Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v1.c3.s16.77

v1.c3.s16.77

Jani, Janī.—These words appear to denote ‘wife,’ usually applying to her in relation to her husband (Pati). The more general sense of ‘woman’ is doubtful; for when Uṣas is called a fair Janī,¹ ‘wife’ may be meant, and the other passage² cited for this sense by Delbrück,³ which refers to the begetting of children, seems to demand the sense of ‘wives.’ Since the words usually appear in the plural,⁴ it is possible they may refer not to ‘wives’ proper, but to Hetairai. This is, however, rendered unlikely because the Rigveda⁵ uses the phrase *patyur janitvam*, denoting ‘wifehood to a husband,’ as well as the expression *janayo na patnīḥ*,⁶ ‘like wives (who are) mistresses,’⁷ besides containing passages in which the word has reference to marriage.⁸ The singular occurs in the dialogue of Yama and Yamī.⁹