# पदार्थ (padārtha)

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

पदार्थ (padārtha) is a Sanskrit word meaning the meaning of a word, a material object, man, or person, a head or subject, a category or predicament, a principle, a material thing or object. Its 12 recorded definitions are grouped into 6 contexts, among them Multiple Senses (Comprehensive), Meaning of a Word, Philosophical Category.

- **Etymology:** E. पद word, thing, and अथ meaning — E. pada word, thing, and atha meaning
- **SLP1:** `padArTa`  **IAST:** padārtha  **Devanagari:** पदार्थ
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pad%C4%81rtha
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/padartha/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Multiple Senses (Comprehensive) (7 definitions)
- 1. The meaning or sense of a word. 2. An object, substance, or thing corresponding to a word. 3. A subject, topic, or philosophical category.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पदार्थ (padārtha) [Printed book page 152-3 ] पदार्थ (padārtha) pada‿artha, m. thing corresponding to a word, substance, object; subject, topic; category ( ph. ); meaning of a word. [ ID=11110 ]
- 1. A material thing or object. 2. A category or predicament in logic. 3. The meaning of a word or sentence.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पद (pada) ार्थ (padārtha) [Printed book page 500 ] पद (pada) ार्थ (padārtha) m. ( - र्थः (-rthaḥ) ) 1 Thing, substantial or material form of being. 2 A category or predicament in Logic, of which seven are enumerated, viz. substance, quality, action, identity, variety, relation, and annihilation; another enumeration gives sixteen. 3 The meaning of a word or sentence. E. पद (pada) word, thing, and अथ (atha) meaning. [ ID=23151 ]
- 1. A thing, essence, or meaning. 2. An object of natural science or a category.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पदार्थ (padārtha) [Printed book page 446-b ] पदा _ र्थ (padā_rtha) ( र्थः ) ((rthaḥ)) 1. m. Thing; essence; meaning; objects of natural science; category. [ ID=22624 ]
- 1. An object. 2. The meaning of a word. 3. A topic. 4. A category.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पदार्थ (padārtha) [Printed book page 409-02 ] पद - अर्थ (pada-artha) m. 1. a thing, an object; 2. the meaning of a word; 3. a head, a topic; 4. a category; (they are six according to the Vaiśeshikas, twenty-five according to the Sānkhyas, twenty-six according to the Pātanjalas and two according to the Vedāntins). [ ID=20956 ]
- 1. A material thing or substance. 2. A category or predicament in philosophy. 3. The meaning of a word or sentence. 4. A topic or head.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पद (pada) ार्थ (padārtha) [Printed book page 419-a ] पद (pada) ार्थ (padārtha) m. ( - र्थः (-rthaḥ) ) 1. Thing, substantial or material form of being. 2. A category of predicament in Logic, of which seven are enumerated; viz:—substance, quality, action, identity, variety, relation and non-existence or annihilation. They are sixteen according to Nyaya Philosophy six according to the Vaiseshika, twenty-five according to Sānkhya, twenty six according to Pātanjala, and two according to Vaidantica. 3. The meaning of a word or sentence. 4. A head, a topic. E. पद (pada) word, thing, and अर्थ (artha) meaning. [ ID=23137 ]
- 1. The meaning of a word. 2. A substance or thing. 3. A philosophical category.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पदार्थ (padārtha) [Printed book page 0513-a ] पदार्थ (padārtha) padārtha, i. e. pada-artha, m. 1. The meaning of a word, Nyāya S. 2, 131. 2. Substance, thing, Bhāg. P. 3, 11, 2. 3. A category, Bhāṣāp. 1. [ ID=8071 ]
- 1. The meaning of a word or its corresponding object. 2. A thing, matter, or person. 3. A philosophical category or predicament.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > पदार्थ (padārtha) [Printed book page 295 ] पदार्थ (padārtha) m. the meaning of a word or the thing corresponding to it; thing, object, matter; man, person; category or predicament (ph.). [ ID=17844 ]

### Meaning of a Word (1 definition)
- the meaning of a word  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H3) [Printed book page 583,3] पदा (padā) र्थ (rtha) m. the meaning of a word, VPrāt.; Prab.; BhP. &c. ( ifc. also - क (-ka), Pat. ) [ ID=115386 ]

### Philosophical Category (1 definition)
- a category or predicament  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a category, predicament (7 with Vaiśeṣikas, 25 with Sāṃkhyas, 7 with Vedāntins) [ ID=115389 ]

### Principle (1 definition)
- a principle  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a principle ( - त्रितय (-tritaya) n. a triad of principles, Religious Thought and Life in India, also called ’Brāhmanism and Hindūism,’ by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 119 ) [ ID=115390 ]

### Thing, Object, or Referent (1 definition)
- a material object, man, or person  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > that which corresponds to the m° of a w°, a thing, material object, man, person, Var.; Kāv.; Pur. [ ID=115387 ]

### Topic or Subject (1 definition)
- a head or subject  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a head, subject (16 with Naiyāyikas) [ ID=115388 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary; 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.

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