भल्ल

• (Vedic) IPA^(key): /bʱɐl.lɐ́/
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈbʱɐl̪.l̪ɐ/

The origin is uncertain.

Chatterji considers the word as borrowed from Dravidian; compare Tamil வேல் (vēl, “spear, lance”). Alternatively, Burrow and Turner derive the word from an unattested *भत्ल (bhatla), and connect it to Latin battuo (“to hit; to fight”).

भल्ल • (bhalla) stem, m

1. a a kind of arrow or missile with a point of a particular shape
2. a particular part of an arrow

भल्ल • (bhalla) stem, n

1. an arrowhead of a particular shape

• Monier Williams (1899) “भल्ल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 748/3.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (2001) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 365
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1963) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 483
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “bhalla”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

From an earlier *भद्ल (bhadla), from an even earlier भद्र (bhadrá, “favourable, auspicious”). Related to भल्लाक्ष (bhallākṣa, “a term used in addressing a flamingo”).

भल्ल • (bhalla) stem

1. auspicious, favourable

• Prakrit: 𑀪𑀮𑁆𑀮 (bhalla)
  • Magadhi Prakrit:
    • Bengali: ভাল (bhal), ভালো (bhalō)
    • Early Assamese: ভাল (bhalo)
      • Assamese: ভাল (bhal)
    • Sylheti: ꠜꠣꠟꠣ (bála)
  • ⇒ Sauraseni Prakrit: *𑀪𑀮𑁆𑀮𑀕 (*bhallaga)
    • Hindustani:

      Hindi: भला (bhalā)

      Urdu: بھلا

    • Old Gujarati: भलउं (bhalaüṃ)
      • Gujarati: ભલું (bhalũ)

• Monier Williams (1899) “भल्ल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 748/3.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (2001) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 365
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1996) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 2, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 254
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “bhalla”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

The origin is uncertain.

Perhaps from the same origin as Etymology 1; flattering euphemisms for bears were common in ancient India.

Alternatively, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerH- (“brown, bear”), itself a possibly-euphemistic replacement for Proto-Indo-European *h₂ŕ̥tḱos (“bear”), phonetically modified by taboo.

भल्ल • (bhalla) stem, m

1. a bear
   • c. 800 CE – 950 CE, Nārāyaṇa, Hitopadeśa

• भल्लूक (bhallūka)
• अच्छभल्ल (acchabhalla)

• Monier Williams (1899) “भल्ल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 748/3.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (2001) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 366
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (1963) Kurzgefasstes Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindischen [A Concise Etymological Sanskrit Dictionary] (in German), volume 2, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 485
• Chatterji, Suniti Kumar (1954) Bhartiya Aryabhasha Aur Hindi, Rajkamal Prakashan, page 73
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “bhalla”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press

Related to मल्ल (malla, “wrestler, boxer by profession”).

भल्ल • (bhalla) m

1. (in the plural) the name of a tribe of people

• Monier Williams (1899) “भल्ल”, in A Sanskrit–English Dictionary, […], new edition, Oxford: At the Clarendon Press, →OCLC, page 748/3.
• Mayrhofer, Manfred (2001) Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Altindoarischen [Etymological Dictionary of Old Indo-Aryan]‎ (in German), volume 3, Heidelberg: Carl Winter Universitätsverlag, page 366
• Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “bhalla”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press