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gopitaro

gopitar

masc nom pl of gopitar (noun); masc acc pl of gopitar (noun); masc voc pl of gopitar (noun)

1. father of the cattle; father of the herd
2. guardian; protector

Built from

• go — root · cattle, cow
  From PIE *gwou-. Concrete image: the herd as the subject of care and rule. Cognates: English cow, Latin bōs, Sanskrit gau, Greek bous.
• pitar — root · father
  From PIE *ph₂ter-. The father as protector and authority figure. Cognates: English father, Latin pater, Sanskrit pitṛ, Greek patēr.

Analysis. go-pitar: go (cattle) + pitar (father). A compound epithet for one who tends, protects, or presides over a herd, commonly applied to kings and leaders in the Pali canon.

Etymology. go descends from PIE *gwou- (cow, cattle; cognates: English cow, Latin bōs, Sanskrit gau, Greek bous). pitar derives from PIE *ph₂ter- (father; cognates: English father, Latin pater, Sanskrit pitṛ, Greek patēr). The compound imagery reflects pastoral and monarchic authority: the father-figure who guards the herd.

Meanings from the Digital Pāḷi Dictionary; morphology and etymology by Claude.

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