atva

Atva is a term used in Sanskrit scholarship to denote the conjunction meaning "or" or "whether." In standard transliteration, the common form is athavā (अथवा), while the variant transliteration atvā appears in some texts. The word functions as a coordinating particle that links alternatives or presents a disjunctive option within a sentence.

In usage, athavā introduces choices or possibilities, such as statements of what may occur or be chosen. It is encountered across classical Sanskrit literature, including poetry, religious texts, and philosophical works, as well as in grammatical descriptions that treat conjunctions and discourse markers. The term is typically discussed in the context of pratyaya or particle categories within Sanskrit grammar and is contrasted with other coordinating devices that convey choice or alternative.

Throughout textual traditions, athavā serves to indicate a disjunction that is not inclusive but rather presents separate possible paths or outcomes. Its presence helps convey nuance in arguments, narratives, and exhortations, where alternatives must be clearly distinguished or weighed. While most commonly associated with ancient and medieval Sanskrit, the concept of a disjunctive conjunction related to athavā recurs in analytic treatments of how languages encode choice and conditionality. See also Sanskrit grammar, conjunctions, and the particle vā.