiyegā) can also be spelled without the y: साधिए (sādhie) and साधिएगा (sādhiegā).

Etymology 2

Learned borrowing from Sanskrit साधना (sādhanā).

Noun

साधना • (sādhnā) f (Urdu spelling سَادْھنَا)

1. meditation
2. penance

Declension

Declension of साधना (fem ā-stem)

	singular	plural
direct	साधना sādhnā	साधनाएँ sādhnāẽ
oblique	साधना sādhnā	साधनाओं sādhnāõ
vocative	साधना sādhnā	साधनाओ sādhnāo

Further reading

• McGregor, Ronald Stuart (1993) “साधना”, in The Oxford Hindi-English Dictionary, London: Oxford University Press, page 1004
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “sādhnṓti”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 770

Old Hindi

Alternative forms

• सांधना (sā̃dhanā)

Etymology

Inherited from Sanskrit साध्नोति (sādhnoti). Compare Old Punjabi ਸਾਧਿ (sādhi), Old Marathi 𑘭𑘰𑘠𑘜𑘹 (sādhaṇe).

Verb

साधना (sādhanā)

1. to fulfil, practice, prove
2. to plait, braid

Descendants

• Hindustani: sādhnā

  Hindi: साधना

  Urdu: سَادْھنَا (sādhnā)

Further reading

• Jaroslav Strnad (2013) Morphology and Syntax of Old Hindī : Edition and Analysis of One Hundred Kabīr Vānī Poems From Rājasthān (Brill's Indological Library; 45), Leiden, →OCLC, page 568
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “sādhnṓti”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 770

Sanskrit

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• সাধনা (Assamese script)
• ᬲᬵᬥᬦᬵ (Balinese script)
• সাধনা (Bengali script)
• 𑰭𑰯𑰠𑰡𑰯 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀲𑀸𑀥𑀦𑀸 (Brahmi script)
• သာဓနာ (Burmese script)
• સાધના (Gujarati script)
• ਸਾਧਨਾ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌸𑌾𑌧𑌨𑌾 (Grantha script)
• ꦱꦴꦣꦤꦴ (Javanese script)
• 𑂮𑂰𑂡𑂢𑂰 (Kaithi script)
• ಸಾಧನಾ (Kannada script)
• សាធនា (Khmer script)
• ສາຘນາ (Lao script)
• സാധനാ (Malayalam script)
• ᠰᠠ᠎᠊ᠠᢡᠠᠨᠠᢇ (Manchu script)
• 𑘭𑘰𑘠𑘡𑘰 (Modi script)
• ᠰᠠᢗᢑᠾᠠᠨᠠ᠋᠎ᠠ (Mongolian script)
• 𑧍𑧑𑧀𑧁𑧑 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐳𑐵𑐢𑐣𑐵 (Newa script)
• ସାଧନା (Odia script)
• ꢱꢵꢤꢥꢵ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆱𑆳𑆣𑆤𑆳 (Sharada script)
• 𑖭𑖯𑖠𑖡𑖯 (Siddham script)
• සාධනා (Sinhalese script)
• 𑪁𑩛𑩮𑩯𑩛 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚨𑚭𑚜𑚝𑚭 (Takri script)
• ஸாத⁴நா (Tamil script)
• సాధనా (Telugu script)
• สาธนา (Thai script)
• སཱ་དྷ་ནཱ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒮𑒰𑒡𑒢𑒰 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨰𑨊𑨜𑨝𑨊 (Zanabazar Square script)

Etymology

From the root साध् (sādh) +‎ -अना (-anā).

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /sɑ́ː.dʱɐ.nɑː/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /s̪ɑː.d̪ʱɐ.n̪ɑː/

Noun

साधना • (sādhanā) stem, f

1. performance
2. accomplishment

Declension

Feminine ā-stem declension of साधना

	singular	dual	plural
nominative	साधना (sādhanā)	साधने (sādhane)	साधनाः (sādhanāḥ)
accusative	साधनाम् (sādhanām)	साधने (sādhane)	साधनाः (sādhanāḥ)
instrumental	साधनया (sādhanayā) साधना¹ (sādhanā¹)	साधनाभ्याम् (sādhanābhyām)	साधनाभिः (sādhanābhiḥ)
dative	साधनायै (sādhanāyai)	साधनाभ्याम् (sādhanābhyām)	साधनाभ्यः (sādhanābhyaḥ)
ablative	साधनायाः (sādhanāyāḥ) साधनायै² (sādhanāyai²)	साधनाभ्याम् (sādhanābhyām)	साधनाभ्यः (sādhanābhyaḥ)
genitive	साधनायाः (sādhanāyāḥ) साधनायै² (sādhanāyai²)	साधनयोः (sādhanayoḥ)	साधनानाम् (sādhanānām)
locative	साधनायाम् (sādhanāyām)	साधनयोः (sādhanayoḥ)	साधनासु (sādhanāsu)
vocative	साधने (sādhane)	साधने (sādhane)	साधनाः (sādhanāḥ)

• ¹Vedic
• ²Brāhmaṇas

Related terms

• साधन (sā́dhana)

Descendants

• → Hindi: साधना (sādhnā) (learned)

References

• Hellwig, Oliver (2010–2025) “sādhanā”, in DCS - The Digital Corpus of Sanskrit, Berlin, Germany.