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ArchivesRe: Meaning of the name Saisha
in reply to a message by iamviv
http://list.indology.info/pipermail/indology_list.indology.info/2010-March/034209.html
I believe this is the best explanation (and where the conflicting meanings originates, as apparently there are people believing this is another name for the goddess Lakshmi (hence the meaning "god" that pops up occasionally)
Saisha
saiṣā
sā eṣā
sā = granting, giving, bestowing, she
eṣā = wish
So Saisha could possibly mean something like "she/grants a wish".
Not sure where the "meaningful life" meanings come from... possibly from an association with the goddess Lakshmi, or it's the meaning of a similarly sounding name? But seeing as the 'sa esa' explanation comes from a Professor of Sanskrit and Linguistics, I'm going to trust his judgement over that of random baby name websites lol.
My PNL = http://www.behindthename.com/pnl/37275
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I believe this is the best explanation (and where the conflicting meanings originates, as apparently there are people believing this is another name for the goddess Lakshmi (hence the meaning "god" that pops up occasionally)
Saisha
saiṣā
sā eṣā
sā = granting, giving, bestowing, she
eṣā = wish
So Saisha could possibly mean something like "she/grants a wish".
Not sure where the "meaningful life" meanings come from... possibly from an association with the goddess Lakshmi, or it's the meaning of a similarly sounding name? But seeing as the 'sa esa' explanation comes from a Professor of Sanskrit and Linguistics, I'm going to trust his judgement over that of random baby name websites lol.
Top: Henry & Lara (main) / Caspian & Briar (GP) / James & Georgiana (top25)
Bottom: Randall & Memphis (main) / Dinadan & Melpomene (GP) / Owain & Itonia (top25)
1
Replies
Sanskrit is very strict about compound formation and does not allow one with sA (the weak form of san) with eSA, so which language was that compound supposed to be in? As far a I know, this word is not used in Sanskrit.
However sheSa is a mythological serpent who is very celebrated. That name ultimately comes from the root shiS, to remain, and the word sheSa usually means remainder or death. (There is a whole cluster of words of similar sounds meaning to kill, punish, etc. as well, and the derivative forms often tend to blend in meaning). A female descendant of sheSa would grammatically be shaiSA, but, again, I know of no use of that term.
The masculine shaiSa is actually a word in Sanskrit. The word is connected to the root shI, to freeze, and means the cold season.
However sheSa is a mythological serpent who is very celebrated. That name ultimately comes from the root shiS, to remain, and the word sheSa usually means remainder or death. (There is a whole cluster of words of similar sounds meaning to kill, punish, etc. as well, and the derivative forms often tend to blend in meaning). A female descendant of sheSa would grammatically be shaiSA, but, again, I know of no use of that term.
The masculine shaiSa is actually a word in Sanskrit. The word is connected to the root shI, to freeze, and means the cold season.
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Actually, thinking about it, a compound that is allowed in Sanskrit is sa (with, together; cognate with a part of the English same) + eSA (desire, from the root iS, to want, cognate with English ask). This would give saiSA 'with desire', though I haven't seen this word used ever.
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Thank you Ora and তন্ময় ভট্টাচার্য্য for the information :-)
'with desire/wish' sounds good as a meaning! I had read about that meaning 'with desire' in some sites although all of them had the name spelled as Saesha (as sa + eSha/एषा) rather than Saisha (though I am not sure if that's going to be a big deal when telling someone the meaning of the name considering that the name itself isn't strictly following the rules of Sandhi)
I have also heard about one other meaning from a few people that Saisha could mean:
sa (with) _ eesa(ईश: Lord Shiv) - which means 'with Lord Shiv'
That could also be one reason why people give the meaning as 'God' in some sites (@Ora (hufflepuffer))
I am not sure if we can give either of these 2 meanings, or if one is more appropriate than the other per spelling or whether the spelling doesn't matter.
Could you give your input on that too please?
Thanks
Vivek
'with desire/wish' sounds good as a meaning! I had read about that meaning 'with desire' in some sites although all of them had the name spelled as Saesha (as sa + eSha/एषा) rather than Saisha (though I am not sure if that's going to be a big deal when telling someone the meaning of the name considering that the name itself isn't strictly following the rules of Sandhi)
I have also heard about one other meaning from a few people that Saisha could mean:
sa (with) _ eesa(ईश: Lord Shiv) - which means 'with Lord Shiv'
That could also be one reason why people give the meaning as 'God' in some sites (@Ora (hufflepuffer))
I am not sure if we can give either of these 2 meanings, or if one is more appropriate than the other per spelling or whether the spelling doesn't matter.
Could you give your input on that too please?
Thanks
Vivek
1
If you derive it from sa (with) + eSA (desire), it is following all the rules of Sanskrit grammar. It is probably just a neologism (not used before), but using productive rules, so this is OK.
According to Sanskrit liaison (sandhi) rules, sa+eSA is indeed saiSA, and the liaison is mandatory. sa + Isha (etymologically, 'master' from Ish, to own, but used as a common epithet of God, often shiva), would have been sesha instead.
Incidentally saisa means made of lead (from sIsa) so, the palatalization (sh instead of s) is important :-)
According to Sanskrit liaison (sandhi) rules, sa+eSA is indeed saiSA, and the liaison is mandatory. sa + Isha (etymologically, 'master' from Ish, to own, but used as a common epithet of God, often shiva), would have been sesha instead.
Incidentally saisa means made of lead (from sIsa) so, the palatalization (sh instead of s) is important :-)
1
Re palatalization: needs an explanation. The sound is actually retroflex, but retroflex sibilant in most of north India has moved over either to a velar sound (in a few conjuncts) or a palatal (and the phonological contrast between retroflex and palatal sibilants has thereby been lost). In East India, the process proceeds and only one sibilant is heard, which is either dental or palatal depending on the dialect, but in the west a two way: palatal/dental distinction remains.
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