महत्व
mahatva
The Sanskrit word महत्व (mahatva).
महत्व is used to express concepts of greatness, importance or magnitude.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from the adjective mahat (great) combined with the abstract noun suffix -tva (ness/ship), literally meaning greatness.
How does it change in a sentence?
In many classical Sanskrit texts, the word is spelled with a double 't' (महत्त्व) due to the sandhi rules governing the combination of the root and the suffix.
How do you pronounce it?
mahatva
Did you know?
- In many philosophical texts, mahatva describes the quality of being a 'great' or 'macrocosmic' entity, referring to the physical universe itself rather than just a subjective level of importance.
- The quality of mahatva is often discussed in Sanskrit aesthetics as a way to evoke the 'sublime', where the sheer scale of an object triggers a specific emotional state in the viewer.
- While mahatva means 'greatness', the related word mahatman refers to a 'great soul'. This connection links the abstract quality of importance to the actual state of an enlightened human being.
Examples in context
- धर्मस्य महत्वं ज्ञातव्यम्।dharmasya mahatvaṃ jñātavyam.The importance of dharma must be known.
- विद्यायाः महत्वं सर्वत्र वर्तते।vidyāyāḥ mahatvaṃ sarvatra vartate.The importance of knowledge exists everywhere.
- समयस्य महत्वं न विस्मरेत्।samayasya mahatvaṃ na vismaret.One should not forget the importance of time.
Example conversation
Meera and Aryan are discussing the value of reading books.
- मीरा Miraआर्यन, पुस्तकानां महत्वं पश्य।āryan, pustakānāṃ mahatvaṃ pashya.Aryan, see the importance of books.
- आर्यन Aryanआम्, अहं जानामि।ām, ahaṃ jānāmi.Yes, I know.
- मीरा Miraतर्हि प्रतिदिनं पठ।tarhi pratidinaṃ paṭha.Then read every day.
- आर्यन Aryanअहं अवश्यं पठिष्यामि।ahaṃ avashyaṃ paṭhiṣyāmi.I will definitely read.
