Sanskrit Colors — Vocabulary
वर्णाः — रंग
Colors in Sanskrit with Their Symbolic Meanings · All Classes
Key Points to Remember
- ▸Kṛṣṇa = "the dark one / all-attractive" — color as divine name
- ▸Pīta (yellow) → Pītāmbara (Viṣṇu) = "yellow-garmented one"
- ▸Gaura (golden/fair) → Gauri = Pārvati's name as the fair goddess
- ▸Nīla (blue) → indigo plant → English "indigo" — via Sanskrit nīlī
Vocabulary List
Sanskrit color words carry symbolic meaning — not just description. Each deity wears specific colors; the Bhagavad Gita and Purāṇas use colors symbolically.
| Sanskrit | Transliteration | Meaning | Root / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| श्वेत / शुक्ल | śveta / śukla (adj.) | white | √śvit (to be bright) — "white" in English also from PIE *ḱweiton! |
| कृष्ण | kṛṣṇa (adj.) | dark blue / black | √kṛṣ (to plow/attract) — dark like the plowed earth; also the name of the deity Kṛṣṇa ("the dark one / the all-attractive") |
| नील | nīla (adj.) | blue, dark blue | from "nīlī" (indigo plant); "nīla" → English "indigo" via Nile (blue river) |
| रक्त / लोहित | rakta / lohita (adj.) | red | rakta: √rañj (to color) → colored → red; lohita: loha (iron/blood) |
| पीत | pīta (adj.) | yellow | √pī (to drink) — yellow like turmeric or saffron liquid |
| हरित / हरिद् | harita / harid (adj.) | green | harita: √hṛ (to take/carry) — carries life; "Hari" (deity name) also connected to "harita" (green/golden) |
| श्याम | śyāma (adj.) | dark, blue-black | √śyam — to darken; used for Kṛṣṇa and Rāma (both described as śyāmala / śyāma) |
| गौर | gaura (adj.) | golden, fair | √gor — shining; "Gauri" (Pārvati's name) means the fair/golden one |
Exercises (2)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Color connections
1. Kṛṣṇa's name means _______ in Sanskrit.
Show answer
"dark blue / the all-attractive" (from √kṛṣ — to attract)
2. Viṣṇu is called "Pītāmbara" because he wears _______ colored garments.
Show answer
पीत (pīta — yellow)
3. The word "indigo" is connected to which Sanskrit color word?
Show answer
नील (nīla — blue) — indigo comes via Nile River, named for its blue color, from Sanskrit nīlī (indigo plant)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Color symbolism
1. In Sanskrit, "Gauri" (Pārvati's name) means:
Show answer
golden/fair-complexioned
2. Kṛṣṇa and Rāma are both described as "śyāma" which means:
Show answer
dark blue-black
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