māsaṁ

in line “āsadañ ca masañ jaṭaṃ” at Ja.vi.328 is to be combined with ca, and read as camasañ, i.e. a ladle for sacrificing (C.: aggi-dahanaṃ).

a month, as the 12^th part of the year. The 12 months are (beginning with what chronologically corresponds to our middle of March) Citta (Citra), Vesākha, Jeṭṭha, Āsāḷha, Sāvaṇa, Poṭṭhapāda Assayuja, Kattika, Māgasira, Phussa, Māgha Phagguna. As to the names cp. nakkhatta. Usually in acc., used adverbially; nom. rare, e.g. aḍḍha-māso half-month Vv-a.66; Āsāḷhi-māsa Vv-a.307 (= gimhānaṃ pacchima māsa); pl. dve māsā Pv-a.34 (read māse) cattāro gimhāna-māsā Kp-a.192 (of which the 1^st is Citra, otherwise called Paṭhama-gimha “1^st summer and Bāla-vasanta “premature spring”)
■ Instr. pl catūhi māsehi Miln. 82; Pv-a.i.10#2
■ acc. pl. as adv. dasamāse 10 months Ja.i.52; bahu-māse Pv-a.135; also nt. chammāsāni 6 months SN.iii.155. Freq. acc. sg. collectively: a period of…, e.g. temāsaṃ 3 months Dhs-a.15; Pv-a.20; catu˚; DN-a.i.83; Pv-a.96; satta˚; Pv-a.20 dasa˚; Pv-a.63; aḍḍha˚; a fortnight Vin.iv.117
■ On māsa (& f.; māsī), as well as shortened form -ma see puṇṇa.

• -puṇṇatā fullness or completion of the month DN-a.i.140;
• -mattaṃ (adv.) for the duration of a month Pv-a.19.

cp. Vedic māsa, & mās; Gr. μήν (Ionic μείς); Av. māh (moon & month); Lat. mensis; Oir. mī Goth. mēna = moon; Ohg. māno, mānōt month. Fr *mé to measure: see mināti