हृदय
hṛdaya/ɦŕ̩.dɐ.jɐ/neuter
The Sanskrit word for heart is हृदय (hṛdaya). Wiktionary also lists हृद् (hṛd).
Meaning: an organ (noun)
Ways to say it
| Sanskrit | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| हृदय | hṛdaya | /ɦŕ̩.dɐ.jɐ/ (Vedic) /ɦr̩.d̪ɐ.jɐ/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
neuter |
| हृद् | hṛd | /ɦŕ̩d/ (Vedic) /ɦr̩d̪/ (Classical Sanskrit) |
neuter |
The term refers to the heart as a physical organ.
Which one should you use?
हृदय is the full noun used in sentences, while हृद् is the linguistic stem used to build declined forms.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is neuter. The stem हृद् is used to construct other forms. When the noun is used as a direct object, such as in the sentence 'I see the heart', it takes the form हृदयम्.
How do you pronounce it?
hṛdaya is pronounced with three syllables: /ɦŕ̩.dɐ.jɐ/.
Did you know?
- In some traditional Indian medical contexts, the हृदय is considered the seat of the mind rather than the brain.
- The Sanskrit word हृदय is a distant cousin to the English word 'heart'. Both descend from the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root, *ḱerd-.
- In ancient Indian philosophy, हृदय does not just mean the physical organ but often refers to the 'spiritual heart' or the center of consciousness.
Examples in context
- एतत् मानवस्य हृदयम् अस्ति ।etat mānavasya hṛdayam asti.This is a human heart.
- हृदयम् अस्माकं शरीरे अस्ति ।hṛdayam asmākaṃ śarīre asti.The heart is in our body.
Example conversation
Aryan and Isha are discussing basic biology.
- आर्यन Aryanईशा, हृदयं किम् अस्ति?Īśā, hṛdayaṃ kim asti?Isha, what is the heart?
- ईशा Ishaआर्यन, हृदयम् एकम् अङ्गम् अस्ति।āryan, hṛdayam ekam aṅgam asti.Aryan, the heart is an organ.
- आर्यन Aryanतस्य कार्यं किम्?tasya kāryaṃ kim?What is its function?
- ईशा Ishaहृदयं रक्तं प्रवाहयति।hṛdayaṃ raktaṃ pravāhayati.The heart pumps blood.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “heart” translations and entries हृदय, हृद्, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries हृदय, हृद्, CC BY-SA 4.0.
