

Vol. IV, No. 6.} The Age of Kalidasa. 329 
[N.S.] 
Prof. Macdonell’s reply quoted above demolishes the 6th- 
century theory. But it does not go ser enough, siTf## and 
metron may mean the same thing, yet neither need be the 
progenitor of the other. The supposition is possible that both 
come from a certain primitive word which like fq@, are, ure, 
“fee, etc., the nations possessed in common when they were 
together before the migrations. When the primitive Arya 
householder, after the day’ s toil, sat chatting with his family, the 
vessel of drink (call it Soma, or Amrita if you like) going round, 
he could not have helped noticing the utility of sitting all 
in a ring, and the ease with which every diametrically 
opposite pair can then speak to each other. It is not then unlikely 
at a name was given to diametrically opposite positions, 
and along with it to the diameter also 
Again, even if we admit the borrowing, the word is so com- 
mon that no one need be surprised if it was appropriated when 
the end first batch of Greeks set foot on Indi 
believe we are beating an empty bush here. In the 
Shiead instance Mallinatha seems to afford us an illustration of 
the habit of seeing new ideas in old nag oe oF The main, in 
fact the only, reason for taking siifaa as derived from the Greek 
Diametron, is that the word is suppos ae to have no derivation n 
Sanskrit. It is extremely hazardous to say that a purely Sanskrit 
derivation cannot be found for sifaa! onfa# is known to mean 
“daughter.” The arqwmy gives this meaning on the authority 
of the weerafentafe | onfi afeax siaq gives snfaa with the 
affix @ attached to the root # to protect. The sense is “ That 
which guards the daughter from evil.” This derivation is 
sanctioned by the rule aratsaqaa a? | No possible objection can 
be urged against it. If this is : allowed, siifaa derived thus, or in 
any other legitimate way, may exist side by side with the technical, 
let us say, for argument’s sake, Greek derivative sif#4 without 
either interfering with the scope of the other’s usage. Instances 
€ such double existence are numerous. The words ST@Ta, 
have special meaning in grammar. They are constan tly 
veils used in other senses al Even in scientific works the 
same word may be used technically and in the ordinary sense as 
well. A Geometer arguing with an adversary is not ba ed 
from exc atari 25 Sabie is the point of bbe pallor yo es ae oe 
depends upon the RIDE: I believe arfaa as I have deséyed 
it, actually suits the context —— than sifaa, in the sense 
of Diameter. 1 quote the sloka 
saradiaafuae ast eat 4 aifaagaitaarary | 
waaqafena Fara Soars crete 954 " 
