In Snippet # 1, about the word कणः there was the mention धान्यांशः । इत्यमरः (इति अमर: so says अमर:)। This mention refers to अमरकोशः.
At
https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/अमरकोशः/तृतीयकाण्डम्
I get
कणोऽतिसूक्ष्मे धान्यांशे संघाते प्रमथे गणः ।। ३.३.४३६ ।।
Basically अमरकोशः is a thesaurus. The line quoted above begins with the word कणः and ends with गणः. As such कणः and गणः seem to be two antonyms put together in one line.
By another perspective the line has two parts –
- the first part कणोऽतिसूक्ष्मे धान्यांशे is sort of a definition of कणः that अतिसूक्ष्म: धान्यांश: is कणः. Minutest particle of any matter is कणः. As was mentioned in Snippet # 1, in Apte’s dictionary one meaning of कणिका is atom अणुः.
- It is amazing that there is mention in ancient Sanskrit texts, of not only अणुः, but even अणोः अणीयाः children of अणुः. See अणोरणीयान् समनुस्मरेद्यः (गीता 8-9)
- धान्यांशः is an interesting word. The general meaning of धान्यांशः (धान्य+अंशः धान्यस्य अंशः) is a grain. But meaning of धान्यांशः as a grain must not be limited to grains of wheat, rice, pulses collected by a farmer. Basically धान्यम् does not mean just these foods. By widest perspective धान्यम् means any matter, every matter, all matter. In शब्दकल्पद्रुमः one etymology of धान्यम् is दधातीति । धा + “दधातेर्यन् नुट् च ।” उणां । ५ । ४८ । इति यन् नुट् च ।) By this, whatever दधाति, whatever has form and content is धान्यम्.
- the second part संघाते प्रमथे गणः is a definition of गणः that when संघात: togetherness is प्रमथ: cohesive, it becomes a गणः.
- By this definition the word गणः is what a set is in the set theory in mathematics. अष्टाध्यायी the most renowned and most respected treatise on संस्कृत-व्याकरणम् is replete with sets गणाः.
- The phrase संघाते प्रमथे has the special Sanskrit construct सतिसप्तमी.
- Even individually both these words संघात: and प्रमथ: merit a study.
- संघातः 1 Union, combination, an association; त्वक् च मांसं तथाऽस्थीनि मज्जा स्नायुश्च पञ्चमम् । इत्येतदिह संघातम् Mb.12.184.20. -2 A multitude, an assemblage, a collection. In शब्दकल्पद्रुमः सङ्घातः, पुं, (सं + हन + घञ् ।) समूहः
- प्रमथ: is from प्र+मथ् / मन्थ् Note मथ् / मन्थ् means to stir up, to agitate as in समुद्रमन्थनम्, विचारमन्थनम्. When we put sugar in milk, we stir it up so that the sweetness spreads all over uniformly.
- संघाते प्रमथे गणः means a गणः happens by togetherness and cohesiveness.
By yet another perspective, in the first part कणोऽतिसूक्ष्मे धान्यांशे there are two synonyms कणः and धान्यांशः.
In the second part संघाते प्रमथे गणः also, there are three synonyms संघात:, प्रमथ: and गणः. The basic thought of a thesaurus is to present synonyms and antonyms. “A thesaurus (plural thesauri or thesauruses) or synonym dictionary is a reference work for finding synonyms and sometimes antonyms of words.”
It is said that in the very first edition of Roget’s Thesaurus, there was acknowledgement by Mr. Roget of his having borrowed the concept from अमरकोशः. Actually अमरसिंहः the author of अमरकोशः was not the originator of the concept. The concept can be sighted in निघण्टुः accredited to यास्कमुनिः, निघण्टुः being a thesaurus of words in Vedic texts. In Apte’s dictionary निघण्टः/ निघण्टुः 1 A vocabulary or glossary of words. -2 Particularly the glossary of Vedic words explained by Yāska, in his निरुक्तम्. Note निरुक्तम् delineates etymologies. निघण्टः/ निघण्टुः is glossary appendix of निरुक्तम्.
There are many, many original concepts which have Indian origin, rather, a Sanskrit-origin. We shall dwell on them, study them, gather knowledge कणः by कणः i.e. कणशः.
शुभमस्तु !
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संस्कृताध्ययनम् । 