# वाच् (vāc)

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

वाच् (vāc) is a Sanskrit word meaning speech, voice, language, or sound, word, saying, phrase, sentence, statement, or asseveration, speech personified, a word, sound, or expression, words, talk, language, speech, a voice or sound. Its 80 recorded definitions are grouped into 9 contexts, among them Core Meaning: Speech, Word, Language, Voice, Sound, Qualities, Types, and Styles of Speech, Persons, Roles, and Epithets Related to Speech.

- **Roots:** वच् (vac), ऋ (ṛ), दा (dā), कृ (kṛ), हृ (hṛ), वद् (vad)
- **Etymology:** E. वच् speak, aff. क्विप, and the vowel made long — E. vac speak, aff. kvipa, and the vowel made long
- **SLP1:** `vAc`  **IAST:** vāc  **Devanagari:** वाच्
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%C4%81c
- **Declensions:** 72 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vach/declensions.md
- **Other headwords romanised the same way:** वच् (vac)

## Meanings by context

### Core Meaning: Speech, Word, Language, Voice, Sound (20 definitions)
- speech, voice, language, or sound  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H1) [Printed book page 936,1] वाच् (vāc) f. ( fr. √ वच् (vac) ) speech, voice, talk, language (also of animals), sound (also of inanimate objects as of the stones used for pressing, of a drum &c.), RV. &c. &c. ( वाचम् - (vācam-) √ ऋ (√ṛ), ईर् (īr), or इष् (iṣ), to raise the voice, utter a sound, cry, call) [ ID=189809 ]
- word, saying, phrase, sentence, statement, or asseveration  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a word, saying, phrase, sentence, statement, asseveration, Mn.; MBh. &c. ( वाचं - (vācaṃ-) √ वद् (√vad), to speak words; वाचं व्या - (vācaṃ vyā-) √ हृ (√hṛ), to utter words; वाचं - (vācaṃ-) √ दा (√dā) with dat., to address words to; वाचा सत्यं - (vācā satyaṃ-) √ कृ (√kṛ), to promise verbally in marriage, plight troth) [ ID=189810 ]
- A word, sound, or expression  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0956-a ] वाच् (vāc) f. [ वच् - क्विप् दीर्घोऽसंप्रसारणं च (vac-kvip dīrgho'saṃprasāraṇaṃ ca) Uṇādisūtras 2. 67 ] 1 A word, sound, an expression ( opp. अर्थ (artha) ); वागर्थाविव संपृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये (vāgarthāviva saṃpṛktau vāgarthapratipattaye) Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 1. 1
- Words, talk, language, speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0956-a ] वाच् (vāc) f. [ वच् - क्विप् दीर्घोऽसंप्रसारणं च (vac-kvip dīrgho'saṃprasāraṇaṃ ca) Uṇādisūtras 2. 67 ] 2 Words, talk, language, speech; वाचि पुण्यापुण्यहेतवः (vāci puṇyāpuṇyahetavaḥ) Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 4; लौकिकानां हि साधूनामर्थं (laukikānāṃ hi sādhūnāmarthaṃ) वागनुवर्तते । ऋषीणां पुनराद्यानां (vāganuvartate. ṛṣīṇāṃ punarādyānāṃ) वाचमर्थोनुधावति (vācamarthonudhāvati) Uttararāmacarita 1. 10; विनिश्चितार्थामिति (viniścitārthāmiti) वाचमाददे (vācamādade) Kirātārjunīya 1. 3 ‘spoke these words’, ‘spoke as follows’; Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 1. 49; Śiśupālavadha 2. 13, 23; Kumārasambhava (Bombay) 2. 3
- A voice or sound.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0956-a ] वाच् (vāc) f. [ वच् - क्विप् दीर्घोऽसंप्रसारणं च (vac-kvip dīrgho'saṃprasāraṇaṃ ca) Uṇādisūtras 2. 67 ] 3 A voice, sound; अशरीरिणी वागुदचरत् (aśarīriṇī vāgudacarat) Uttararāmacarita 2; मनुष्यावाचा (manuṣyāvācā) Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 2. 33
- An assertion or a statement  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0956-a ] वाच् (vāc) f. [ वच् - क्विप् दीर्घोऽसंप्रसारणं च (vac-kvip dīrgho'saṃprasāraṇaṃ ca) Uṇādisūtras 2. 67 ] 4 An assertion, a statement
- A phrase, proverb, or saying  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0956-a ] वाच् (vāc) f. [ वच् - क्विप् दीर्घोऽसंप्रसारणं च (vac-kvip dīrgho'saṃprasāraṇaṃ ca) Uṇādisūtras 2. 67 ] 6 A phrase, proverb, saying
- a word and its meaning  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — अर्थः (arthaḥ) ( वागर्थः (vāgarthaḥ) ) a word and its meaning; Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 1. 1; see above
- consisting of words  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — आत्मन् (ātman) a. ( वागात्मन् (vāgātman) ) consisting of words; ऋषे प्रबुद्धोसि वागात्मनि (ṛṣe prabuddhosi vāgātmani) ब्रह्मणि (brahmaṇi) Uttararāmacarita 2
- depending on words  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — निबंधन (nibaṃdhana) ( वाग्निबंधन (nibaṃdhana) (vāgnibaṃdhana) ) a. depending on words
- mere words  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — मात्रं (mātraṃ) ( वाडमात्रं (mātraṃ) (vāḍamātraṃ) ) mere words
- 1. Language or speech, including animal sounds. 2. Voice or sound. 3. A statement, assertion, or word. 4. Speech personified as the goddess Sarasvati.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 275-2 ] वाच् (vāc) vā́c, f. [√vac] language ( also of animals ); voice, sound; speech, statement, assertion, word; Speech ( personified ), goddess of speech = Sarasvatī: in. vācā, expressly: - satyaṃ kṛ, expressly promise in marriage, plight troth; vācaṃ dā, address words to ( d. ). [ ID=16189 ]
- 1. Speech or speaking. 2. Sarasvati, the goddess of speech. 3. A phrase, proverb, or adage.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 747 ] वाच् (vāc) f. ( - वाक् (-vāk),) 1 Speech. 2 Speaking. 3 SARASVATĪ, the goddess of speech. 4 A phrase, a proverb or adage. E. वच (vaca) to speak, aff. क्विप् (kvip), and the vowel made long. [ ID=34189 ]
- 1. Speech or the goddess of speech. 2. A phrase or proverb.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 669-b ] वाच् (vāc) ( वाक् ) ((vāk)) 5. f. Speech or its goddess; a phrase; proverb. [ ID=33779 ]
- 1. Speech or discourse. 2. Language. 3. Voice or sound. 4. A proverb or phrase. 5. An assertion or assurance. 6. The goddess of speech.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 650-02 ] वाच् (vāc) f. 1. A speech, a discourse, यावदर्थपदां वाचमेवमादाय माधवः विरराम (yāvadarthapadāṃ vācamevamādāya mādhavaḥ virarāma) Sis. ii.13, 23, R. i.59; 2. language, the vocabulary of a language, वागर्थाविव संपृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये (vāgarthāviva saṃpṛktau vāgarthapratipattaye) R. i.1, ऋषीणां पुनराद्यानां वाचमर्थोनुधावति (ṛṣīṇāṃ punarādyānāṃ vācamarthonudhāvati) Ut. i.; 3. voice, sound, मनुष्यवाचा मनुवंशकेतुम् (manuṣyavācā manuvaṃśaketum) R. ii.53; 4. a proverb, a phrase; 5. an assertion, an assurance; 6. the goddess of speech. [ ID=34110 ]
- 1. Speech or speaking. 2. Saraswati, the goddess of speech. 3. A proverb or adage. 4. An assertion or assurance.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 640-b ] वाच् (vāc) f. ( - वाक् (-vāk) ) 1. Speech. 2. Speaking. 3. SARASWATĪ, the goddess of speech. 4. A phrase, a proverb or adage. 5. An assertion, an assurance. E. वच् (vac) speak, aff. क्विप, (kvipa,) and the vowel made long. [ ID=35739 ]
- 1. Speaking. 2. Speech. 3. A word. 4. A phrase or proverb. 5. Sarasvati. 6. Voice.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0831-b ] वाच् (vāc) vāc ( vb. vac ), f. 1. Speak- ing, Böhtl. Ind. Spr. 2647. 2. Speech, Pañc. iii. d. 112. 3. A word, Rām. 3, 51, 20 (voice?). 4. A phrase, a pro- verb. 5. Sarasvatī. 6. Voice, Chr. 44, 36. — Comp. An-ṛta-, adj. speaking an untruth, lying, Rām. 1, 6, 15. A-bhaya-, f. promise of safety, Hit. 59, 2. A-mo- gha-, adj. one whose speech is not idle. Āpta-, 1. f. the word of a trust- worthy person, Ragh. 10, 29. 2. adj. worthy of trust, Śāk. d. 121. Dur- vāc, i. e. dus-, f. abuse, MBh. 1, 3076. Duṣṭa-, m. a defamer, Man. 8, 386. Page0832-a+ 41 Nirvāc, i. e. nis-, adj. dumb, Bhāg. P. 4, 25, 54. Pra-, adj. eloquent. Satya-, I. adj. speaking truth, Rām. 3, 53, 12; Hit. 120, 15. II. m. 1. a Ṛṣi. 2. a crow. [ ID=12954 ]
- 1. Speech, voice, sound, word, language, or discourse. 2. The goddess of speech, Sarasvati.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 483 ] वाच् (vāc) f. speech, voice, sound, word, language, discourse; also speech personif. or the goddess of speech, Sarasvatī. [ ID=28682 ]
- 1. Speech, voice, word, or sound. 2. Personified as the Word.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 241-b ] vā́c [ 391], f. —1. speech, voice, word, utterance, sound; vācaṃ vy-ā-hṛ, utter words, 3 1, and vācaṃ vad, speak words, 94 9, verb-phrases, used like a simple verb of speaking, and construed w. the acc. of the person ( see 274b ); perhaps (utterance, i. e. ) sacred text, 91 2; —2. personified, The Word, Vāch, Λόγος. [ √vac, q. v. ] [ ID=3778 ]
- speech, voice, talk, language, discourse, speaking, a word, saying, phrase, proverb, assertion, asseveration, assurance, promise, sound, or the goddess Sarasvati  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0900-b ] वाच् (vāc) vāc, k, f. (fr. rt. vac ), speech, voice, talk, language, discourse, speaking (often at end of comps., cf. anṛta-v°, duṣṭa-v° ); a word, saying, phrase, proverb; assertion, asseveration, assurance, promise [cf. abhaya-v° ]; voice, sound; N. of Sarasvatī, goddess of speech, (in the Veda and Brāhmaṇas Vāc or Speech is herself the goddess, and is represented as created by Prajā-pati and married to him; one of the hymns of the Ṛg-veda [X. 125] is attributed to this goddess under the title of Vāc Āmbhṛṇī; in other places she is called the mother of the Vedas and wife of Indra; cf. Taittirīya-Br. II. 8, 8, 5, Śatapatha-Br. VII. 5, 2, 52); [cf. Lat. voc-s; Gr. ὄπ-ς.] —Vāk-kalaha, am, n. ‘speech-strife,’ quarrel, dispute. —Vāk-kīra, as, m. a wife's brother, (said to be fr. vāc, speech, and kīra, a parrot.) —Vāk-capala, as, ā, am, frivolous or inconsistent in speech, an idle or careless talker, chattering, impertinent. —Vāk-cāpalya, am, n. frivolity of speech, gossiping, chattering, idle or improper talk. —Vāk-chala, am, n. ‘fraud in speech,’ prevarication, equivocation. —Vāk-chalānvita (°la- an°), as, ā, am, equivocating, evasive. —Vāk-paṭu, us, us, u, skilled in speech, eloquent. —Vākpaṭu-tā, f. or vākpaṭu-tva, am, n. skill or ability in speech, eloquence. —Vāk-pati, is, is, i, eloquent; ( is ), m. ‘lord of speech,’ N. of Vṛhas-pati. —Vākpati-rāja, as, m., N. of a poet. —Vāk-patha, as, ā, am, suitable or seasonable for discourse. —Vāk-pāruṣya, am, n. harshness or severity of language; violence in words, abusive or contumelious language, scurrility, defamation. —Vāk-pracodana, am, n. a command expressed in words; ( āt ), ind. at the words of com- mand, in obedience to an order. —Vāk-pratoda, as, m. goading words, cutting or taunting language. —Vāk-pralāpa, as, m. eloquence. —Vāk-prasā- rin, ī, iṇī, i, Ved. spreading out or abounding in speech, eloquent. —Vāk-saṃyama, as, m. restraint or control of speech, modesty. —Vāg-apahāraka, as, m. a stealer of words or books; a reader of pro- hibited works or passages. —Vāg-artha, au, m. du. a word and its sense (between which, according to the Mīmāṃsā, there is an eternal connection). —Vāg- asi, is, f. ‘speech-sword,’ sharp or cutting speech. —Vāg-āḍambara, as, m. ‘confused sound of words,’ bombast. —Vāg-īśa, as, ā, am, one who is a master of language, eloquent; ( as ), m. an orator, author, poet, &c. an epithet of Vṛhas-pati, the preceptor of the gods; of Brahmā; ( ā ), f. the goddess of speech or eloquence, Sarasvatī. —Vāg-īśvara, as, m. a master of language, an orator, learned man; (with Buddhists) a deified sage ( = Mañju-ghoṣa ); Brahmā; the author of the Māna-manohara; ( ī ), f. Sarasvatī (goddess of speech). —Vāg-uttara, am, n. speech and reply. —Vāg-ṛṣabha, as, m. any one eminent in speech, an eloquent or learned man. —Vāgṛṣabha-tva, am, n. eminence or excellence in speaking, eloquence, learning, erudition. —Vāg-guda, as, m. a sort of bird. —Vāg-guli, is, m. the betel-bearer (of a king or prince &c.). —Vāggulika, as, m. a betel-bearer. —Vāg-ghasta-vat, ān, atī, at (i. e. vāc + hasta ), possessed of speech and hands. —Vāg-jāla, am, n. ‘multitude of words,’ bombast. —Vāg-ḍambara, as, m. graceful or eloquent language. —Vāg-daṇḍa, as, m. ‘speech-assault,’ abusive or scurrilous language, reproof, reprimand; speech-control, restraint of speech (Manu XII. 10). —Vāg-daṇḍa-ja, as, ā, am, spring- ing from scurrilous language and open assault (Manu VII. 48). —Vāg-datta, as, ā, am, ‘given by word of mouth, ‘promised; ( ā ), f. a betrothed virgin. —Vāg-daridra, as, ā, am, poor in speech, of few words, speaking little or humbly, speaking guardedly. —Vāg-dala, am, n. ‘speech-leaf,’ a lip. —Vāg- dāna, am, n. ‘gift by word of mouth,’ the promise of a maiden in marriage. —Vāg-duṣṭa, as, ā, am, speaking ill or abusively, abusive, scurrilous; speak- ing ungrammatically; ( as ), m. a rude or scurrilous speaker, defamer; a Brāhman who has past the proper time of life without investiture with the sacred thread, &c. —Vāg-devatā, f. ‘speech-divinity,’ epithet of Sarasvatī. —Vāg-devī, f. ‘the goddess of speech or eloquence, ‘epithet of Sarasvatī. —Vāgdevī- Page0900-c+ 81 kula, am, n. ‘the family of Sarasvatī,’ science, learn- ing, eloquence. —Vāg-daivatya, as, ā, am, having speech for a divinity, sacred to Sarasvatī. —Vāg- doṣa, as, m. ‘speech-vice,’ the act of speaking ill, defamation, abuse; ungrammatical speech; uttering a disagreeable sound. —Vāg-bandhana, am, n. ‘speech-binding,’ the stopping of speech, silencing. —Vāg-bhaṭa, as, m., N. of the author of the Vāgbhaṭālaṅkāra, a work on rhetoric; of the author of the Aṣṭāṅga-hṛdaya-saṃhitā. —Vāg-bhaṭṭa, as, m. a proper N. —Vāg-manasa, see vāṅ-manasa. —Vāg-mūla, as, ā, am, having root or origin in speech. —Vāg-yata, as, ā, am, reserved in speech, taciturn, silent. —Vāg-yāma, as, m. a dumb man, one silent from necessity. —Vāg-yuddha, am, n. war of words, controversy, vehement debate or dis- cussion. —Vāg-rodha, as, m. the stopping of speech, silencing. —Vāg-vajra, am, n. ‘thunder of words,’ boisterous or harsh language. —Vāg-vidagdha, as, ā, am, skilled in language, clever in speech; ( ā ), f. a kindly-speaking or fascinating woman. —Vāg-vi- niḥsṛta, as, ā, am, emitted or put forth by speech. —Vāg-vilāsa, as, m. graceful or elegant speech. —Vāg-vyaya, as, m. expenditure of words or speech, waste of breath. —Vāg-vyāpāra, as, m. manner of speaking, style or habit of speech; cus- tomary phraseology. —Vāṅ-niścaya, as, m. ‘speech- settlement, ‘marriage contract, affiance by word of mouth. —Vāg-niṣṭhā, f. abiding by one's words, punctuality in fulfilling a promise, faithfulness. —Vāṅ- matī, f., N. of a sacred stream (said to be situated on the summit of the Himālaya). —Vāṅ-madhura, as, ā, am, sweet in speech. —Vāṅ-manasa, am, n. or e, n. du. speech and mind. —Vāṅ-maya, as, ī, am, relating to speech; endowed with speech; con- sisting of words; eloquent, rhetorical; ( ī ), f. the goddess Sarasvatī; ( am ), n. speech, language; eloquence; rhetoric. —Vāṅmayādhikṛta-tā, f. the state of presiding over eloquence (said of the goddess of speech). —Vāṅ-mātra, am, n. mere words, words alone, only speech. —Vāṅ-mukha, am, n. the opening or commencement of a speech, an exordium. —Vācaṃ-yama, as, m. ‘speech-restrainer,’ a sage who practises rigid taciturnity. —Vācam- īṅkhaya, as, ā, am, Ved. ‘word-moving,’ i. e. singing a hymn; ‘making a sound,’ epithet of the Soma. —Vācasām-pati, is, m. (probably for vā- cāmpati ), ‘lord of speech,’ N. of Vṛhas-pati. —Vā- cas-pati, is, m. ‘lord of speech,’ N. of Vṛhas-pati (preceptor of the gods and regent of the planet Jupiter); N. of a grammarian and lexicographer (the author of the Adhyāsa-bhāṣya-vyākhyā com- mentary, also author of a work called Kalpa-taru and of the Ātaṅka-darpaṇa). —Vācaspati-govinda, as, m., N. of the author of a commentary on the Megha-dūta. —Vācaspati-miśra, as, m., N. of a celebrated lawyer (the author of several works on law, among which the Kṛtya-kalpa-latā, the Tīrtha- cintā-maṇi, the Vivāda-cintā-maṇi, &c. are enume- rated); of an author of various works, especially of the Bhāmatī-nibandha and Sāṅkhya-tattva-kaumudī; of the author of several commentaries. —Vācas- patya, as, ā, am, declared by Vācas-pati; ( am ), n. fine language, an eloquent speech, harangue. —Vāco-yukti, is, is, i, possessing fitness or dex- terity of speech. —Vācoyukti-paṭu, us, us or vī, u, skilled in fitness of speech, eloquent. [ ID=41754 ]

### Qualities, Types, and Styles of Speech (19 definitions)
- cutting speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — असिः (asiḥ) cutting speech (cutting like a sword); स्फुरन्नसाधोर्विवृणेति वागसिः (sphurannasādhorvivṛṇeti vāgasiḥ) Kirātārjunīya 14. 12
- verbosity, bombast  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — आडंबरः (āḍaṃbaraḥ) ( वागाडंबरः (vāgāḍaṃbaraḥ) ) verbosity, bombast
- a merit or excellence of speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — गुणः (guṇaḥ) ( वाग्गुणः (guṇaḥ) (vāgguṇaḥ) ) a merit or excellence of speech; (35 such merits are enumerated by Hemacandra)
- chattering, frivolous, or inconsiderate in talk  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — चपल (capala) a. ( वाक्चपल (capala) (vākcapala) ) chattering, frivolous or inconsiderate in talk
- idle or frivolous talk, chattering, gossiping  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — चापल्यं (cāpalyaṃ) ( वाक्चापल्यं (cāpalyaṃ) (vākcāpalyaṃ) ) idle or frivolous talk, chattering, gossiping
- dishonesty in words, an evasive reply, or prevarication  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — छलं (chalaṃ) ( वाक्छलं (chalaṃ) (vākchalaṃ) ) ‘dishonesty in words’, an evasive reply, ( pb ) a prevarication; एतावदेवास्ति मे (etāvadevāsti me) वाक्छलं (chalaṃ) (vākchalaṃ) Mudrārākṣasa (Bombay) 2; केनेदममृतं मे वाक्छलाद्वृष्टं (kenedamamṛtaṃ me vākchalādvṛṣṭaṃ) Kādambarī (Bombay) 330
- bombast, empty talk  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — जालं (jālaṃ) ( वाग्जालं (jālaṃ) (vāgjālaṃ) ) bombast, empty talk; अनिर्लोडितकार्यस्य (anirloḍitakāryasya) वाग्जालं (jālaṃ) (vāgjālaṃ) वाग्मिनो वृथा (vāgjālaṃ vāgmino vṛthā) Śiśupālavadha 2. 27
- 1. Bombast. 2. Eloquent language.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — डंबरः (ḍaṃbaraḥ) ( वाग्डंबरः (ḍaṃbaraḥ) (vāgḍaṃbaraḥ) ) 1 bombast. 2 eloquent language
- 1. Abusive or scurrilous. 2. Using ungrammatical language.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — दुष्ट (duṣṭa) a. ( वाग्दुष्ट (duṣṭa) (vāgduṣṭa) ) 1 abusive, scurrilous, using abusive words. 2 using ungrammatical language. (
- 1. The utterance of a disagreeable sound. 2. Abuse or defamation. 3. Grammatically incorrect speech.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — दोषः (doṣaḥ) ( वाग्दोषः (doṣaḥ) (vāgdoṣaḥ) ) 1 the utterance of a (disagreeable) sound; द्वीपिचर्मपरिच्छन्नो वाग्दोषाद् गर्दभो हतः (dvīpicarmaparicchanno vāgdoṣād gardabho hataḥ) Hitopadeśa (Nirṇaya Sāgara Edition) 3. 2 abuse, defamation. 3 an ungrammatical speech
- skilful in speech, eloquent  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — पटु (paṭu) a. ( वाक्पटु (paṭu) (vākpaṭu) ) skilful in speech, eloquent
- 1. Severity of language. 2. Abusive language or defamation.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — पारुष्यं (pāruṣyaṃ) ( वाक्पारुष्यं (pāruṣyaṃ) (vākpāruṣyaṃ) ) 1 severity of language. 2 violence in words, abusive or scurrilous language, defamation
- goading or taunting language  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — प्रतोदः (pratodaḥ) ( वाक्प्रतोदः (pratodaḥ) (vākpratodaḥ) ) ‘the goad of words’, goading or taunting language
- eloquence  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — प्रलापः (pralāpaḥ) ( वाक्प्रलापः (pralāpaḥ) (vākpralāpaḥ) ) eloquence
- 1. Adamantine words. 2. Harsh or severe language.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — वज्रः (vajraḥ) ( वाग्वज्रः (vajraḥ) (vāgvajraḥ) ) 1 adamantine words; अहह दारुणो वाग्वज्रः (vajraḥ) (vāgvajraḥ) (ahaha dāruṇo vāgvajraḥ) Uttararāmacarita 1. 2 harsh or severe language
- skilled in speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — विदग्ध (vidagdha) a. ( वाग्विदग्ध (vidagdha) (vāgvidagdha) ) skilled in speech. (
- Stock or provision of words, power of description, command of language  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — विभवः (vibhavaḥ) ( वाग्विभवः (vibhavaḥ) (vāgvibhavaḥ) ) stock or provision of words, power of description, command of language; नास्ति मे (nāsti me) वाग्विभवः (vibhavaḥ) (vāgvibhavaḥ) प्रशंसितुं (vāgvibhavaḥ praśaṃsituṃ) Vikramorvaśīyam (Bombay) 3; रघूणामन्वयं वक्ष्ये (raghūṇāmanvayaṃ vakṣye) तनुवाग्विभवेऽपि सन् (tanuvāgvibhave'pi san) Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 1. 9, Mālatīmādhava (Bombay) 1. 26
- graceful or elegant speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — विलासः (vilāsaḥ) ( वाग्विलासः (vilāsaḥ) (vāgvilāsaḥ) ) graceful or elegant speech
- waste of words or breath  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — व्ययः (vyayaḥ) ( वाग्व्ययः (vyayaḥ) (vāgvyayaḥ) ) waste of words or breath

### Persons, Roles, and Epithets Related to Speech (14 definitions)
- a reader of prohibited texts  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — अपहारकः (apahārakaḥ) ( वाग - पहारकः (vāga-pahārakaḥ) ) a ‘stealer of speech’, a reader of prohibited texts
- 1. An orator or eloquent man. 2. An epithet of Brihaspati. 3. An epithet of Brahman. 4. The lunar mansion called Pushya.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — ईशः (īśaḥ) ( वागीशः (vāgīśaḥ) ) 1 an orator, an eloquent man. 2 an epithet of Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the gods. 3 an epithet of Brahman; Kumārasambhava (Bombay) 2. 3. 4 the lunar mansion called Puṣya. (
- 1. An eloquent orator. 2. An epithet of Brahman.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — ईश्वरः (īśvaraḥ) ( वागीश्वरः (vāgīśvaraḥ) ) 1 an orator, eloquent man. 2 an epithet of Brahman. (
- an eloquent or learned man  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — ऋषभः (ṛṣabhaḥ) ( वागृषभः (vāgṛṣabhaḥ) ) ‘eminent in speech’, an eloquent or learned man
- No definition provided.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — गुलिः (guliḥ)
- the betel-bearer of a king  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — गुलिकः (gulikaḥ) ( वाग्गुलिः (vāgguliḥ) &c.) the betelbearer of a king &c.; cf. तांबूलकरकंवाहिन् (tāṃbūlakarakaṃvāhin)
- poor in words  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — दरिद्र (daridra) ( वाग्दरिद्र (daridra) (vāgdaridra) ) a. ‘poor in words’, i. e. speaking little
- 1. A defamer. 2. A Brahmana not invested with the sacred thread at the proper time of life.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — ष्टः (ṣṭaḥ) ) 1 a defamer. 2 a Brāhmaṇa not invested with the sacred thread at the proper time of his life
- eloquent  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — पति (pati) a. ( वाक्पति (pati) (vākpati) ) eloquent; oratorical. (
- 1. Name of Brihaspati. 2. The constellation Pushya.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — तिः (tiḥ) ) 1 N. of Bṛhaspati (in this sense वाचसांपतिः (tiḥ) (vācasāṃpatiḥ) is also used). 2 the constellation Puṣya
- one who has controlled speech, silent  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यत (yata) a. ( वाग्यत (yata) (vāgyata) ) one who has controlled or curbed his speech, silent
- one who has controlled his speech, a sage  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यमः (yamaḥ) ( वाग्यमः (yamaḥ) (vāgyamaḥ) ) one who has controlled his speech, a sage
- a dumb man  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — यामः (yāmaḥ) ( वाग्यामः (yāmaḥ) (vāgyāmaḥ) ) a dumb man
- a sweet-speaking or fascinating woman  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — ग्धा (gdhā) ) a sweetspeaking or fascinating woman

### Actions, States, and Interactions Concerning Speech (9 definitions)
- A quarrel or strife.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — कलहः (kalahaḥ) ( वाक्कलहः (kalahaḥ) (vākkalahaḥ) ) a quarrel, strife
- 1. Reproachful words or reprimand. 2. Control over speech.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — दंडः (daṃḍaḥ) ( वाग्दंडः (daṃḍaḥ) (vāgdaṃḍaḥ) ) 1 reproachful words, reprimand, reproof. 2 restraint of speech, control over words; cf. त्रिदंड (tridaṃḍa)
- an order expressed in words  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — प्रचोदनं (pracodanaṃ) ( वाक्प्रचोदनं (pracodanaṃ) (vākpracodanaṃ) ) an order expressed in words
- silencing or stopping the speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — बंधनं (baṃdhanaṃ) ( वाग्बंधनं (baṃdhanaṃ) (vāgbaṃdhanaṃ) ) stopping the speech, silencing; Amaruśataka 13
- a war of words, debate, or controversy  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — युद्धं (yuddhaṃ) ( वाग्युद्धं (yuddhaṃ) (vāgyuddhaṃ) ) a war of words, (hot) debate or discussion, controversy
- stopping the speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — रोधः (rodhaḥ) ( वाग्रोधः (rodhaḥ) (vāgrodhaḥ) ) stopping the speech, silencing
- verbal or oral discussion  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — व्यवहारः (vyavahāraḥ) ( वाग्व्यवहारः (vyavahāraḥ) (vāgvyavahāraḥ) ) verbal or oral discussion; प्रयोगप्रधानं हि नाट्यशास्त्रं किमत्र (prayogapradhānaṃ hi nāṭyaśāstraṃ kimatra) वाग्व्यवहारेण (vāgvyavahāreṇa) Mālavikāgnimitra (Bombay) 1
- 1. The manner or style of speaking. 2. Customary phraseology.  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — व्यापारः (vyāpāraḥ) ( वाग्व्यापारः (vyāpāraḥ) (vāgvyāpāraḥ) ) 1 the manner of speaking. 2 the style or habit of speaking. 3 customary phraseology or mode of talking
- restraint or control of speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — संयमः (saṃyamaḥ) ( वाक्संयमः (saṃyamaḥ) (vāksaṃyamaḥ) ) restraint or control of speech. [ ID=25341 ]

### Personification of Speech: Goddess Vāc/Sarasvatī & Divine Epithets (6 definitions)
- Speech personified  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > Speech personified (in various manners or forms, e.g. as Vāc Āmbhṛṇī in Ṛg-veda (Title) x, 125; as the voice of the middle sphere in Naigh. & Nir.; in the Veda she is also represented as created by Prajā-pati and married to him; in other places she is called the mother of the Vedas and wife of Indra; in VP. she is the daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Kaśyapa; but most frequently she is identified with Bhāratī or Sarasvatī, the goddess of speech; वाचः साम (vācaḥ sāma) and वाचो व्रतम् (vāco vratam) N. of Sāmans, ĀrṣBr.; वाचः स्तोमः (vācaḥ stomaḥ), a partic. Ekāha, ŚrS. ) [ ID=189811 ]
- Sarasvati, the goddess of speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0956-a ] वाच् (vāc) f. [ वच् - क्विप् दीर्घोऽसंप्रसारणं च (vac-kvip dīrgho'saṃprasāraṇaṃ ca) Uṇādisūtras 2. 67 ] 7 N. of Sarasvatī, the goddess of speech
- Name of Sarasvati  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — शा (śā) ) N. of Sarasvatī
- Sarasvati, the goddess of speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — री (rī) ) Sarasvatī, the goddess of speech
- Sarasvati, the goddess of speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — देवता, - देवी (devatā, -devī) ( वाग्देवता, वाग्देवी (vāgdevatā, vāgdevī) ) Sarasvatī, the goddess of speech; वाग्देवतायाः सांमुख्यमाधत्ते (vāgdevatāyāḥ sāṃmukhyamādhatte) Sāhityadarpaṇa 1. ° कुलं (°kulaṃ) science, learning
- 1. Sarasvati. 2. Shiva.  
  *Index to the Names in the Mahabharata*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 698-2 ] Vāc 1 (“Speech”) = Sarasvatī: XII, 8534 ( vedamayī ), 8741 ( S° ).—Do. 2 (do.) = Śiva (1000 names 1 ). [ ID=11272 ]

### Speech as Promise, Betrothal, or Assurance (6 definitions)
- An assurance, a promise  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 0956-a ] वाच् (vāc) f. [ वच् - क्विप् दीर्घोऽसंप्रसारणं च (vac-kvip dīrgho'saṃprasāraṇaṃ ca) Uṇādisūtras 2. 67 ] 5 An assurance, a promise
- promised, affianced, betrothed  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — दत्त (datta) ( वाग्दत्त (datta) (vāgdatta) ) a. promised, affianced, betrothed. (
- an affianced or betrothed virgin  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — त्ता (ttā) ) an affianced or betrothed virgin
- betrothal  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — दानं (dānaṃ) ( वाग्दानं (dānaṃ) (vāgdānaṃ) ) betrothal
- affiance by word of mouth, marriage contract  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) ( वाङ्निश्चयः (niścayaḥ) (vāṅniścayaḥ) ) affiance by word of mouth, marriage contract
- faithfulness to one's word or promise  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — निष्ठा (niṣṭhā) ( वाङ्निष्ठा (niṣṭhā) (vāṅniṣṭhā) ) faithfulness (to one's word or promise)

### Anatomical, Conceptual, or Structural Elements of Speech (3 definitions)
- a lip  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — दलं (dalaṃ) ( वाग्दलं (dalaṃ) (vāgdalaṃ) ) a lip
- speech and mind  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — मनस (manasa) n. dual ( वाङ्मनस (manasa) ी (vāṅmanasī) in Vedic language) speech and mind; अथैनं तुष्टुवुः (athainaṃ tuṣṭuvuḥ) स्तुत्यमवाङ्मनस (manasa) गोचरं (stutyamavāṅmanasagocaraṃ) Raghuvaṃśa (Bombay) 10. 15
- the beginning or introduction of a speech  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — मुखं (mukhaṃ) ( वाङ्मुख (vāṅmukha) ) the beginning or introduction of a speech, an exordium, a preface. ( pb )

### Miscellaneous Compounds: Figurative or Unclear Relation to Speech (2 definitions)
- a wife's brother  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — कीरः (kīraḥ) ( वाक्कीरः (kīraḥ) (vākkīraḥ) ) a wife's brother
- a kind of bird  
  *Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > — गुदः (gudaḥ) ( वाग्गुदः (gudaḥ) (vāggudaḥ) ) a kind of bird

### Vedic and Philosophical Understanding of Vāc (1 definition)
- speech  
  *The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects*
  > वाच् (vāc) [Printed book page 2-279 ] Vāc, ‘speech,’ plays a great part in Vedic speculation, but only a few points are of other than mythological significance. Speech is in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 1 divided into four kinds -that of men, of animals, of birds ( vayāṃsi ), and of small creeping things ( kṣudraṃ sarīsṛpam ). The discrimination or making articulate of speech is ascribed to Indra by the Saṃhitās. 2 The ‘speech’ of the following musical instruments - Tūṇava, Vīṇā, Dundubhi 3 — is mentioned, and in one Saṃhitā 4 also that of the axle of a chariot. The speech of the Kuru-Pañcālas was especially renowned, 5 as well as that of the northern country, according to the Kauṣītaki Brāhmaṇa, 6 so that men went there to study the language. On the other hand, barbarisms in speech were known, and were to be avoided. 7 Page2-280+ 55 One division of speech referred to 8 is that of the divine ( daivī ) and the human ( mānuṣī ), of which some specimens are given, such as om, the divine counterpart of tathā, and so forth. The Brahmin is said to know both; 9 it seems best to regard the distinction not as between Sanskrit and Apabhraṃśa, as Sāyaṇa 10 suggests, but as between the Sanskrit of the ritual and the hymns and that of ordinary life. Reference is also made to Āryan 11 and to Brahmin 12 speech, by which Sanskrit, as opposed to non-Āryan tongues, seems to be meant. The Vrātyas are described as speaking the language of the initiated ( dīkṣita-vāc ), though not themselves initiated ( a-dīkṣita ), but as calling that which is easy to utter ( a-durukta ), difficult to utter. 13 This may mean that the non-Brahminical Indians were advancing more rapidly than the Brahminical tribes to Prākrit speech, especially if it is legitimate to connect the Vrātyas with the barbarians in speech alluded to in the Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa. 7 [ Footnote: 1) iv. 1, 3, 16. There are quite dif- ferent accounts in the Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā, xiv. 5; Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā, i. 11, 5. Oldenberg finds traces of the origin of the legend in Rv. viii. 100; but see v. Schroeder, Mysterium und Mimus, 339 et seq.; Keith, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1911, 993 et seq. ] [ Footnote: 2) Taittirīya Saṃhitā, vi. 4, 7, 3; Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā, iv. 5, 8.] [ Footnote: 3) Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, vi. 5, 10- 13; Taittirīya Saṃhitā, vi. 1, 4, 1; Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā, iii. 6, 8; Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā, xxiii. 4.] [ Footnote: 4) Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, loc. cit. ] [ Footnote: 5) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, iii. 2, 3, 15. The difficult phrase has caused some doubt as to the sense, for uttarāhi vāg vadati Kurupañcālatrā seems to mean ‘speech in the north among the Kuru- Pañcālas,’ this version being slightly supported by the Kāṇva recension of the passage quoted by Eggeling, Sacred Books of the East, 12, xlii. n. 1. That recension, however, is not merely ob- scure, but it seems to couple the Kurus with the northern Mahāvṛṣas (so we must emend Mahāviṣeṣu ), and it cannot be relied on. Eggeling's attempt to remove the difficulty by taking uttarāhi as ‘higher’ in tone is not satisfactory. The most probable solution is that of Weber, Indische Studien, 1, 191, who takes Kurupañcālatrā to be ‘as among the Kuru-Pañcālas,’ which gives a good sense, especially when it is remembered that the northerners were probably the Uttara-Kurus in Kaśmīr, which seems to have been a home of Sanskrit ( cf. Franke, Pāli und Sanskrit, 89).] [ Footnote: 6) vii. 6.] [ Footnote: 7) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, iii. 2, 1, 23. 24, where the Asuras are described as saying he 'lavaḥ, perhaps for he 'rayaḥ But the Kāṇva version is different See Eggeling, Sacred Books of the East 26, 31, n. 3.] [ Footnote: 8) See Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā, xiv. 5; Maitrāyaṇī Saṃhitā, i. 11, 5 (where the words yaś ca veda vaś ca na replace the ordinary distinction of daivī and mānuṣī: perhaps vedo should be read); Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, vi. 2, 1, 34; Aitareya Brāhmaṇa, vii. 18, 13; Aitareya Āraṇyaka, i. 3, 1; a Brāhmaṇa in Nirukta, xiii. 9, etc.] [ Footnote: 9) Kāṭhaka Saṃhitā, loc. cit.; Maitrā- yaṇī Saṃhitā, loc. cit., etc.] [ Footnote: 10) See Eggeling, Sacred Books of the East, 41, 200, n.] [ Footnote: 11) Aitareya Āraṇyaka, iii. 2, 5; Śāṅkhāyana Āraṇyaka, viii. 9.] [ Footnote: 12) Aitareya Āraṇyaka, i. 5, 2.] [ Footnote: 13) Pañcaviṃśa Brāhmaṇa, xvii. 1, 9. Cf. Lévi, La Doctrine du Sacrifice, 34, 35; Weber, Indian Literature, 175-180; Keith, Aitareya Āraṇyaka, 179, 180; 196.] [ Footnote: 7) Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, iii. 2, 1, 23. 24, where the Asuras are described as saying he 'lavaḥ, perhaps for he 'rayaḥ But the Kāṇva version is different See Eggeling, Sacred Books of the East 26, 31, n. 3.] [ ID=2854 ]

## Sources

Definitions from Apte Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary; Index to the Names in the Mahabharata; 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; The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects; 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