ज्वाला (jvaalaa)
noun
A literary/formal word for a blazing flame or fire, used mostly in elevated speech, poetry, and set phrases rather than everyday kitchen talk.
Sense
1
:
flame, blaze
noun, feminine
Synonyms: आग (aag), लपट (lapat), अग्नि (agni, literary), शोला (sholaa)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: ज्वाला (jvaalaa) is the word behind ज्वालामुखी (jvaalaamukhii, 'volcano', literally 'flame-mouth'), and it shows up in the name of the goddess Jwala Devi, worshipped at a famous shrine in Himachal Pradesh where natural gas flames burn continuously -- a nice image to anchor the word's intensity and sacredness.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often reach for ज्वाला (jvaalaa) in ordinary sentences like 'light the stove,' where आग (aag) is what everyone actually says; save ज्वाला (jvaalaa) for dramatic, written, or figurative contexts. 2) It is feminine, so adjectives and verbs agreeing with it take feminine forms, e.g. ज्वाला भड़क उठी (jvaalaa bhadak uthii, 'the flame flared up').
Sample Sentences:
पहाड़ी से ज्वाला की लपटें ऊपर उठ रही थीं।
Flames were rising up from the hillside.
(pahaadii se jvaalaa kii lapten oopar uth rahii thiin।)
मंदिर के भीतर एक ज्वाला सदियों से जलती है।
A flame has been burning inside the temple for centuries.
(mandir ke bhiitar ek jvaalaa sadiyon se jaltii hai।)
ज्वाला देवी के मंदिर में धरती से निकलती प्राकृतिक गैस की ज्वाला निरंतर जलती रहती है।
At the Jwala Devi temple, a flame of natural gas rising from the earth keeps burning continuously.
(jvaalaa devii ke mandir men dhartii se nikaltii praakritik gais kii jvaalaa nirantar jaltii rahtii hai।)
यज्ञ की ज्वाला आकाश को छूने लगी।
The flame of the sacrificial fire began to touch the sky.
(yagy kii jvaalaa aakaash ko chhoone lagii।)
काश वह ज्वाला बुझ जाती और गाँव बच जाता।
If only that flame had died out and the village had been saved.
(kaash vah jvaalaa bujh jaatii aur gaanv bach jaataa।)
कवि ने सूर्यास्त को क्षितिज पर फैली ज्वाला के समान वर्णित किया।
The poet described the sunset as being like a flame spread across the horizon.
(kavi ne sooryaast ko kshitij par phailii jvaalaa ke samaan varnit kiyaa।)
ज्वालामुखी के मुख से निकलने वाली ज्वाला ने पूरे आकाश को लाल कर दिया।
The flame erupting from the volcano's mouth turned the whole sky red.
(jvaalaamukhii ke mukh se nikalne vaalii jvaalaa ne poore aakaash ko laal kar diyaa।)
हवन कुंड की ज्वाला को देखकर सभी श्रद्धालु प्रणाम करने लगे।
Seeing the flame of the sacred fire-pit, all the devotees began to bow in reverence.
(havan kund kii jvaalaa ko dekhkar sabhii shraddhaalu pranaam karne lage।)
यदि ज्वाला इतनी तेज़ न होती तो पुजारी दीप के और पास बैठ सकते।
If the flame had not been so intense, the priest could have sat closer to the lamp.
(yadi jvaalaa itnii tez n hotii to pujaarii diip ke aur paas baith sakte।)
Sense
2
:
intense passion, fury (figurative)
noun, feminine Used in phrases like क्रोध की ज्वाला (krodh kii jvaalaa, 'the flame of anger') to describe an emotion as a fire burning inside someone.
Synonyms: आग (aag, figurative), आवेश (aavesh), जोश (josh)
Frequency: literary
Cultural Note: Hindi loves describing strong feelings as fire -- क्रोध की ज्वाला (krodh kii jvaalaa) or बदले की ज्वाला (badle kii jvaalaa, 'the flame of revenge') are common in speeches, film dialogue, and devotional poetry, painting emotion as something that consumes a person from within.
Common Mistakes: 1) This figurative sense almost always appears with a genitive noun before it (X की ज्वाला (kii jvaalaa)) -- using it bare to mean 'anger' or 'passion' sounds incomplete to a native speaker.
Sample Sentences:
उसके मन में क्रोध की ज्वाला धधक रही थी।
The blaze of anger was raging in his heart.
(uske man men krodh kii jvaalaa dhadhak rahii thii।)
बदले की ज्वाला उसे भीतर ही भीतर जला रही है।
The flame of revenge is burning him up from within.
(badle kii jvaalaa use bhiitar hii bhiitar jalaa rahii hai।)
यदि प्रेम में यह ज्वाला न होती, तो कविता कभी न जन्मती।
If this blaze did not exist in love, poetry would never have been born.
(yadi prem men yah jvaalaa n hotii, to kavitaa kabhii n janmtii।)
अपमान की ज्वाला में उसका सारा धैर्य भस्म हो गया।
In the blaze of humiliation, all his patience was reduced to ashes.
(apmaan kii jvaalaa men uskaa saaraa dhairy bhasm ho gayaa।)
कवि ने वियोग की ज्वाला को शब्दों में उतार दिया।
The poet poured the blaze of separation into words.
(kavi ne viyog kii jvaalaa ko shabdon men utaar diyaa।)
काश यह ज्वाला शांत हो जाए और उसका हृदय फिर से निर्मल बने।
If only this blaze would subside and his heart become pure again.
(kaash yah jvaalaa shaant ho jaae aur uskaa hriday phir se nirmal bane।)
उसकी आँखों में जो ज्वाला थी, वह किसी को भी भस्म कर सकती थी।
The blaze in his eyes could have consumed anyone.
(uskii aankhon men jo jvaalaa thii, vah kisii ko bhii bhasm kar saktii thii।)
भक्त के हृदय में विरह की ज्वाला निरंतर जलती रहती है, जब तक प्रभु का दर्शन न हो।
The flame of longing keeps burning ceaselessly in the devotee's heart, until he beholds the Lord.
(bhakt ke hriday men virah kii jvaalaa nirantar jaltii rahtii hai, jab tak prabhu kaa darshan n ho।)
क्रांति की ज्वाला एक बार भड़क उठे तो उसे बुझाना कठिन हो जाता है।
Once the blaze of revolution flares up, it becomes hard to extinguish.
(kraanti kii jvaalaa ek baar bhadak uthe to use bujhaanaa kathin ho jaataa hai।)
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct):
ज्वाला
(jvaalaa)
(sg.f.oblique):
ज्वाला
(jvaalaa)
(pl.f.direct):
ज्वालाएँ
(jvaalaaen)
(pl.f.oblique):
ज्वालाओं
(jvaalaaon)