apamitya

 In Sanskrit, "apamitya" (अपमित्य) primarily refers to a debt, loan, or something owed by one person to another, and in Vedic usage can also mean "to be thrown away."

Definition and Etymology

The word apamitya is derived from a combination of the prefix apa-, 

which often implies "away" or "off," and the root associated with -mitya,

linked to the verbal root √me, meaning action or measure in context

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In classical literature, apamitya is used in the sense of:

Debt or loan: an obligation owed to someone else, indicating a binding

or payable sum or duty

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To be discarded or thrown away: a Vedic meaning attested in the 

Atharva-Veda and associated texts, signifying release or letting go

of something

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Usage in Texts

Vedic Texts: In the Atharva-Veda (vi, 117, 1) and Āśvalāyana-śrauta-sūtra, 

apamitya appears in contexts that relate to offerings, debts, or financial

obligations

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Compound and Variants: The term also forms compounds like 

apāmitya and is sometimes associated with apāmityaka, indicating 

a gerund or action related to fulfilling, paying, or accounting debts

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Prakrit Relation: In Prakrit, the equivalent is pāmicca, indicating its 

continued use in related languages and reflecting the semantic range 

around debt, obligation, or responsibility

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Summary of Meaning

Primary: Debt, something owed, loan

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Secondary: To be thrown away, disposed, or released (Vedic special use)

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Grammatical Note: It is primarily a noun in Sanskrit, but may appear

in adjectival or compound forms to indicate related actions, as in 

apāmitya or apāmityaka

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Thus, apamitya carries both a literal and ritualistic sense in Sanskrit, 

encompassing the practical and social aspects of owing or releasing 

obligations.