anusṛti

 In Sanskrit, "anusṛti" (अनुसृति) primarily means "following," "going after," or "conforming to," and it can also serve as a proper name for a woman or ancestress in Hindu literature

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Definitions and Usage

Literal Meaning: "Anusṛti" is a feminine noun derived from the root sṛ 

with the prefix anu, combining to convey the idea of pursuing, following, 

or adhering to something. This can refer to following a path, conforming

to rules, or going in accordance with a principle

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Social/Literary Meaning: In certain classical contexts, "anusṛti" can denote

an unchaste woman or harlot when used in specific phrases 

(e.g., anusarati kulāntaram) although this usage is more specialized 

and context-dependent

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Proper Name: The term is also documented as a proper noun, 

representing the name of a woman or ancestress, such as in genealogical 

or epic narratives, and it forms the basis for related terms like Ānusṛtineya, 

meaning a descendant of Anusṛti

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Derivations and Compounds

• Ānusṛtineya (आनुसृतिनेय): A masculine/feminine term indicating a 
• descendant of Anusṛti, appearing in grammatical references by 
• Pāṇini and in classical Sanskrit texts

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  . This illustrates how the 
• term "anusṛti" extends into genealogical and literary contexts.
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Summary of Core Sense

• Persianized/IAST transliteration: anusṛti or anusrti
• Gender: Feminine (f.)
• Primary senses: Following, conforming, adhering to
• Literary/proper name application: Could denote an individual's 
• name or lineage within Sanskrit texts

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In essence, anusṛti combines both abstract, philosophical senses 

of “following” or “conformity” and specific personal/name usages 

in classic literature, making it a term of both grammatical and

literary significance in Sanskrit.