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A question regarding the name Nambi

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Lakshmi Srinivas • April 22, 1999 


Dear Bhakthas,

This is a question regarding the name "Nambi" which forms a part of the
name of many of the AchAryA's as well as diggajAs. I notice that in some
on-line sites devoted to the sampradaya this term is transliterated as
"Nambhi".  (I have the same problem with the name "Kidaambi" spelt in some
sites as "kidaambhi". I'll take this up in a separate post) 

My assumption is that the term "Nambi" is a common word used as suffix in
male personal names and that it is a Tamil name. In that case, the
spelling  "Nambhi" is problematic. Also, "Nambi" is always rendered into
Sanskrit as  "pUrNa" . Now why has this been so unless, as somebody in
Srivilliputtur once informed me,  the term Nambi is construed to be a
short form for "nirambi" i.e., to be full of. In the latter case, it
becomes analogous to the term AzvAr ("to be immersed in")  itself.  Or is
there any other explanation?  

I would appreciate some light in this matter.

Thanks and Warm Regards,



===
Lakshmi Srinivas





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