várṇa m. (or n. g. ardharcādi, prob. fr. √ 1. vṛ; ifc. f(A). ) a covering, cloak, mantle, [L.]
a cover, lid, [Yājñ. iii, 99]
outward appearance, exterior, form, figure, shape, colour, [RV.] &c. &c.
colour of the face, (esp.) good colour or complexion, lustre, beauty, [Mn.]; [MBh.] &c.
colour, tint, dye, pigment (for painting or writing), [MBh.]; [Kāv.] &c.
colour = race, species, kind, sort, character, nature, quality, property (applied to persons and things), [RV.] &c. &c.
class of men, tribe, order, caste (prob. from contrast of colour between the dark aboriginal tribes and their fair conquerors; in [RV.] esp. applied to the Āryas and the Dāsas; but more properly applicable to the four principal classes described in Manu's code, viz. Brāhmans, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras; the more modern word for ‘caste’ being jāti; cf. [IW. 210 n. 1]), [ib.]
a letter, sound, vowel, syllable, word, [Br.]; [Prāt.] &c.
a musical sound or note (also applied to the voice of animals), [MBh.]; [R.]; [Pañcat.]
the order or arrangement of a song or poem, [W.]
praise, commendation, renown, glory, [Mṛcch.]; [Kum.]; [Rājat.]
(in alg.) an unknown magnitude or quantity
(in arithm.) the figure, ‘one’
(accord. to some) a co-efficient
a kind of measure, [L.] (cf. -tāla)
gold, [L.]
a religious observance, [L.]
one who wards off, expeller, [Sāy.] on [RV. i, 104, 2]
várṇa n. saffron, [L.]
[Cf., accord. to some, Slav. vranǔ, ‘black’, ‘a crow’; Lith. várnas, ‘a crow’.]