Lesson 72

Beginning Prayers:

• शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुम् - shuklaambaradharaM viShNum
• सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhyam 
• गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः - gururbrahmaa gururviShNuH 

Topic Summary:

• Types of samaasa-s

Home Work:

• Practice a few variations of samaasa-s

Topic Details:

Learning the meanings of these technical terms involving the samaasa-s will make learning easier -

समस्त पदम् - full word - after the samaasa kriyaa is made
विग्रह वाक्यम् - broken sentence - the way a samaasa is split
पूर्वपदम् - the word that appears first in the vigraha vaakya
उत्तरपदम् - the word that appears afterwards in the vigraha vaakya

The different variations in the samaasa-s can be charted out as below -

समासः

   1. केवलसमासः

   2. विशेषसमासः

·        तत्पुरुषः (उत्तरपदप्रधानः - uttarapada is predominant)  

§  सामान्यः (7)

§  कर्मधारयः (9)

§  द्विगुः (3)

§  नञ्प्रभृतयः (5)

·        बहुव्रीहिः (अन्यपदार्थप्रधानः - meaning of some other word is vital)

§  सामान्यः (6)

§  विशेषः (9)

·        द्वन्द्वः (उभयपदप्रधानः - both puurva and uttara pada-s are important)

§  इतरेतरः (2)

§  समाहारः (2)

·        अव्ययीभावः (33) (पूर्वपदप्रधानः - puurva pada is crucial) (also, this involves अस्वपदविग्रह, meaning, the vigraha vaakya will have a word that is not part of the samastapadam.) 

There is a beautiful verse that is a play of words using the samaasa variations.  This clearly shows that the meanings of the samaasa pada changes as per context!

अहं च त्वं च राजेन्द्र लोकनाथावुभावपि ।

बहुव्रीहिरहं राजन् षष्ठीतत्पुरुषो भवान् ॥

ahaM cha tvaM cha raajendra lokanaathaavubhaavapi|

bahuvrIhirahaM raajan ShaShThItatpuruSho bhavaan ||

After splitting the composite words (sandhis), it could be read as -

अहं च त्वं च राजेन्द्र लोकनाथौ उभौ अपि ।

बहुव्रीहिः अहं राजन् षष्ठीतत्पुरुषो भवान् ॥

ahaM cha tvaM cha raajendra lokanaathau ubhau api|

bahuvrIhiH ahaM raajan ShaShThItatpuruSho bhavaan || 

It means, 

Oh king, you and I are both 'lokanaatha'-s.  I am rich man, you are only a 6th person!!

How could this be?!  This is a play of words.  Generally, a king is referred as a 'lokanaatha', meaning, guardian, protector, supreme power, etc.  But here, a beggar is addressing the king as thus - 'Oh king, you and I are both lokanaatha-s!'  I am a rich person (one who has lots of dhaanyam - bahu vrIhi (lots of rice)) and you are just a 6th person'!!  How is that justified?  

Well, it can be done only in samskRutam!  The word lokanaatha can be split in 2 different ways in 2 different samaasa-s (sorry, no equivalent to this in English and not to be confused with 'samosa' ;).  It is a way of giving derivations of words as per different rules!

So, in a samaasa called ShaShTI-tatpuruSha, it is derived as

लोकस्य नाथः 

lokasya naathaH 

meaning, lord of the world.  Okay, that makes sense.  

But how can a beggar call himself lokanaatha?

Well, in bhahuvrIhi samaasa, it is derived as

लोकः नाथः यस्य सः 

lokaH naathaH yasya saH

means - he whose Lord is the world!  To expand further, it means the beggar accepts the superiority of the entire world over him, as he survives on the mercy of other beings in the world!! 

The word बहुव्रीहि means one who has lots of rice (prosperous), as well as refers to the name of the samaasa!

Likewise, षष्ठीतत्पुरुष means 6th person, as well as 6th case (as in vibhakti)!

Now, the other meaning of the verse would be - 

O king, you and I are both 'lokanaatha's.  Me as per bahuvrIhi samaasa (i.e., I am under the mercy of the world), you as per ShaShThI-tatpuruSha (i.e., you are the Lord of the world)!

Although a beggar, he sure seems to have a pretty good grasp of samskRutam grammar!  Such play of words would otherwise, be impossible!!  He certainly appeased and convinced the king of his statement :).

:)

Happy practicing!

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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