Keris-making criteria (?)

[A. G. Maisey]

As far as I can see these words do not make any sense in Kawi, Sanscrit, Old Javanese, or Balinese.

Individual words appear in Old Javanese, words close to these words appear, but exactly these words do not appear, and some words do not appear in any of the languages.

It was, and I understand, still is, common in Jawa for groups possessing esoteric knowledge or belief to have their own secret language to converse about these subjects. If the source of this is Javanese it is possible that the words used would not make sense to anybody outside the group to which this belongs. Similarly, if this practice existed (exists) in Jawa, then it is possible that it also existed in other parts of SE Asia.

It is entirely possible that it is not able to be understood by anybody other than an initiate into the group which originated it, and even if the actual words were translated, their sense would not be understood by anybody outside the group.

Maybe we're flogging a dead horse here.