Vardhamana
/ˌvɑːrd.həˈmɑː.nə/noun
A Sanskrit name meaning “growing” or “increasing,” best known as the birth name of the Jain teacher Mahavira.
Did you know?Jain tradition says Mahavira was born Vardhamana, a name associated with growth and flourishing, before he renounced royal life and became the twenty-fourth Tirthankara.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*werdʰ-
“To grow, increase, or become greater”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
vṛdh
“To grow, prosper, increase, or strengthen”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
vardhamāna
“Growing, increasing, prospering; the present participle of vṛdh”
6th Century BCE
Ardhamagadhi Prakrit
Vaddhamāṇa
“The Prakrit form of Vardhamāna, used as Mahavira’s personal name”
Medieval Jain Literature
Sanskrit
Vardhamāna
“An established name and epithet of Mahavira, the Jain Tirthankara”
Modern English
English
Vardhamana
“A transliterated Sanskrit proper noun referring especially to Mahavira”