Bavant
bhavant , used (as in Pali , e.g. MN i.241.7 te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā … vediyanti) like bhagavant, venerable, respected , not necessarily in address ( cf. Senart Mv i note 558 , on i.235.17 ): muñcanti yaśasvino bhavato ( gen. sg. ) Mv i.236.8 ( vs ); bhavanto śramaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā … vedayanti Mv ii.121.2, 5 , etc. (not in address, but simple narration, referring to persons not present); similarly ii.126.13 ; 127.17 ; 129.4 ; 130.7 ; ya ime bhavantaḥ śramaṇabrāhmaṇā … vedayanta iti LV 247.19 ; voc. bhavanto, Sirs! gentlemen! , not as subject of a verb in polite address as in Skt. : Mv ii.442.1, 19 ; beginning a story, bhūtapūrvaṃ bhavanto … rājā … abhūṣi Mv iii.204.8 , Once upon a time, Sirs, there was a king … , and in the sequel; bhavanto yūyaṃ na … śabdaṃ śruṇiṣyatha iii.297.10 , sirs, you shall not hear … ; often in Divy , e.g. 34.23 (bhavanto 'sti kaścid yuṣmābhir dṛṣṭaḥ …); 35.3 , etc. ; and in MSV , e.g. i.64.15 .
Bhavant [cf. Sanskrit (and Vedic) bhavant, used as pronoun of the 2nd; but constructed with 3rd person of the verb. Probably a contraction from Bhagavant, see Whitney, Altind. Gr. 456] pronoun of polite address "Sir, Lord," or "venerable, honourable," or simply "you." Cases as follows (after Geiger, Pāli Grammar §98.3): singular nominative bhavaṃ Snp 486; D I 249; M I 484. neuter bhavaṃ M III 172. accusative bhavantaṃ Snp 597; D II 231; instrumental bhotā D I 93, 110; S IV 120. genitive bhoto Snp 565; M I 486; vocative bhavaṃ D I 93 and bho D I 93; M I 484; Ja II 26. See bho also seperately — plural nominative bhavanto Snp page 107 (only as v.l.; Text Bhagavanto), and bhonto ibid.; M II 2; Miln 25; accusative bhavante M II 3; instrumental bhavantehi M III 13; genitive bhavataṃ M II 3; vocative bhonto Thag 832; M II 2; — feminine bhotī: singular nominative bhotī Snp 988; Ja III 95; accusative bhotiṃ Ja VI 523; locative bhotiyā ibid. vocative bhoti ibid.; D II 249. — On form bhante see this.
(masc, masc, from bhavati, irreg) master; sir; respected man prosperous, polite word often used in the place of 'you' [lit.] being present Construction: bhava + ant