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} "?l4 (Sloka)
P ?PH: HlOP l lP 1
Dl lP ~ Tll ~d P ld "
D (Word decomposition)
~P ?P <H:HlOP < ~<l : <P 1
Dl lP ~ Tl l : d P: ld "
< (Meaning)
The imperishable (< } Aswatha tree
(< } has roots above ( ~P ? } and
branches below (<H:HlO} 1 Whose (~}
leaves (Tl l} they say (~<l:} are the Vedas
(DllP} 1 Who (:} knows (} that (d},
he (P:} is a knower of Vedas (ld} 1
l4lT 4lTP (Grammar)
Here we have a relative clause : d (~
Tll Dl lP 7ld} ld 1 This clause is resolved
by P: ld 1 ~ itself a relative resolved by
< etc.
(\} H 4lH: (Vocabulary)
\~<} F dl: (Nouns, Adjectives, etc.)
4l Braid l Limb
4H Arm-pit HP Chest
dl? Palate <: Breath
<l4 Teacher 4 4ll Potter
4 ? Farmer H l? Landlord
ldlP: p.g.father ldlP p.g.mother
PldlP: m.g.father PldlP m.g.mother
ld : p.uncle Pld ?: m.uncle
H: Porcupine l4ll: Boar
4 4 : Fowl Dl: Goat
d ? Cotton HlP Silk
Tl Wool 4?: Bark
lH P Wheat P : Greengram
~ l~4 d l'll ll=:
An Introduction to Sanskrit : Unit VII
M. R. Dwarakanath
lPP Garment l Sandal
4l? Mascara T Ornament
l Deep lH Shallow
: Pride T: Mirror
H ld: Firmness H l Laxity
\~$} lddl: (Verbs) : The roots and (stems) of
more Sanskrit verbs:
Hl (Hl} flow H l (lH } smell
H (H} bite l (l} beg
(} sow H (H} curse
l (l} get P (P } create
l (l} to be H (H '} dry
lP (ll} tire (} bother
Pl (Pl} respect Pl (Pl } seek
T ( T} multiply P (P } indicate
l (l } hate ( } speak
~d (~d } praise H (H} sleep
(l } fill l (l} leave
~d (~d T } scatter l (l } collect
<H (<H } reach l (l } grind
( } enjoy ( } unite
<H (<"l} eat (Tl} buy
\~} <ll (Indeclinables)
<T always <l or
<l otherwise 7 thus
7l now Qdl now
4 ? only d but
: again ld since
l: mostly Hl variously
l7 certainly : abundant
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d: since P l false
P4 properly ~ self
( 4 , , d <l: = F lPl:
4 d 4 d
4l l dl 4: : P:
4 d 4l l Pl
4 d: d: dd: l4 d dd
4 l dl 4 d
l dl 4l l dl
ld dld 4~ ~ d~
The above table lists a triad of words that are
closely related; they are the interrogative,
relative and correlative. This grouping comes
in very handy in expressing more complex
ideas in sentences with a subordinate and
principal clauses. The interrogative is used to
question, the rel ative is used to pose a
hypothetical or rhetorical, and the correlative
is used to resolve the question. It also includes
an i f-then and as l ong as - so l ong
constructs. Some examples - (the finite verb
is implied:)
: Pld P: P l: 1 He who thinks, is a sage.
l P l: dl When it rains well, then
P lHP 1 food is plenty.
l lll dl l 1 Like king, like subjects.
H P: d l: 1 Where there is smoke,
there is fire.
d: dd: As the effort, so the
9? 1 reward.
l : <" 4l Who (the one) I saw
Pl 1 yesterday, who is she?
ld llll: dld As long as there is bad
l HP 1 conduct, so long famine.
l PlP dl If you think, then you
<DlP 1 understand.
4 'T: Wherever is Krishna,
d l : 1 there is Arjuna.
l l <l?P: Whenever there is
dl dlPP: laziness, there is
darkness.
* ll: Voices
*~ l l:
Thi s voi ce i s cal l ed i mpersonal and i s
excl usi vel y used i n conj uncti on wi th
intransitive verbs. Here no direct object is
possible; otherwise it is identical with 4PlT 1
Since there is no direct object, the verb has
no reference for agreement and thus, the verb
is always placed in P Q4 1
Translation into English of this usage could
be highly convoluted!
lHH : llld 1 lHH l d 1
Q4l T <l~d 1 Q4l lTl d 1
'llT l4Pld 1 ': l4~d 1
llP?PTl ldd: 1 llP?PTll ~d 1
In the past tense, either a finite verb or a past
passi ve par ti ci pl e may be use i n t he
impersonal voice. Again as the pp has no
reference for agreement, the pp is always
placed in the neuter, nominative, singular.
lH': <ldd 1 lH'T ~d 1
lH': l~dl 1 lH'T ~ldP 1
Pl <Pd 1 dl <~d 1 dl lPdP 1
*~\ l4P4 Hld:
In Sanskrit, 16 main verbal roots are regarded
as l4P4 - capable of taking two direct objects
at the same time. Only one is considered
principal ( Hl 4P }, the other secondary
(lT4P} 1 In the active voice, both objects
are in the accusative; however in the passive
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voice only one of the direct objects is placed
in the nominative while the other remains in
the accusative! This is of relatively rare
occurence, but mentioned here just as an
interesting tidbit.
lH 4l Hl4 l'4 ld 1 lH 4ll Hl4: l'
4 ld 1
* d: Expositions / Glosses
*~ 4 ld ~ Participles etc.
~~ ld, dl ~ Gerund
The gerund in Sanskrit is simply formed by
adding the suffix l to the verbal root. If the
root has a prefix (P} then the suffix is
l . Typically, the final nasal is dropped, some
consonant ending roots take 7. P Pl an
indeclinable and thus undergoes no changes
and there is no issue of agreement! Examples:
P ~ l 1 <lP ~ <l 1 3 ~ l3l 1
P ~ ll 1 P ~ l' 1 ~ l
1 l ~l1
The gerund is used in subordinate clauses
when a series of sequential events are to be
expressed; the principle caluse will use a finte
verb or a participle.
Pl <l 4 l She having taken a bath,
ld 1 worships God.
P HPl ll Having given up all
PlP HlT 1 actions, take refuge in
me alone.
P d l l P Having heard the music,
ldl: 1 all rejoiced.
<ldl: P d l" The guest having seated
~ H Dd 1 for a while returned to
his city.
These suffixes are not to be confused with
similar sounding suffixes added to nouns to
indicate quality (l} 1 P ' ~ P ', l T
~ 1
' ldd 4lTP ~ Verbs / Conjugation
'~ FlHld 4l: = <lHHld 4l:
We have seen that verbal roots can be
classified into three l: and into the 10 Tl:
1 We have also studied two tenses and two
moods - ? , ? , ?l l? 1 These 4
tenses / moods use the suffixes l4lTl: to form
the verbal stems from the roots. The verbal
terminations are added to the stem. Because
of this process, these tenses / moods are called
Pl4lTl: l PlHld 4l: 1 There are yet 6 (7
when the Vedas are included) other tenses /
moods that do not use the l4lTl: 1 The
terminations are added directly to the roots.
These are called <l4lTl: l <lH Hld 4l: 1
However, there is a little complication! The
verbal roots before taking on the terminations
corresponding to the tense/mood, person and
number may acquire 7 1 For this purpose the
roots are classified as P (P 7 }, (l
7 }, l <l ( 7 } 1 The P roots
necessarily take 7 1 The roots optionally,
and the <l roots do not take 7 1 Here the
Tl: go not matter!
'~\ FlHld 4l: = <lHHld 4l: lPl: ~ Rules
For PlHld 4l: tenses / moods the process for
forming the finite verb is root - stem - verb.
Here we need information about the T for
forming the stem. For instance the stem of the
root l is l , l, l, ld l in
ganas 2, 4, 6, 7 and 10. The meanings are
respectively 2-to know, 4-to be, 6- to gain, 7-
to regard and 10-to tell. The padas are
different in the various ganas. For <lHHld 4l:
tenses / moods the gana is not relevant but
the P , l <l distinction is important.
Just as a root can be in more than one gana,
so too it can be P , l <l when the
meaning changes.
'~( FlPll'4l? 7 ~ Simple Future
The simple or common future uses a tense
marker but otherwise the terminations are
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exactly the same as in the present tense (? }
in both l: 1 No complication here! The tense
marker is ~ 1 Let us see how this works.
P (P } ~ lP + tense marker ~ ~ lP' 1
The P changes to because it is preceeded
by 7 and the Pl H rule. In the following
examples, the present tense verb is shown in
paranthesis for reference.
< lP lP'llP Today, I will go to the
(DllP} 1 village
d H l~ld They will smell
(lH ld} 1 sandalpaste
l d : : You two will see him
(":} tomorrow
l : l'd The brahmin will speak
(ld } 1
<l: d'~d Fire will heat
(dld} 1
Some of the irregular roots in Pl Hld 4l: become
regular in <lH Hld 4l: 1
l ~ lld ~ l~ld 1 ~l ~ ldld ~ ~l~ld 1
H ~ "ld ~ ld (H ~ld ~ H ~ld} 1
Then again there are irregularities in <lH Hld 4l: 1
P ~ Pld ~ ~ld 1 < ~ <ld ~ <~ld 1
Exercises:
1. Change the voi ce i n the fol l owi ng
sentences:
H l d 1 l?4: d 1 lT ~d 1
l: d 1 4 lP d 1 P : llld 1 lH" :
<lP lP 1 ll l?dP 1 Hl: ldP
1 d 4lddl 1 Pl dd "
2. Change the tense from present to simple
future or the other way around.
Dll: 3ld (P } 1 <ll Pl: (<l } 1
l (P } 1 <P ll: ld (lH"ld} 1
4l 4ll'lP 1 <ll l'lP: 1 <~ld "
3. Use the gerund in the following:
P: Dld dd: Pldl Pld 1 Pl Pldl Pld dd:
ld 1 Pl: <lDld dd: l3l
3ld 1 lP: Pl ll'ld dd: lPl <lPld "
Sanskrit Crossword #7
(One syllable per box)
Clues Across:
1 One (fem.)
4 Matted hair
5 Brahma - Four faced
6 One of 8 siddhis
8 Break, fracture
10 Boatman
11 With desire
12 Hundred verses
13 Diamond
Clues Down:
2 Crystal
3 The largest number in Sanskrit
4 Community, mankind
6 A leader
7 Maternal grand mother
8 Brightener, publisher
9 Ocean - bearer of gems?
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