Hello,
I am not sure if there is a ‘traditional’ etymological explanation, but here is a back of an envelope note. The older lexicons [ Amara, Halāyudha, Śāśvata etc]. don’t attest these senses, but Keśavasvāmin and Hemacandra have some relevant entries. I don’t included later lexicons since their entries are mostly derivative. *tantraṃ svarāṣṭravyāpāre tantuvāne paricchade* // 25cd // (Nānārthārṇavasaṃkṣepa_Keśavasvāmin, Dvyakṣarakāṇḍaḥ, Napuṃsakaliṅgādhyāyaḥ, , 25, 0035) *tantraṃ svarāṣṭracintā syād āvāpas tv aricintanam* / 715 ab / (Abhidhānacintāmaṇi_Hemacandra, Martyakāṇḍaḥ, 715, 0030) *kaṭakaṃ dhvajinī tantraṃ daṇḍo 'nīkaṃ patākinī /* * varūthinā camūś cakraṃ skandhavāro 'sya tu sthitiḥ* // 746 // (Abhidhānacintāmaṇi Hemacandra, Martyakāṇḍaḥ, 746, 0031) *tantraṃ siddhānte rāṣṭre ca paracchandapradhānayoḥ* // 413ab // (Anekārthasaṅgraha_Hemacandra, Dvisvarakāṇḍaḥ, Dvisvararāntāḥ, , 413, 1) If tantra has the meaning of bind → control → administrate, as attested in words such as *svatantra* and *paratantra*, it stands to reason that it extends to the agent* par excellence* of control and administration i.e. the state (*rāṣṭre ca*). Similarly, the meanings ‘matters concerning one’s territory’ i.e. defense (*svarāṣṭracintā, svarāṣṭravyāpāra*), and army (*kaṭakaṃ dhvajinī* etc.) seem to be tenable metonyms for *tantra *meaning the kingdom/state. Best regards, Naresh Keerthi Department of Sanskrit Studies Ashoka University, New Delhi ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Mon, 04 Jul 2022 08:17:20 +0200 Subject: Re: [INDOLOGY] Tantrapāla Dear Martin, is the meaning 'army' for tantra (and 'soldier' for tantrin) explainable on historical or etymological grounds, or is it even explained by Sanskrit commentators? Christian
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