apaṛtu

 

In Sanskrit, apartu means “untimely,” “out of season,” or “not at the 

proper time,” and in some contexts it also refers to a woman whose 

menstruation period has passed.

Core meanings (Sanskrit)

All major Sanskrit dictionaries in the results agree that apartu (अपर्तु) 

is an adjective meaning:

• Untimely / unseasonable — something occurring at the wrong or
• improper time

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• Out of season — literally “not in the right season,” from apa (“away, not”) 
• + ṛtu (“season, proper time”)

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• Not the right time / improper time — used in ritual and legal texts to 
• indicate an unsuitable moment

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• Past menstruation time (nivṛttarajaskā) — used specifically of a woman 
• whose menstrual period has already passed

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• 

  

  5 Sources

Grammatical notes

• Part of speech: adjective (sometimes used substantively as a masculine
• noun meaning “improper time”)

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• Formation: a bahuvrīhi compound from apa + ṛtu (“off-season”)

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• 

  1 Source

Examples from classical texts

• Atharva‑Veda uses apartu to mean “untimely”

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• Bhāgavata Purāṇa uses it both for “untimely” and “past menstruation 
• time” contexts

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• 

  

  3 Sources

Important distinction

One result refers to Latvian “apartu” as a participle form of aparts (“ploughed”)

Wiktionary

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This is unrelated to the Sanskrit word and should not be confused with it.

Summary

apartu (अपर्तु) in Sanskrit primarily means:

• Untimely / unseasonable / out of season
• Improper time
• A woman whose menstruation period has passed