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kahāpaṇavassena

kahāpaṇavassa

masc instr sg of kahāpaṇavassa (noun)

1. shower of silver coins

Built from

• kahāpaṇa — root · silver coin
  A loan word or early Prakrit form, possibly from Sanskrit karṣāpaṇa. The ultimate source remains uncertain; it may reflect contact with Old Persian or Semitic commercial terminology.
• vassa — stem · shower, rain
  From √vas (to dwell, rain); used metaphorically for an outpouring or abundance. The instrumental ending -ena marks the means or manner, so 'by means of a shower of coins'.
• -ena — ending · instrumental singular
  The instrumental case here expresses the means or instrument of an action, indicating that the coins flow or are given 'by means of' or 'in the manner of' a shower.

Analysis. kahāpaṇa (silver coin) + vassa (shower, rain); a poetic image for a generous gift or payment of money in abundance.

Etymology. kahāpaṇa is of uncertain ultimate origin, possibly a Prakritization of Sanskrit karṣāpaṇa (a coin), itself perhaps from an Old Persian or Semitic source; vassa (shower) is from the root √vas meaning to dwell or abide, hence what falls/abides like rain. The compound uses the genitive-ablative sense of the first member common in Pali bahuvrīhi compounds.

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

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