Sanskrit Body Parts — Vocabulary
शरीरावयव — शब्दावली
Head to Toe in Sanskrit · NCERT Class 6
Key Points to Remember
- ▸Hasta (hand) → English "gesture" via Latin gestus / hastus
- ▸Danta (tooth) → English "dental" / "dentist" — same PIE root
- ▸Pāda has two meanings: foot AND a quarter (one-fourth of a verse)
- ▸Netra: from √nī (to lead) — eyes are what lead us through the world
Vocabulary List
Learn the Sanskrit names for body parts. These words appear in NCERT Ruchira Chapter 1 and in shlokas about the body (शरीरमाद्यं खलु धर्मसाधनम् — the body is the first instrument of dharma).
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| शिरस् | śiras (n.) | head | √śṛ — to break; the "peak" |
| नेत्र | netra (n.) | eye | √nī — to lead; that which leads / guides us |
| नासिका | nāsikā (f.) | nose | nasa — nose; related to Latin nasus |
| कर्ण | karṇa (m.) | ear | related to Sanskrit śṛ — to hear |
| मुख | mukha (n.) | mouth, face | √muc — to release; that which releases words |
| दन्त | danta (m.) | tooth | cognate with Latin dens, English "dental" |
| जिह्वा | jihvā (f.) | tongue | √jih — to lick; same root as English "lick" via PIE |
| ग्रीवा | grīvā (f.) | neck | cognate with Greek aukhēn; "grīvā" = grief (heavy on the neck)? |
| हस्त | hasta (m.) | hand | √han — to strike; that which acts |
| अङ्गुलि | aṅguli (f.) | finger | aṅga (body part) + li (small suffix) |
| पाद | pāda (m.) | foot, quarter | √pad — to go; that which steps; also = 1/4 (a quarter of a verse) |
| जानु | jānu (n.) | knee | cognate with Latin genu, Greek gony — "genuflect" = to bend the knee |
| उदर | udara (n.) | belly, stomach | ud (up) + √ṛ — that which rises / swells |
| हृदय | hṛdaya (n.) | heart | hṛ (to take) + da (to give) + ya — the heart takes and gives (circulatory meaning) |
| केश | keśa (m.) | hair (of head) | related to √kaś — to shine |
Exercises (2)
Exercise 1: Match the Column
Match Sanskrit word to English meaning
1. नेत्र (netra)
Show answer
eye
2. हस्त (hasta)
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hand
3. पाद (pāda)
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foot
4. हृदय (hṛdaya)
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heart
5. दन्त (danta)
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tooth
Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks
Complete with the correct body part
1. We see with our _______ (नेत्र/कर्ण).
Show answer
नेत्र (netra — eyes)
2. We hear with our _______ (नासिका/कर्ण).
Show answer
कर्ण (karṇa — ears)
3. We write with our _______ (हस्त/पाद).
Show answer
हस्त (hasta — hand)
4. The word "dental" comes from Sanskrit _______.
Show answer
दन्त (danta — tooth)
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