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nigaṇṭhoti

nigaṇṭha

nominative singular masculine + iti (quotative particle)

1. Jain; naked ascetic; lit. free from ties
2. epithet of Mahāvīra; lit. free from ties

Built from

• ni — prefix · out, away from
  Negating sense: removal or absence. The prefix ni- indicates a state achieved by stripping away or release (downward and outward motion, hence freedom).
• gaṇṭha — root · knot, tie, bond
  From √gath meaning to bind or fasten. Gaṇṭha denotes any constraint, physical or metaphorical; in doctrinal contexts, the ties of karma and rebirth.
• -o — ending · nominative singular masculine
  Standard masculine nominative ending; places the word in citation or quoted form.
• iti — ending · quotative particle
  Marks the preceding word as reported speech or a name/title being presented; 'so, thus' or marks end of quoted utterance.

Analysis. nigaṇṭha (nominative sg. masc.) + iti (quotative particle 'so, thus'); the form nigaṇṭhoti appears when the word is quoted or presented as a statement.

Etymology. ni- (out of, away from) + gaṇṭha (a knot or tie, from √gath 'to bind'). Literally 'free from ties, unbound'. The semantics reflect the Jain ideal of liberation from all bonds (bandha), both physical and karmic. Related to Sanskrit granthi 'knot, bond'; no direct European cognate, but compare the imagery of 'untying' in English unfetter.

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

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