As a deity name
Name 532 of the Narasimha Sahasranāma — Brahmanda Purana / Narasimha Purana, as taught by Sages to Assembly of Devotees
Name 433 of the Rama Sahasranāma — Padma Purana / Skanda Purana, as taught by Lord Shiva to Goddess Parvati
Name 905 of the Shiva Sahasranāma — Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva), as taught by Sage Tandi to Sage Upamanyu
Name 151 of the Surya Sahasranāma — Bhavishya Purana, as taught by Lord Brahma / Sages
As a Hindi name
No reading on this path — this spelling has no entry in our Hindi sources, and no near neighbour is attested there either. We say so rather than invent one.
As a Sanskrit word
Meaning
an epoch, period (esp. a division or part of the year), season (the number of the divisions of the year is in ancient times, three, five, six, seven, twelve, thirteen, and twenty-f…
Scripturally attested Verified split — attested membersMultiple readings (2)Why this matches what you typed
M1 · same meaning "ṛtave" is the dative of "ṛtu" — the same word in a different grammatical case.
Dictionary citations
ṛtu (us), m. (Uṇ. i, 72) any settled point of time, fixed time, time appointed for any action (esp. for sacrifices and other regular worship), right or fit time, RV.; AV.; VS.
an epoch, period (esp. a division or part of the year), season (the number of the divisions of the year is in ancient times, three, five, six, seven, twelve, thirteen, and twenty-four; in later time six seasons are enumerated, viz. Vasanta, ‘spring’; Grīṣma, ‘the hot season’; Varṣās (f. pl. nom.), ‘the rainy season’ Śarad, ‘autumn’; Hemanta, ‘winter’; and Śiśira, ‘the cool season’; the seasons are not unfrequently personified, addressed in Mantras, and worshipped by libations), RV.; AV.; VS. &c., MBh.; Mn. &c.
Alternative readings
More than one analysis survives full verification. That ambiguity is real, so we show every reading rather than pick one silently.
Caveats
Sources contain errors and engines have limits; every claim above carries its citation so you can verify it. This is guidance about names and their sources — not religious or astrological consultation. How we work · Our sources