Nirukta (, , "explanation, etymological interpretation") is one of the six disciplines of Hinduism, treating etymology, particularly of obscure words, especially those occurring in the Vedas. The discipline is traditionally attributed to , an ancient Sanskrit grammarian. Yaska's association with the discipline is so great that he is also referred to as Niruktakara or Niruktakrit ("Maker of Nirukta"), as well as Niruktavat ("Author of Nirukta"). In practical use, nirukta consists of brief rules (sutras) for deriving word meanings, supplemented with glossaries of difficult or rare Vedic words.