AbhidhÃÂnacintamani (AbhidhÃÂnacintÃÂmaá¹Âi) (literally "The Thought-gem of Names") is a major Sanskrit lexicon or thesaurus compiled by the 12th-century Jain scholar and polymath, Hemacandra. It is considered one of the most comprehensive and authoritative works in the tradition of Indian lexicography.
Unlike modern alphabetical dictionaries, the AbhidhÃÂnacintÃÂmaá¹Âi is a synonymic lexicon composed in verse, intended to be memorized by students and scholars of Sanskrit literature and philosophy.
The work is divided into six sections (KÃÂá¹Âá¸Âas), categorized by the nature of the subjects they describe:
Hemacandra also composed a commentary on this work titled TattvÃÂbhidhÃÂyinë and a supplement specifically for homonyms (words with multiple meanings) titled AnekÃÂrthasaá¹ graha.
The AbhidhÃÂnacintÃÂmaá¹Âi is noted for its linguistic precision and its dual utility in both secular Sanskrit literature and Jain theological studies. Scholars such as Henry Thomas Colebrooke and Theodor Aufrecht brought the work to Western attention in the 19th century, recognizing it as an essential tool for understanding medieval Sanskrit texts. This text was first published by Otto Boehtlingk and Charles Rieu in 1847.
Hemacandra has cited 56 authors and 31 works in his auto-commentary TattvÃÂbhidhÃÂyinë. The historic significance of this commentary is immense as it compiles various Gupta-era Saá¹Âská¹Âta terms for various royal posts, documents the differences in opinions among the earlier lexicons and compiles the PrÃÂká¹Âta- and Apabhraá¹Âà Âa-influenced words.
Some of the most prominent commentaries lexicon includes:
Supplement