shuddh

Shuddh is an adjective in several Indian languages, derived from the Sanskrit śuddha, meaning pure, clean, unmixed. In Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Punjabi, Gujarati, and many other languages, shuddh is used to express authenticity or lack of impurity, whether in material substances, speech, or ideas.

In daily use, shuddh accompanies nouns to indicate purity: shuddh paani (pure water), shuddh doodh (pure milk), or shuddh halva. It is also used to describe language or culture in its most formal or authentic form, as in shuddh Hindi or shuddh Sanskrit, contrasted with hybrid or colloquial forms.

In religious or philosophical contexts, śuddha denotes ritual or moral purity. The term often appears in phrases such as śuddha bhakti (pure devotion) or śuddha manas (pure mind). In Ayurveda and food markets, shuddh signals freedom from adulterants and additives.

Etymology and cognates: from Sanskrit śuddha; related forms include śuddha (Sanskrit), shuddha (Hindi/Marathi), and cognate words in other Indo-Aryan languages. The opposite is aśuddha (impure). Shuddh is also used in compounds such as shuddh bhasha (pure language) or shuddh desi in popular culture, indicating authenticity or tradition.