Jayasi (1477-1542) in padmāvat has used an interesting allegory to describe the Buddhist philosophy of śūnyatāvāda by Nāgārjuna (150–250 AD). Jayasi says pān (betel leaf) is śūnya, supārī (betel-nut) is atiśūnya; katthā (catechu paste) is mahāśūnya and cūnā (lime) is sarvaśūnya.
Conversation
[पान शून्य है, सुपारी अतिशून्य है, कत्था महाशून्य है और चूना सर्वशून्य].
Jayasi writes -
पान, सुपारी, खैर जिमि, मेरइ करै चकचून।
तौ लगि रंग न राँचै, जौ लगि होइ न चून।
pān, supārī, khair jimi, merai karai cakcūn.
tau lagi raṃg na rām̐cai, jau lagi hoi na cūn.
1
12
Etymology of this Hindi /Urdu word कत्था katthā (also color कत्थई katthaī = dark brownish) has intrigued me. And yes, it's a Congrats of Sanskrit क्वाथ kvāth = decoction, infusion. Not only that, even our Ayurvedic kar̥hā काढ़ा and lentils dish kar̥hī कढ़ी are related.
2
2
16
More on one of my favorite dishes --- kar̥hī कढ़ी here
Quote Tweet
Good to know that Sindhi, Hindi, Bhojpuri word kaṛhī कढ़ी, Marathi, Gujarati कढी kaḍhī are all related to Prakrit kaḍhia कढिअ (boiled) which is related to Sanskrit kvathita क्वथित (boiled). In Braj area, kaṛhī कढ़ी is one of the chappan bhogs (56 offerings) offered to Krishna twitter.com/sftmumbai/stat…
Show this thread
1
1
8
Show replies

