# व्यवहार (vyavahāra)

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

व्यवहार (vyavahāra) is a Sanskrit word meaning doing, performing, action, practice, conduct, behavior, commerce or intercourse, affair or matter, usage, custom, or common practice, activity, practice, or business occupation, mercantile transaction or trade. Its 29 recorded definitions are grouped into 14 contexts, among them Law, Legal Proceedings, and Justice, Action, Conduct, Practice, Business, Trade, and Interaction.

- **Roots:** हृ (hṛ), 1. हृ (1. hṛ)
- **Etymology:** E. वि, and अव implying dissension, and हृ to take, aff. घञ्, the term being explained to mean especially, a dispute between two parties, or the counter statements of plaintiff and defendant — E. vi, and ava implying dissension, and hṛ to take, aff. ghañ, the term being explained to mean especially, a dispute between two parties, or the counter statements of plaintiff and defendant
- **SLP1:** `vyavahAra`  **IAST:** vyavahāra  **Devanagari:** व्यवहार
- **Wikipedia:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyavah%C4%81ra
- **Declensions:** 48 forms — https://sanskritlexicon.com/word/vyavahara/declensions.md

## Meanings by context

### Law, Legal Proceedings, and Justice (11 definitions)
- a contract  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > [Printed book page 1034,2] a contract, Manu-smṛti (Title) viii, 163 [ ID=209131 ]
- litigation or lawsuit  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > legal procedure, contest at law with ( सह (saha) ), litigation, lawsuit, legal process (see - मातृका (-mātṛkā) below), Mn.; Yājñ. &c. [ ID=209132 ]
- practices of law and kingly government  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > practices of law and kingly government, Indian Wisdom, by Sir M. Monier-Williams (Title) 209 [ ID=209133 ]
- administration of justice  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > administration of justice, Gaut. [ ID=209135 ]
- 1. Conduct, action, or intercourse. 2. Usage, custom, or ordinary life. 3. Business, trade, transaction, or contract. 4. Litigation, lawsuit, or administration of justice. 5. Legal majority. 6. Designation or use of an expression.  
  *Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 303-1 ] व्यवहार (vyavahāra) vi‿ava-hāra, m. conduct, action; intercourse, with (saha or —° ); usage, custom, ordinary life, general practice; action or practice of, addiction to, occupation or business with ( lc., —° ); transaction, business, traffic, trade, with ( —° ); contract; litigation, lawsuit, with (saha); administration of justice; majority ( in law ); use of an expression, talk of ( —° ); designation, of ( g. ): asmad-ājñayā vyavahāraḥ kāryaḥ, everything must be done in accordance with our commands; tair eva‿atra vyavahāraḥ, it is just these that are here meant: -ka, m. trader; -jña, a. knowing the ways of the world, come of age; -darśana, n. judicial investigation, trial; -pada, n. legal case; -pāda, m. stage in a trial ( there being four : plaint, defence, proof, verdict ); -yitavya, cs. fp. (√hṛ) to be occupied with ( in. ); -vat, a. occupied with, dealing in ( —° ); m. trader; -vidhi, m. legal procedure; -sthāna, n. legal case; -sthiti, f. legal procedure; -āsana, n. judgment-seat. [ ID=17308 ]
- 1. Judicial procedure and civil or criminal law. 2. A title of jurisprudence or a legal act. 3. A lawsuit or litigation. 4. Custom or usage. 5. Business or profession. 6. Propriety and adherence to law and custom. 7. A contract. 8. A sort of tree. 9. Mathematical or arithmetical determination.  
  *Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 816 ] व्यवहार (vyavahāra) m. ( - रः (-raḥ) ) 1 The practice of the courts, or civil and criminal law, judicial procedure, administrative justice, as the examination of evidence, &c. 2 Title of jurisprudence, any act cognizable in courts of justice. 3 Contest at law, law suit, litigation. 4 Usage, custom. 5 Profession, business. 6 Steadiness, propriety, adherence to law and custom. 7 A contract. 8 A sort of tree. 9 Mathematical or arithmetical determination or ascertainment. E. वि (vi), and अव (ava) implying dissension, and हृ (hṛ) to take, aff. घञ् (ghañ), the term being explained to mean especially, a dispute between two parties, or the counter-statements of plaintiff and defendant. [ ID=37140 ]
- 1. Legal contest or judicial procedure. 2. Steadiness. 3. Practice. 4. A contract. 5. Business.  
  *Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 735-a ] व्यव - हार (vyava-hāra) ( रः ) ((raḥ)) 1. m. Contest at law; judicial procedure; steadiness; practice; a contract; business. [ ID=36771 ]
- 1. Judicial procedure and the practice of law. 2. A subject of jurisprudence or act cognizable in court. 3. A lawsuit or litigation. 4. Custom or usage. 5. Conduct. 6. Profession or business. 7. Adherence to law and custom. 8. A contract. 9. A sort of tree. 10. Mathematical determination.  
  *Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 696-b ] व्यवहार (vyavahāra) m. ( - रः (-raḥ) ) 1. The practice of the courts, or civil and criminal law, judicial procedure, administrative justice, as the examination of evidence, &c. 2. Title of jurisprudence, any act cognizable in courts of justice. 3. Contest at law, law suit, litigation. 4. Usage, custom. 5. Conduct. 6. Profession, business. 7. Steadiness, property, adherence to law and custom. 8. A contract. 9. A sort of tree. 10. Mathematical or arithmetical determination or ascertainment. E. वि, (vi,) and अव (ava) implying dissension, and हृ (hṛ) to take, aff. घञ्, (ghañ,) the term being explained to mean especially, a dispute between two parties, or the counter statements of plaintiff and defendant. [ ID=38891 ]
- 1. Doing, occupation, or action. 2. Affair. 3. Profession or business. 4. Pecuniary transaction or usury. 5. Petty traffic or trade. 6. Usage or custom. 7. Conduct. 8. Practice of the courts, civil and criminal law, or judicial proceeding. 9. Administration of justice. 10. Any act cognisable in courts. 11. An important affair or occurrence requiring inquiry. 12. Lawsuit. 13. A contract.  
  *Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 0915-b ] व्यवहार (vyavahāra) vyavahāra, i. e. vi-ava-hṛ + a, m. 1. Doing, performing, Bhāṣāp. 105 ( gaṇana-, Numbering); Lass. 76, 9; occupation, Śāk. 104, 23; action, Mālat. 70, 6. 2. Affair, Utt. Rāmac. 127, 3 ( nāsya vyavahāro streshu, He has nothing with weapons); Man. 8, 420. 3. Profession, business, Pañc. i. d. 91. 4. Pecuniary transaction, Man. 3, 64; usury, Pañc. i. d. 12. 5. Petty traffic, Man. 7, 137; trade, Pañc. 7, 17. 6. Usage, custom, Hit. 58, 18. 7. Page0916-a+ 41 Conduct, Hit. i. d. 57; 70, M.M. 8. Practice of the courts, or civil and criminal law, Man. 8, 148; judicial proceeding, Man. 8, 1. 9. Administra- tion of justice, Journ. of the German Oriental Society, vii. 528. 10. Any acts cognisable in courts. 11. An occur- rence which must be inquired, an im- portant affair, Pañc. 45, 13. 12. Law- suit, Pañc. 165, 4. 13. A contract. — Comp. Yathā-vyavahāra + m, adv. con- formably to custom, Hit. 87, 15. [ ID=14215 ]
- 1. Procedure, conduct, or way of acting. 2. Social intercourse. 3. Usage, custom, activity, or occupation. 4. Business, commerce, or trade. 5. A legal dispute, lawsuit, or administration of justice.  
  *Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 528 ] व्यवहार (vyavahāra) m. procedure, conduct, way of acting; intercourse with ( सह (saha) ); usage, custom, activity, occupation, dealing with or in ( loc. or —°); business, commerce, trade; legal dispute, lawsuit, litigation, contract, stipulation, administration of justice. [ ID=31322 ]
- 1. doing, performing, conduct, behaviour, practice, or action 2. affair 3. occupation, work, profession, business, pecuniary transaction, or usury 4. dealing, traffic, commerce, or trade 5. lawsuit, legal dispute, litigation, or contest at law 6. judicial procedure, administration of justice, or legal practice 7. title of legal procedure, occasion of litigation, or act cognizable in a court of justice 8. usage, habit, custom, rule, law, or adherence to law 9. steadiness or propriety 10. contract 11. mathematical determination or ascertainment 12. a sort of tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 0977-a ] Vy-avahāra, as, m. doing, performing, conduct, behaviour, practice, action; affair; occupation, work, profession, business, any pecuniary transaction, usury; dealing, traffic, commerce, trade; a contest at law, legal dispute, lawsuit, litigation; legal prac- tice, judicial procedure, administration of justice (as the examination of evidence, &c.); a title of legal procedure, occasion of litigation, any act cognizable in a court of justice; usage, habit, custom, rule, law, adherence to law; steadiness, propriety; a con- tract; mathematical determination or ascertainment; a sort of tree. —Vyavahāra-kāla, as, m. the period of action, a mundane period. —Vyavahāra-jña, as, m. a person who understands business, one acquainted with practice or legal procedure, a young man of age, one no longer a minor (i. e. one who has passed his sixteenth year, at which period he can assert his own rights in a court of law). —Vyavahāra-tattva, am, n., N. of a treatise on civil law by Raghu-nandana (being part of the Smṛti-tattva). —Vyavahāra-tas, ind. according to established practice. —Vyavahāra- darśana, am, n. judicial investigation, trial. —Vya- vahāra-nirṇaya, as, m. ‘legal-decision,’ N. of a work by Śrī-pati. —Vyavahāra-pada, am, n. a title or head of legal procedure, occasion of litiga- tion, (according to Śabda-k. = vādinā rājñi nive- danam, see vyavahāra-viṣaya. ) —Vyavahāra- pāda, as, m. the fourth part or quarter of a legal process, one of the four stages or divisions necessary to conduct a regular suit, (these are, 1. pūrva-pak- ṣa, the plaint; 2. uttara-pakṣa, the defence; 3. kriyā-pāda, the production of witnesses and written documents; 4. nirṇaya-pāda, the decision or verdict.) —Vyavahāra-prāpta, as, m. one who has attained a knowledge of business or legal procedure, a youth sixteen years of age. —Vyavahāra-ma- yūkha, as, m., N. of a legal work forming part of the Bhagavad-bhāskara. —Vyavahāra-mātṛkā, f. the material or matter of ordinary judicature, legal process in general, any act or subject relating to the formation of legal courts or the administration of justice (arranged under thirty heads in the beginning of the second book or Vyavahārādhyāya of the Mitākṣarā, viz. 1. vyavahāra-darśanam, 2. vya- vahāra-lakṣaṇam, 3. sabhāsadaḥ, 4. prāḍvivā- kādiḥ, 5. vyavahāra-viṣayaḥ, 6. rājñaḥ kāryā- nutpādakatvam, 7. kāryārthini praśnaḥ, 8. āh- vānānāhvāne, 9. āsedhaḥ, 10. pratyarthiny āgate lekhyādi-kartavyatā, 11. pañca-vidho hīnaḥ, 12. kīdṛśaṃ lekhyam, 13. pakṣābhāsāḥ, 14. anādeyāḥ, 15. ādeyaḥ, 16. niyukta-jaya-parā- jaye vādi-jaya-parājayau, 17. śodhita-lekhya- niveśanam, 18. uttarāvadhi-śodhanam, 19. śo- dhite pattrārūḍhe uttara-kartavyam, 20. uttara- lakṣaṇam, 21. satyottara-lakṣaṇam, 22. mith- yottara-lakṣaṇam, 23. pratyavaskandanotta- ram, 24. prān-nyāyottaram, 25. uttarābhāsaḥ, 26. saṅkarānuttaram, 27. pratyarthi-kriyā-nir- deśaḥ, 28. uttare pattre 'bhiniveśite sādhana- nirdeśaḥ, 29. tat-siddhau siddhiḥ, 30. catuṣ- pād-vyavahāraḥ ). —Vyavahāra-mārga, as, m. course or title of legal procedure ( = vyavahāra- viṣaya, q. v.). —Vyavahāra-lakṣaṇa, am, n. a characteristic of judicial investigation. —Vyavahāra- vat, ān, atī, at, having occupation, occupied, work- ing with. —Vyavahāra-vidhi, is, m. legal enact- ment, rule of law, the precepts or code by which Page0977-b+ 79 judicature is regulated, any code of law. —Vyava- hāra-viṣaya, as, m. a subject or title of legal pro- cedure, any act or matter which may become the subject of legal proceedings, an actionable business, (according to Manu VIII. 4-7. there are eighteen principal heads, viz. 1. ṛṇādānam, contraction of debt; 2. nikṣepaḥ, deposit; 3. asvāmi-vikrayaḥ, sale without ownership; 4. sambhūya-samutthā- nam, engaging in business after joining partner- ship, concerns among partners; 5. dattasyānapa- karma, non-delivery or resumption of what has been given; 6. vetanādānam, non-payment of wages; 7. saṃvid-vyatikramaḥ, violation of agree- ment; 8. kraya-vikrayānuśayaḥ, repenting of or rescinding either sale or purchase; 9. svāmi- pālayor vivādaḥ, dispute between master and ser- vant; 10. sīmā-vivādaḥ, dispute about boundaries; 11. vāk-pāruṣyam, violence in words, slander, abuse; 12. daṇḍa-pāruṣyam, violence by actual assault; 13. steyam, theft, larceny; 14. sāhasam, robbery with violence; 15. strī-saṅgrahaṇam, im- proper intercourse with women, adultery; 16. strī- pun-dharmaḥ, law of man and wife; 17. vibhāgaḥ, apportionment of property, inheritance; 18. dyūtam and āhvayaḥ, gambling with dice and with fighting animals, laying wagers, &c.) —Vyavahāra-samuccaya, as, m., N. of a work by Bhoja-deva. —Vyavahāra- sthāna, am, n. a title or occasion of litigation ( = vyavahāra-viṣaya, q. v.). —Vyavahāra-sthiti, is, f. judicial procedure. —Vyavahārāṃśa (°ra-aṃ°), as, m. any part or division of legal procedure. —Vyavahārāṅga (°ra-aṅ°), am, n. the body of civil and criminal law. —Vyavahārābhiśasta (°ra- abh°), as, ā, am, prosecuted, accused, proceeded against legally. —Vyavahārāyogya (°ra-ay°), as, ā, am, unfitted or unsuited for legal proceedings; ( as ), m. one incompetent to conduct business, a minor, any one not yet of age. [ ID=45518 ]

### Action, Conduct, Practice (3 definitions)
- doing, performing, action, practice, conduct, behavior  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > (H2) [Printed book page 1034,1] व्य् - अवहार (vy-avahāra) m. doing, performing, action, practice, conduct, behaviour, MBh.; Kāv. &c. ( व्यवहारः कार्यः (vyavahāraḥ kāryaḥ), with instr., ‘it should be acted according to’) [ ID=209125 ]
- 1. Practice, conduct, or behaviour. 2. Business or profession. 3. An affair. 4. Trade or commerce. 5. Custom or usage. 6. A contract. 7. Administration of justice or judicial procedure. 8. A lawsuit or legal dispute. 9. A title of legal procedure.  
  *Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 698-22 ] व्यवहार (vyavahāra) m. 1. Practice, conduct, behaviour; 2. business, profession; 3. affair; 4. trade, commerce; 5. custom, usage; 6. a contract; 7. administration of justice, judicial procedure, व्यवहार (vyavahāra) पराधीनतया दुष्करं खलु परचित्तग्रहणमधिकरणिकैः (vyavahāraparādhīnatayā duṣkaraṃ khalu paracittagrahaṇamadhikaraṇikaiḥ) Mrich. ix.; 8. a lawsuit, a legal dispute, ददर्श संशयच्छेद्यान् व्यवाहारानतंद्रितः (dadarśa saṃśayacchedyān vyavāhārānataṃdritaḥ) R. xvii.39; 9. a title of legal procedure. [ ID=36618 ]
- 1. Procedure, conduct, or way of acting. 2. Social intercourse.  
  *Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary*
  > व्यवहार (vyavahāra) [Printed book page 253-a ] vyavahāra, m. —1. procedure, conduct, way of acting; —2. (way of acting with others, i. e. ) intercourse, 24 12. [ √1hṛ + vy-ava. ] [ ID=4062 ]

### Business, Trade, and Interaction (3 definitions)
- commerce or intercourse  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > commerce or intercourse with ( सह (saha) or comp. ), Nir.; Kām. &c. [ ID=209126 ]
- activity, practice, or business occupation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > activity, action or practice of occupation or business with ( loc. or comp. ), Inscr.; Kāv.; Kathās. [ ID=209129 ]
- mercantile transaction or trade  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > mercantile transaction, traffic, trade with, dealing in ( comp. ), Mn.; MBh. &c. [ ID=209130 ]

### Linguistic Usage and Designation (2 definitions)
- the use of an expression, with regard to, speaking about  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > the use of an expression, with regard to, speaking about ( तैर् एव व्यवहारः (tair eva vyavahāraḥ), ‘just about these is the question’, ‘it is to these that the discussion has reference’), Kap.; Sāh.; Sarvad. [ ID=209139 ]
- designation  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > designation, Jaim., Sch. [ ID=209140 ]

### A Sword (1 definition)
- a sword  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a sword, L. [ ID=209142 ]

### A Tree (1 definition)
- a sort of tree  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > a sort of tree, L. [ ID=209143 ]

### Affair, Matter (1 definition)
- affair or matter  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > affair, matter, Nīlak. [ ID=209127 ]

### Compulsory Work (1 definition)
- compulsory work  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > compulsory work, L. [ ID=209141 ]

### Legal Competency/Majority (1 definition)
- competency to manage one's own affairs, majority in law  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > competency to manage one's own affairs, majority (in law), ib. [ ID=209137 ]

### Mathematical Process (1 definition)
- mathematical process  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > mathematical process, Col. [ ID=209134 ]

### Proper Name (Textual Reference) (1 definition)
- Name of a chapter of the Agni-purana  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > N. of a ch. of the Agni-purāṇa. [ ID=209144 ]

### Propriety and Adherence to Norms (1 definition)
- propriety, adherence to law or custom  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > propriety, adherence to law or custom, ib. [ ID=209138 ]

### Punishment (1 definition)
- figuratively, punishment  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > ( fig. ) punishment, L. [ ID=209136 ]

### Usage, Custom, Ordinary Life (1 definition)
- usage, custom, or common practice  
  *Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)*
  > usage, custom, wont, ordinary life, common practice, Pat.; BhP.; Hit. [ ID=209128 ]

## 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.

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