anusṛ

 In Sanskrit, "anusṛ" (अनुसृ) primarily means "to follow, pursue, go after, or attend", and it can also indicate conformity or tracking, depending on context and causative usage

Wisdom Library+1

.

Meaning and Usage

Literal Sense: As a verb root (from anu-√sṛ), anusṛ conveys actions

such as "to go after", "to follow", "to attend", "to practice", or "to observe". 

For example, in classical texts:

• pūrvoddiṣṭāmanusara purīm — "go to the previously prescribed 
• city" (Meghadūta)
• udīciṃ diśaṃ anusare — "to go along toward the north"

  2

  .

Causative Usage: The causative form anusārayati can mean "to cause 

to follow or pursue" or "to lead forward, guide"

1

.

Figurative and Extended Senses: Beyond physical following, anusṛ 

and its derivatives can denote:

• Conformity or accordance — aligning one’s actions with rules,
• customs, or natural order.
• Tracking or observing sequences — such as following steps, footprints, 
• or patterns, which is particularly noted in texts like the Śyainika-śāstra
• dealing with hunting practices

  1

  .

Related Terms:

• Anusāra (अनुसार): Related noun meaning "following, conformity, rule, 
• custom, or alignment".
• Anūṣara (अनूषर): Used to denote characteristics such as "not saline" 
• or "conducive for cultivation" in specialized contexts

  1

  .

1. 

   

   3 Sources
2. 
   

Linguistic Notes

• Etymology: Anusṛ is a combination of anu (after) + √sṛ (to flow, go),
• forming a verbal compound that implies sequential or following action

  1

  .
• Cognates and Variants: In Prakrit, the cognate is Aṇusara, and similar 
• forms appear in Pali and other Indo-Aryan languages

  1

  .
• Script Representation: In Sanskrit, it is written as अनुसृ, and 
• transliterated under IAST standards as anusṛ. It is distinct from 
• anusvāra (ं), which denotes nasalization and should not be 
• confused with the root anusṛ

  1

  .
• 

  

  3 Sources
• 
  

Summary

Anusṛ serves multiple interrelated functions in Sanskrit literature: 

it denotes following, pursuing, or attending, both physically and 

figuratively, and extends to the concept of conformity or alignment 

with rules, customs, or natural patterns. Its use spans classical poetry,

grammatical treatises, and texts on law, ethics, and ritual. Understanding 

its nuances is key for interpreting Sanskrit passages where contextual

following, adherence, or tracking is implied

Wisdom Library+2

.