Vedic Index of Names and Subjects v2.c4.s3.85

v2.c4.s3.85

Bhartṛ, besides having the literal sense of ‘bearer,’ means ‘supporter’ or ‘master’ in the older literature¹; but it is doubtful whether the sense of ‘husband’ is ever found there. In one passage of the Rigveda² ‘husband’ is certainly the most natural sense, but, as Delbrück³ correctly remarks, even there ‘father’ may be meant, since ‘mother’ is here and there⁴ called Bhartṛī.