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Similar Shrimati, Mr., Mrs. | ||
Sri (Devanagari: श्री, IAST: Śrī, IPA: /ʃɹiː/ or /ɕɹiː/, pronounced 'shree'), also transliterated as Sree, Shri, Shree, Si or Seri is a word of Sanskrit origin, used in the Indian subcontinent as a polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." or "Ms." in written and spoken language, but also as a title of veneration for deities. It is also widely used in other South and Southeast Asian languages.
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Etymology
Sri has a core meaning of "diffusing light or radiance", related to the root śrā "to cook, boil", but as a feminine abstract noun, it has received a general meaning of "grace, splendour, lustre, beauty; wealth, affluence, prosperity".
Derived forms of address are Shrimati (abbreviated Smt) for married women and Sushri for women (regardless of marital status).
Spelling and pronunciation
In Devanagari script for Sanskrit, Hindi and other languages, the word ⟨श्री⟩ is spelled with three conjoined letters: श (śa / sha) – र (ra) – ी (ī, long i). These are distinct from स (sa) and ि (short i). The strict transliteration is śrī or shrii. (Other forms include Hunterian zrI.)
Some other Indian languages do not distinguish /ʃ/ (sh in English) from /s/ in speech or for native words, but do retain distinct spelling for loanwords. For example, Sinhalese and Tamil respectively have: (ශ, ஶ், śa) versus (ස, ஸ், sa). In these cases, the spelling generally reflects Sanscrit śrī ("shri"), though the pronunciation may be "sri", "seri", or "si".
For further information, see Other languages below.
Usage
Sri is a polite form of address equivalent to the English "Mr." or "Ms." The title is derived from Sanskrit श्रीमान् (śrīmān). This use may stem from the Puranic conception of prosperity.
Śhrī is also frequently used as an epithet of some Hindu gods, in which case it is often translated into English as Holy. Also in language and general usage, Śhrī if used by itself and not followed by any name then it refers to the supreme consciousness i.e. God.
Shri Devi (or in short Shri, another name of Lakshmi, consort of Vishnu) is the devi (goddess) of wealth according to Hindu beliefs. Among today's orthodox Vaishnavas, the English word "Shree" is a revered syllable and is used to refer to Lakshmi as the supreme goddess, while "Sri" or "Shri" is used to address humans.
Śhrī is one of the names of Ganesha, the Hindu god of prosperity.
Shrī is also used as a title of the Hindu deities Rama, Krishna, Saraswati, Radha (used as Shrimatī Radharani), and sometimes Durga.
Repetition
Shri may be repeated depending on the status of the person.
Other current usage
Shri, along with the forms Shrimati (for married women, equivalent to English Mrs.) and Sushri, is often used by Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains as a respectful affix to the names of celebrated or revered persons.
There is a common practice of writing Śhrī as the first word centralised in line at the beginning of a document.
On Vidyāraṃbhaṃ ceremony, the mantra "Om hari sri ganapataye namah" is written on sand or in a tray of rice grains by the child, under the supervision of Guru or Priest.
Another usage is as an emphatic compound (which can be used several times: shri shri, or shri shri shri, etc.) in princely styles, notably in Darbar Sri, Desai Shri, and Thakur Sri or Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, the founder of the social and spiritual movement Ananda Marga (the Path of Bliss).
The honorific can also be applied to objects and concepts that are widely respected, such as the Sikh religious text, the Shri Guru Granth Sahib. Similarly, when the Ramlila tradition of reenacting the Ramayana is referred to as an institution, the term Shri Ramlila is frequently used.
Indian music
Its usage is common as a raga name, either as a prefix or postfix. Some examples are Shree, Bageshree, Dhanashree, Malashree, Jayantashree, Rageshree, and Shree ranjani.
South and Southeast Asia
Sri is used in most languages of the Indian subcontinent and Seri is used in most of the languages of southeast Asia:
Place names
The honorific is incorporated into many place names. A partial list: