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Actually, it is probably not the same term: can't be more specific without knowing which Indian language you are talking about (With more than 14 languages and over a couple of hundred mutually unintelligible dialects, it is a bit difficult: thus in some languages bAi means elder sister, not mother).

The problem is that many of these languages have two phonemes a b- and a bh- which differ in aspiration (i.e. not b- followed by -h- but b- with breathing out). Voiced aspirated consonants are missing in most Latin and Germanic languages I know, so they both become b- in English.

With that intro, the Sanskrit bhrAtR (cognate with brother, of course) gave rise to bhAi in many modern languages. I think this is the word you are talking about.

• Mirabai? - BSchoer10  Feb 28 2006, 4:23:10 PM
  • Re: Mirabai? - sam  Mar 1 2006, 8:30:18 AM
    • Re: Mirabai? - তন্ময় ভট  Mar 1 2006, 8:59:41 PM
  • Re: Mirabai? - Cleveland Kent Evans  Feb 28 2006, 5:19:28 PM
    • Re: Mirabai? - তন্ময় ভট  Feb 28 2006, 9:06:39 PM
      • Re: Mirabai? - Kay  Mar 1 2006, 4:18:33 AM
        • Re: Mirabai? - তন্ময় ভট  Mar 1 2006, 5:09:07 AM