The forms of the verb are from three bases, viz.
- gaṇha- (Sk. gṛhṇā-);
■ Pres.: ind. gaṇhāti (gaṇhāsi Pv-a.87)
pot gaṇheyya,
imper gaṇha (Ja.i.159; Pv-a.49 = handa) & gaṇhāhi (Ja.i.279).
fut gaṇhissati;
aor gaṇhi.
inf gaṇhituṃ (Ja.iii.281).
ger gaṇhitvā
caus ganhāpeti & gāhāpeti. - gahe- (Sk. gṛhī-)
fut gahessati.
aor aggahesi (Snp.847; Ja.i.52).
inf gahetuṃ (Ja.i.190, Ja.i.222).
ger gahetvā & gahetvāna (poet.) (Snp.309; Pv.ii.3). - gah- (Sk. gṛh-):
aor aggahi.
ger gayha & gahāya (Snp.791).
pass gayhati
pp gahita & gahīta.
■ Cp. gaha, gahaṇa, gāha.
Meanings
to take, take up; take hold of; grasp seize; assume.
e.g. ovādaṃ g. to take advice Ja.i.159 khaggaṃ to seize the sword Ja.i.254 Ja.i.255; gocaraṃ to take food Ja.iii.275; jane to seize people Ja.i.253; dhanaṃ to grasp the treasure Ja.i.255; nagaraṃ to occupy the city Ja.i.202; pāde gāḷhaṃ gahetvā holding her feet tight Ja.i.255; macche to catch fish Ja.iii.52; mantaṃ to use a charm Ja.iii.280; rajjaṃ to seize the kingdom Ja.i.263 Ja.ii.102; sākhaṃ to take hold of a branch Snp.791; Ja.i.52 Very often as a phrase to be translated by a single word, as: nāmato g. to enumerate Pv-a.18; paṭisandhiṃ g. to be born Ja.i.149; maraṇaṃ g. to die Ja.i.151 mūlena g. to buy Ja.iii.126; vacanaṃ g. to obey Ja.iii.276 (in neg.). The ger. gahetvā is very often simply to be translated as “with,” e.g. tidaṇḍaṃ gahetvā caranto Ja.ii.317; satta bhikkhū gahetvā agamāsi Vv-a.149.
Caus. gaṇhāpeti to cause to be seized, to procure, to have taken: phalāni Ja.ii.105; rājānaṃ Ja.i.264. Cp gāhāpeti.
Vedic grah (grabh), gṛhṇāti pp. gṛhīta to grasp. *gher to hold, hold in, contain; cp. Gr. ξόρτος enclosure, Lat. hortus, co-hors (homestead) Goth. gards (house); Ohg. gart; E. yard & garden. To this belong Vedic gṛha (house) in P. gaha˚, gihin, geha ghara, & also Vedic harati to seize, hasta hand