ऊर्ध्व

Sanskrit

FWOTD – 16 May 2021

Alternative forms

Alternative scripts

• ঊৰ্ধ্ব (Assamese script)
• ᬊᬃᬥ᭄ᬯ (Balinese script)
• ঊর্ধ্ব (Bengali script)
• 𑰅𑰨𑰿𑰠𑰿𑰪 (Bhaiksuki script)
• 𑀊𑀭𑁆𑀥𑁆𑀯 (Brahmi script)
• ဦရ်္ဓွ (Burmese script)
• ઊર્ધ્વ (Gujarati script)
• ਊਰ੍ਧ੍ਵ (Gurmukhi script)
• 𑌊𑌰𑍍𑌧𑍍𑌵 (Grantha script)
• ꦈꦴꦂꦣ꧀ꦮ (Javanese script)
• 𑂈𑂩𑂹𑂡𑂹𑂫 (Kaithi script)
• ಊರ್ಧ್ವ (Kannada script)
• ឩធ៌្វ (Khmer script)
• ອູຣ຺ຘ຺ວ (Lao script)
• ഊര്ധ്വ (Malayalam script)
• ᡠᡠᡵᢡᠣᠸᠠ (Manchu script)
• 𑘅𑘨𑘿𑘠𑘿𑘪 (Modi script)
• ᠤᠤᠷᢑᠾᢦ (Mongolian script)
• 𑦥𑧈𑧠𑧀𑧠𑧊 (Nandinagari script)
• 𑐅𑐬𑑂𑐢𑑂𑐰 (Newa script)
• ଊର୍ଧ୍ଵ (Odia script)
• ꢇꢬ꣄ꢤ꣄ꢮ (Saurashtra script)
• 𑆈𑆫𑇀𑆣𑇀𑆮 (Sharada script)
• 𑖅𑖨𑖿𑖠𑖿𑖪 (Siddham script)
• ඌර්‍ධ‍්ව (Sinhalese script)
• 𑩐𑩒𑩛𑩼 𑪙𑩮 𑪙𑩾 (Soyombo script)
• 𑚅𑚤𑚶𑚜𑚶𑚦 (Takri script)
• ஊர்த்⁴வ (Tamil script)
• ఊర్ధ్వ (Telugu script)
• อูรฺธฺว (Thai script)
• ཨཱུ་རྡྷྭ (Tibetan script)
• 𑒆𑒩𑓂𑒡𑓂𑒫 (Tirhuta script)
• 𑨀𑨃𑨊𑨫𑩇𑨜𑩇𑨭 (Zanabazar Square script)

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-Iranian *r̥Hdʰwás (“high, upright”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₃r̥dʰ-wó-s (“high, upright”). Cognate with Avestan 𐬆𐬭𐬆𐬜𐬡𐬀 (ər^əδβa), Ancient Greek ὀρθός (orthós), Latin arduus, Old Norse ǫrðugr (“steep”).

Pronunciation

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /uːɾdʱ.ʋɐ́/
• (Classical Sanskrit) IPA^(key): /ˈuːɾd̪ʱ.ʋɐ/

Adjective

ऊर्ध्व • (ūrdhvá) stem

1. rising or tending upwards, raised, elevated, erected, erect, upright, high, above
   • c. 1700 BCE – 1200 BCE, Ṛgveda 1.36.13:

     ऊ॒र्ध्व ऊ॒ षु ण॑ ऊ॒तये॒ तिष्ठा॑ दे॒वो न स॑वि॒ता।
     ऊ॒र्ध्वो वाज॑स्य॒ सनि॑ता॒ यद॒ञ्जिभि॑र्वा॒घद्भि॑र्वि॒ह्वया॑महे॥

     ūrdhvá ū ṣú ṇa ūtáye tíṣṭhā devó ná savitā́.
     ūrdhvó vā́jasya sánitā yádañjíbhirvāghádbhirvihváyāmahe.

     Stand up erect to lend us aid, stand up like Savitā the God:
     Erect as strength-bestower we call aloud, with unguents and with priests, on thee.

Usage notes

In Classical Sanskrit occurring chiefly in compounds.

Declension

Masculine a-stem declension of ऊर्ध्व (ūrdhvá)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ऊर्ध्वः ūrdhváḥ	ऊर्ध्वौ / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ūrdhvaú / ūrdhvā́¹	ऊर्ध्वाः / ऊर्ध्वासः¹ ūrdhvā́ḥ / ūrdhvā́saḥ¹
Vocative	ऊर्ध्व ū́rdhva	ऊर्ध्वौ / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ū́rdhvau / ū́rdhvā¹	ऊर्ध्वाः / ऊर्ध्वासः¹ ū́rdhvāḥ / ū́rdhvāsaḥ¹
Accusative	ऊर्ध्वम् ūrdhvám	ऊर्ध्वौ / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ūrdhvaú / ūrdhvā́¹	ऊर्ध्वान् ūrdhvā́n
Instrumental	ऊर्ध्वेन ūrdhvéna	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वैः / ऊर्ध्वेभिः¹ ūrdhvaíḥ / ūrdhvébhiḥ¹
Dative	ऊर्ध्वाय ūrdhvā́ya	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वेभ्यः ūrdhvébhyaḥ
Ablative	ऊर्ध्वात् ūrdhvā́t	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वेभ्यः ūrdhvébhyaḥ
Genitive	ऊर्ध्वस्य ūrdhvásya	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वानाम् ūrdhvā́nām
Locative	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वेषु ūrdhvéṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Feminine ā-stem declension of ऊर्ध्वा (ūrdhvā́)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ऊर्ध्वा ūrdhvā́	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वाः ūrdhvā́ḥ
Vocative	ऊर्ध्वे ū́rdhve	ऊर्ध्वे ū́rdhve	ऊर्ध्वाः ū́rdhvāḥ
Accusative	ऊर्ध्वाम् ūrdhvā́m	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वाः ūrdhvā́ḥ
Instrumental	ऊर्ध्वया / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ūrdhváyā / ūrdhvā́¹	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वाभिः ūrdhvā́bhiḥ
Dative	ऊर्ध्वायै ūrdhvā́yai	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वाभ्यः ūrdhvā́bhyaḥ
Ablative	ऊर्ध्वायाः / ऊर्ध्वायै² ūrdhvā́yāḥ / ūrdhvā́yai²	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वाभ्यः ūrdhvā́bhyaḥ
Genitive	ऊर्ध्वायाः / ऊर्ध्वायै² ūrdhvā́yāḥ / ūrdhvā́yai²	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वानाम् ūrdhvā́nām
Locative	ऊर्ध्वायाम् ūrdhvā́yām	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वासु ūrdhvā́su
Notes	¹Vedic ²Brāhmaṇas

Neuter a-stem declension of ऊर्ध्व (ūrdhvá)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ऊर्ध्वम् ūrdhvám	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वानि / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ūrdhvā́ni / ūrdhvā́¹
Vocative	ऊर्ध्व ū́rdhva	ऊर्ध्वे ū́rdhve	ऊर्ध्वानि / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ū́rdhvāni / ū́rdhvā¹
Accusative	ऊर्ध्वम् ūrdhvám	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वानि / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ūrdhvā́ni / ūrdhvā́¹
Instrumental	ऊर्ध्वेन ūrdhvéna	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वैः / ऊर्ध्वेभिः¹ ūrdhvaíḥ / ūrdhvébhiḥ¹
Dative	ऊर्ध्वाय ūrdhvā́ya	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वेभ्यः ūrdhvébhyaḥ
Ablative	ऊर्ध्वात् ūrdhvā́t	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वेभ्यः ūrdhvébhyaḥ
Genitive	ऊर्ध्वस्य ūrdhvásya	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वानाम् ūrdhvā́nām
Locative	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वेषु ūrdhvéṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Noun

ऊर्ध्व • (ūrdhvá) stem, n

1. height, elevation
2. anything placed above or higher (+ ablative)

   ऊर्ध्वं-गच्छति ― √gam ― to go upwards or into heaven, die

Declension

Neuter a-stem declension of ऊर्ध्व (ūrdhvá)
	Singular	Dual	Plural
Nominative	ऊर्ध्वम् ūrdhvám	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वानि / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ūrdhvā́ni / ūrdhvā́¹
Vocative	ऊर्ध्व ū́rdhva	ऊर्ध्वे ū́rdhve	ऊर्ध्वानि / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ū́rdhvāni / ū́rdhvā¹
Accusative	ऊर्ध्वम् ūrdhvám	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वानि / ऊर्ध्वा¹ ūrdhvā́ni / ūrdhvā́¹
Instrumental	ऊर्ध्वेन ūrdhvéna	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वैः / ऊर्ध्वेभिः¹ ūrdhvaíḥ / ūrdhvébhiḥ¹
Dative	ऊर्ध्वाय ūrdhvā́ya	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वेभ्यः ūrdhvébhyaḥ
Ablative	ऊर्ध्वात् ūrdhvā́t	ऊर्ध्वाभ्याम् ūrdhvā́bhyām	ऊर्ध्वेभ्यः ūrdhvébhyaḥ
Genitive	ऊर्ध्वस्य ūrdhvásya	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वानाम् ūrdhvā́nām
Locative	ऊर्ध्वे ūrdhvé	ऊर्ध्वयोः ūrdhváyoḥ	ऊर्ध्वेषु ūrdhvéṣu
Notes	¹Vedic

Preposition

ऊर्ध्व • (ūrdhvá)

1. in the sequel, in the later part (e.g. of a book or manuscript; because in Sanskrit manuscripts the later leaves stand above), subsequent, after (with ablative)

   अत ऊर्ध्वम् (ata ūrdhvam), or इत ऊर्ध्वम् (ita ūrdhvam) ― hence forward, from that time forward, after that passage, hereafter

   ऊर्ध्वं संवत्सरात् ― ūrdhvaṃ saṃvatsarāt ― after a year

   ऊर्ध्वं देहात् ― ūrdhvaṃ dehāt ― after life, after death

2. after, after the death of (+ ablative)

   ऊर्ध्वं पितुः ― ūrdhvaṃ pituḥ ― after the father's death

3. in a high tone, aloud

Descendants

• Pali: uddha, ubbha
• Phalura:

  Latin script: huṇḍ

  Arabic script: ہُنڈ

• Prakrit: 𑀉𑀟𑁆𑀠 (uḍḍha), 𑀉𑀤𑁆𑀥 (uddha), 𑀉𑀩𑁆𑀪 (ubbha) (see there for further descendants)
• Irula: உத்த்ய (uttya)

Further reading

• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “ūrdhvá”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 115