# द्रव्य (dravya)

Canonical page: https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/dravya

द्रव्य (dravya) is a Sanskrit word meaning substance, thing, or object, the ingredients or materials of anything, a medicinal substance or drug, elementary substance, single object or person, fit object or person. Its 28 recorded definitions are grouped into 11 contexts, among them Arboreal / Tree-Derived Products, Substance, Thing, Object, Material, Wealth, Property, Money.

- **Root:** द्रु (dru)
- **Etymology:** E. द्रु a tree, affix यत् — E. dru a tree, affix yat
- **SLP1:** `dravya`  **IAST:** dravya  **Devanagari:** द्रव्य
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dravya
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/dravya/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** द्राव्य (drāvya)

## Meanings by context

### Arboreal / Tree-Derived Products (6 definitions)
- derived from or relating to a tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 501,2] 2. द्रव्य (dravya) mfn. ( fr. 4. द्रु (dru) ) derived from or relating to a tree, Pāṇini (Author) iv, 3, 161 [ ID=97736 ]
- tree-like or corresponding to a tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > tree-like or corresponding to a tree, Śāṅkhāyana-brāhmaṇa (Title) x, 2 [ ID=97737 ]
- lac, gum, or resin  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) n. lac, gum, resin, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=97738 ]
- arboreal  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 127-1 ] द्रव्य (dravya) 1. drav-ya, a. arboreal ( v. dru). [ ID=9735 ]
- belonging to a tree  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > 2 द्रव्य (dravya) a. belonging to a tree. [ ID=14775 ]
- 1. Derived from or relating to a tree. 2. Lac, the animal dye, extract, gum, or resin.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > [Printed book page 0439-c ] द्रव्य (dravya) 2. dravya, as, ā, am (fr. 4. dru ), derived from or relating to a tree; ( am ), n. lac, the animal dye; extract, gum, resin. (For 1. dravya see col. 2.) [ ID=22969 ]

### Substance, Thing, Object, Material (6 definitions)
- substance, thing, or object  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 501,1] 1. द्रव्य (dravya) n. a substance, thing, object, Upaniṣad (Literary category); Manu-smṛti (Title); Mahābhārata (Title) &c. [ ID=97631 ]
- the ingredients or materials of anything  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the ingredients or materials of anything, Mahābhārata (Title); Rāmāyaṇa (Title) [ ID=97632 ]
- 1. Object or thing 2. Substance or matter 3. Property 4. Gold 5. Implement 6. Fit object  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) 2. drav-ya, n. [ fp. movable: √dru] object, thing; substance, matter; property; gold; implement; fit object: -tva, n. substantiality; -kṛśa, a. of slender means, poor; Page127-2 -jāta, a. kind of substance; -prakṛti, f. pl. minister, realm, fortresses, treasure and army; -maya, a. substantial, material: -mātra, n., ā, f. gold; -yajña, a. offering material sacrifices; -vat, a. inherent in matter; wealthy; -vṛddhi, f. increase of wealth; -śuddhi, f. purification of defiled objects. [ ID=9736 ]
- 1. Substance, thing, or object. 2. Raw material. 3. An elementary substance in Vaisheshika philosophy. 4. Wealth, money, or goods. 5. A suitable recipient. 6. Bell-metal. 7. Modesty. 8. Spirituous liquor. 9. A stake or wager.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 348-04 ] द्रव्य (dravya) n. 1. Substance, thing, object; 2. material to be worked upon; 3. elementary substance considered as one of the seven categories (in the Vaiśeshika philosophy); ( dravya is ninefold- पृथिव्यापस्तेजोवाय्वाकाशकालदिगात्ममनांसि (pṛthivyāpastejovāyvākāśakāladigātmamanāṃsi) T.S. ); 4. possession, wealth, goods, money; 5. a fit object (to receive any impression &c. Cf. अद्रव्य (dravya) (adravya) ); 6. bell-metal; 7. modesty; 8. spirituous liquor; 9. a stake, a wager. [ ID=17816 ]
- 1. Object or thing. 2. Substance. 3. Property. 4. A fit object.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 0422-b ] द्रव्य (dravya) dravya (probably akin to 3. dru ), n. 1. Object, thing, Man. 1, 113; 8, 34. 2. Substance, Bhāṣāp. 1. 3. Pro- perty, Man. 4, 114. 4. A fit object. — Comp. A-, n. a worthless object, Hit. pr. d. 43; Mālav. 14, 23. Apa-, n. any bad substance. Nis-, adj. 1. imma- terial, MBh. 12, 11350. 2. poor, Rām. 5, 33, 31. Sītā-, n. pl. implements of husbandry, Man. 9, 293. [ ID=6810 ]
- 1. A substance, thing, or object. 2. Ingredients or materials. 3. A medicinal substance or drug. 4. A receptacle or substratum of properties. 5. Property, wealth, goods, or money. 6. A fit object. 7. Bell-metal or brass. 8. Ointment or plaster. 9. Spirituous liquor. 10. Modesty or propriety. 11. A stake or wager.  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 0439-b ] 1. dravya, am, n. (thought by some to be con- nected with 4. dru ), a substance, thing, object; the ingredients or materials of anything; medicinal sub- stance or drug; the receptacle or substratum of pro- perties &c., elementary substance (nine kinds of which are reckoned in the Nyāya philosophy, viz. pṛthivī, earth; ap, water; tejas, fire; vāyu, air; ākāśa, ether; kāla, time; diś, space; ātman, soul; and manas, mind: the Jainas recognize only six, viz. jīva, dharma, a-dharma, pudgala, kāla, and ākāśa ); an object possessed, a possession, wealth, property, goods, wares, chattels, money; a fit object; (according to lexicographers dravya may also mean) bell-metal, brass; ointment; anointing, plastering; spirituous liquor; modesty, propriety; a stake, wager. —Dravya-gaṇa, as, m. a class of similar substances (in medicine &c.). —Dravya-guṇa, as, m. ‘the quality of medicinal substances,’ N. of a chapter of the Purāṇa-sarva-sva by Halāyudha. —Dravya-tas, ind. in substance, according to substance, &c. —Dra- vya-tva, am, n. substantiality, substance. —Dravya- dvaita, am, n. duality of substance, instrumental cause (?). —Dravya-niścaya, as, m. ‘enquiry into the (elementary) substances,’ N. of a chapter of Bhaṭṭotpala's commentary to Varāha-mihira's Bṛhat- saṃhitā. —Dravya-parigraha, as, m. the possession of property or wealth. —Dravya-pūjā, f. ‘adoration Page0439-c+ 76 of substance,’ N. of a chapter of the Purāṇa-sarva-sva. —Dravya-prakarṣa, as, m. the excellence of a matter. —Dravya-prakṛti, is, f. the nature of a matter. —Dravya-prayojana, am, n. use or employ- ment of any article. —Dravya-maya, as, ī, am, material, substantial; having or holding any substance; consisting of wealth. —Dravya-yajña, as, m. offer- ing oblations, material sacrifice, &c. —Dravya-vat, ān, atī, at, having property, possessed of substance, rich, wealthy; inherent in the substance. —Dravya- vardhana, as, m. ‘wealth-increaser,’ N. of an author of a work on augury. —Dravya-vācaka, a substan- tive. —Dravya-vṛddhi, is, f. increase of wealth. —Dravya-śuddhi, is, f. cleansing of soiled or de- filed articles, purification of inanimate objects; N. of a work. —Dravyaśuddhi-dīpikā, f., N. of a com- mentary on the Dravya-śuddhi by Puruṣottama. —Dravya-saṃskāra, as, m. consecration of articles for sacrifice, purification or cleansing of soiled or defiled articles. —Dravya-sañcaya, as, m. accumulation of property, a store of worldly goods. —Dravya-sāra- saṅgraha, as, m. ‘collection of the essence of sub- stances,’ N. of a philosophical work. —Dravya- siddhi, is, f. acquirement of property or wealth; effecting an object by means of wealth. —Dravya- hasta, as, ā, am, holding anything in the hand. —Dravyātmaka (°ya-āt°), as, ā, am, substantial, containing a substance. —Dravyātma-kāryasiddhi, is, f. effecting one's object by means of wealth. —Dravyāntara (°ya-an°), am, n. another thing. —Dravyārjana (°ya-ar°), am, n. acquiring property, gain or acquisition of wealth. —Dravyaugha (°ya- ogha), as, m. a stream of wealth, abundance of property. [ ID=22966 ]

### Wealth, Property, Money (4 definitions)
- Wealth, goods, money, or an object of possession  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > object of possession, wealth, goods, money, Manu-smṛti (Title); Yājñavalkya (Author); Mahābhārata (Title) &c. [ ID=97637 ]
- 1. Wealth, substance, thing, or brass. 2. A drug, wager, lac, gum, spirits, or modesty.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 382-b ] द्रव्य (dravya) ( व्यं ) ((vyaṃ)) 1. n. Wealth, substance, thing; brass; a drug; a wager; Lac; gum; spirits; modesty. a. Fit, right; of a tree. [ ID=19434 ]
- 1. Property or wealth. 2. A substance, thing, or object, especially a worthy object or fit person.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 241 ] 1 द्रव्य (dravya) n. property, wealth; substance, thing, object, esp. worthy object or fit person. [ ID=14774 ]
- 1. Property. 2. A thing or object. 3. A worthy object.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 173-b ] dravya, n. —1. property; —2. in general, thing, object; —3. esp. worthy object. [ √dru: see draviṇa. ] [ ID=2080 ]

### Fit, Worthy, Proper (3 definitions)
- fit object or person  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > fit object or person ( cf. अ - (a-).) [ ID=97636 ]
- 1. Fit or proper. 2. Derived from or relating to a tree. 3. Wealth or property. 4. Substance or thing. 5. Elementary substance. 6. Brass. 7. A stake or wager. 8. A drug or medicine. 9. Anointing or plastering. 10. Lac. 11. Vegetable extract, gum, or resin. 12. Modesty or propriety. 13. Spirituous liquor.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 429 ] द्रव्य (dravya) mfn. ( - व्यः - व्या - व्यं (-vyaṃ) (-vyaḥ-vyā-vyaṃ) ) 1 Fit, proper, right, what is or ought to be. 2 Derived from or relating to a tree. n. ( - व्यं (-vyaṃ) ) 1 Wealth, property. 2 Substance, thing, the receptacle or substratum of properties, &c. 3 Elementary substance, nine kinds of which are reckoned: viz. earth, water, fire, air, æther, time, space, soul, and intellect. 4 Brass. 5 A stake, a wager. 6 A drug, a medicament, any thing used in medicine. 7 Anointing, plastering. 8 Lac, the animal dye. 9 Extract, gum, resin, &c. derived from vegetables. 10 Modesty, propriety. 11 Spirituous liquor. E. द्रु (dru) a tree, affix यत् (yat). [ ID=19950 ]
- 1. Fit and proper. 2. Derived from a tree. 3. Wealth and property. 4. A substance or thing. 5. An elementary substance. 6. Brass. 7. A stake or wager. 8. A drug or medicine. 9. Anointing or plastering. 10. Lac. 11. Plant extract, gum, or resin. 12. Modesty and propriety. 13. Spirituous liquor.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > द्रव्य (dravya) [Printed book page 357-a ] द्रव्य (dravya) mfn. ( - व्यः - व्या - व्यं (-vyaṃ) (-vyaḥ-vyā-vyaṃ) ) 1. Fit, proper, right, what is or ought to be. 2. Derived from or relating to a tree. n. ( - व्यं (-vyaṃ) ) 1. Wealth, property. 2. Substance, thing, the receptacle or substratum of properties, &c. 3. Elementary substance, nine kinds of which are reckoned; viz. earth, water, fire, air, æther, time, space, soul, and intellect. 4. Brass. 5. A stake, a wager. 6. A drug, a medicament, any thing. used in medicine. 7. Anointing, plastering. 8. Lac, the animal dye. 9. Extract, gum, resin, &c. derived from vegetables. 10. Modesty, propriety. 11. Spirituous liquor. E. द्रु (dru) a tree, affix यत् । (yat.) [ ID=19936 ]

### Grammatical: Individual Entity (2 definitions)
- single object or person  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( Gr. ) single object or person, individual ( cf. एक - (eka-) ) [ ID=97635 ]
- in grammar, a word that is the name of a single object rather than a class  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > [Printed book page 1184-a ] Dravya; add — (one of the Padārthas or categories in grammar), a word which is the name of a single object as distinguished from a Jāti or class. [ ID=55049 ]

### Specific Metals (Gold, Brass, Bell-metal) (2 definitions)
- gold  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > gold, Rāmāyaṇa (Title) vii, 18, 34, Sch. [ ID=97638 ]
- bell-metal, brass  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > bell-metal, brass, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=97639 ]

### Medicinal Substance, Drug (1 definition)
- a medicinal substance or drug  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > medicinal substance or drug, Suśruta (Title) [ ID=97633 ]

### Ointment, Plaster (1 definition)
- ointment  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ointment, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=97640 ]

### Philosophical Elementary Substance (1 definition)
- elementary substance  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( phil. ) elementary substance (9 in the Nyāya, viz. पृथिवी (pṛthivī), अप् (ap), तेजस् (tejas), वायु (vāyu), आकाश (ākāśa), काल (kāla), दिश् (diś), आत्मन् (ātman), मनस् (manas); 6 with Jainas, viz. जीव (jīva), धर्म (dharma), अधर्म (dharma) (adharma), पुद्गल (pudgala), काल (kāla), आकाश (ākāśa) ) [ ID=97634 ]

### Spirituous Liquor (1 definition)
- spirituous liquor  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > spirituous liquor, Lexicographers, esp. such as Amarasiṃha, Halāyudha, Hemacandra, etc. (Author) [ ID=97641 ]

### Stake, Wager (1 definition)
- a stake or wager  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a stake, a wager, Horace H. Wilson, author of first Sanskrit-English dictionary in 1819 (Author) [ ID=97642 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872); Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899); Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary.
Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, University of Cologne.

The Sanskrit Lexicon app for iPhone, iPad and Mac: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sanskrit-lexicon-dictionary/id6746787546