Lesson 84

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• Revision of essential rules
• An interesting verse!

Home Work:

• Learn the rules discussed, thoroughly (click here for a comprehensive list)

Topic Details:

What makes a word?  In sanskrit, the definition is very simple
     * सुप्‌तिङ्गन्तं पदम् -  patan~jali
        That which ends with a sup or ti~ng pratyaya is a word

For further details and explanation - Click here.

Revisiting the essential rules every once in a while works as whetting a knife :).  So, to sharpen the rules learnt so far, let us revisit some of the topics.

Sandhi would be one such topic.  It is very essential as the very first step after reading a verse would be, breaking the sandhi-s.  Without that, interpreting anything would be difficult.  There are many kind of sandhi-s.  The most commonly seen ones would be

• savarNa-dIrgha sandhi
• guNa sandhi
• vRuddhi sandhi
• yaN sandhi
• jashtva sandhi
• visarga sandhi

Click on each of the names to learn them individually or click here to see ALL of them.

Let us see a verse now.  This is an interesting verse, one of my favorites -

Question:
केशवं पतितं दृष्ट्वा
पाण्डवाः हर्षनिर्भराः ।
रुदन्ति कौरवास्सर्वे
हा हा केशव केशव ॥
keshavaM patitaM dRuShTvaa
paaNDavaaH harShanirbharaaH |
rudanti kauravaassarve
haa haa keshava keshava ||

Exposition:
This one's a spinner!
Breaking sandhi-s,

केशवं पतितं दृष्ट्वा
पाण्डवाः हर्ष-निर्भराः ।
रुदन्ति कौरवाः सर्वे
हा हा केशव केशव ॥
keshavaM patitaM dRuShTvaa
paaNDavaaH harSha-nirbharaaH |
rudanti kauravaaH sarve
haa haa keshava keshava ||

Meaning:
Seeing the fallen keshava,
the paaNDava-s were filled with ecstasy
All the kaurava-s were crying
O keshava, O keshava!

Answer:
Hmmm..., interesting scenario, isn't it?!!  The paaNDava-s rejoicing whereas kaurava-s lamenting for keshava?!!  Almost looks like the poet made a mistake in placing the words!  (keshava is one of the many names of Lord kRuShNa.  He was called so after he slayed a demon named keshi.)

Well, let's see some special words in the verse here -
केशव if split as के शव means
     के (seventh case of कं shabda) - in the water
     शव - cadaver (dead body)
           dead body in the water
पा अण्डवाः
     पा - water
     अण्डवाः - those born from eggs
             fish are born in the water from eggs
कौ रवाः
     कौ - horrible
     रवाः - noise
             wolves/fox howl with a horrible cry

Now, the meaning becomes,
On seeing the cadaver fallen in the water, the fish were ecstatic (that was a feast for them) whereas the wolves were lamenting as they could not get a bite of the dead body in the water!

Phew, now that makes more sense, doesn't it :).

Until next lesson, happy practicing!

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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Lesson 83

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• verses 9 - 10
• some bahuvrIhi samaasa rules

Home Work:

• Practice writing cases for any one verse you already know

Topic Details:

बुद्धिमान् नीतिमान् वाग्मी श्रीमाञ्छत्रुनिबर्हणः ।
विपुलांसो महाबाहुः कम्बुग्रीवो महाहनुः ।९।
buddhimaan nItimaan vaagmI shrImaa~jChatrunibarhaNaH |
vipulaaMso mahaabaahuH kambugrIvo mahaahanuH |9|

On breaking the sandhi-s
बुद्धिमान् नीतिमान् वाग्मी श्रीमान् शत्रु-निबर्हणः ।
विपुलांसः महाबाहुः कम्बुग्रीवः महाहनुः ।९।
buddhimaan nItimaan vaagmI shrImaan shatru-nibarhaNaH |
vipulaaMsaH mahaabaahuH kambugrIvaH mahaahanuH |9|

महोरस्को महेष्वासो गूढजत्रुररिन्दमः ।
आजानुबाहुस्सुशिराः सुललाटस्सुविक्रमः ।१०।
mahorasko maheShvaaso gUDhajatrurarindamaH |
aajaanubaahussushiraaH sulalaaTassuvikramaH |10|

Breaking sandhi-s
महोरस्कः महेष्वासः गूढ-जत्रुः अरिन्दमः ।
आजानु-बाहुः सुशिराः सुललाटः सुविक्रमः ।१०।

mahoraskaH maheShvaasaH gUDha-jatruH arindamaH |
aajaanu-baahuH sushiraaH sulalaaTaH suvikramaH |10|

Special sandhi here -
श्रीमान् + शत्रुनिबर्हणः = श्रीमाञ्छत्रुनिबर्हणः - व्यञ्जन सन्धि
Rules used in this sandhi -
      * शितुक्
      * शश्छोटि
      * स्तोः श्चुनाःश्चुः

कम्बुग्रीवः - neck like a conch - कम्बुः इव ग्रीवा यस्य सः - बहुव्रीहि समास
बुद्धिमान् - one who has intellect - बुद्धिः अस्य अस्ति इति - मतुप्
वग्मी - eloquent - प्र. वि.; एक.; वाग्मिन् प्रातिपदिकम्
अंसः - shoulder
निबर्हणः - exterminator (slayer)
महेष्वासः - one who holds a mighty bow - महान् इषुः यस्य सः - बहुव्रीहि समास
Another ex. for बहुव्रीहि समास - स्थिता प्रज्ञा यस्य सः - स्थितप्रज्ञः
Note: Conversion of the gender (linga) of the word, guarantees बहुव्रीहि समास.  (But there can be बहुव्रीहि without conversion also, if the word is in the corresponding linga already.)
(sthitaa praj~naa, became sthitapraj~naH.  But if referring to a lady, the word would be sthitapraj~naa)

Some pointers:
डुकृङ् - डु and ङ् are इत् letter (binding letter for ease of communication)
प्रत्याहार - abbreviations - ex: इक्, उण्, यण्, अच्, हल् (from maaheshvara suutraaNi)

जत्रू - collar bone
गूढजत्रु - hidden collar bone (muscular :)

The meaning of these two verses would be -
9.  He is intelligent, sagacious, eloquent, glorious and exterminator of foes.  He is distinguished with broad shoulders, powerful arms, a neck - shaped like a conch and a stout chin.

10.  He is marked with a broad chest, mighty bow and a collar bone covered with flesh and is capable of subduing his foes.  His (unusually long) arms extend right up to his knees.  He has well formed head, a shapely forehead and a charming gait.

Until next time, happy practicing!

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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Lesson 82

Beginning Prayers:

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

Topic Summary:

• verse 7 - 8
• maaheshwara suutraaNi

Home Work:

• Learn by heart, the maaheshwara suutraa-s 

Topic Details:

बहवो दुर्लभाश्चैव ये त्वया कीर्तिता गुणाः ।
मुने वक्ष्याम्यहं बुद्ध्वा तैर्युक्तः श्रूयतां नरः ।७।
bahavo durlabhaashchaiva ye tvayaa kIrtitaa guNaaH |
mune vakShyaamyahaM buddhvaa tairyuktaH shrUyataaM naraH |7|

After sandhi vichCheda,
बहवः दुर्लभाः च एव ये त्वया कीर्तिताः गुणाः ।
मुने वक्ष्यामि अहं बुद्ध्वा तैः युक्तः श्रूयतां नरः ।७।

bahavaH durlabhaaH cha eva ye tvayaa kIrtitaaH guNaaH |
mune vakShyaami ahaM buddhvaa taiH yuktaH shrUyataaM naraH |7|

Anvyaartha would be in the following order,
(हे) मुने - O sage (vaalmIki) - सं. प्र. वि.; इकारान्त पु.
बहवः - many - उकारान्त पु. बहु शब्द; प्र. वि.; बहु
दुर्लभाः - rare - अकारान्त पु.; प्र. वि.; बहु
त्वया - by you - युष्मद् शब्द; पुं; तृ. वि.; एक
एव - only - अव्यय
ये - which - यद् शब्द; दकारान्त; पुं; प्र. वि.; बहु
कीर्तिताः - (have been) described - अकारान्त पुं; प्र. वि.; बहु
गुणाः - virtues - अकारान्त पुं; प्र. वि.; बहु
तैः - with those - तत् शब्द; पुं; तृ. वि.; बहु
युक्तः - possessing - अकारान्त पुं; प्र. वि.; एक
नरः - man - अकारान्त पुं; प्र. वि.; एक
श्रूयताम् - listen - श्रू धतु; लोट् लकार; प्र. पु.; एक
अहम् - I - अस्मद् शब्द; प्र. वि.; एक
बुद्ध्वा - having considered - क्त्वान्त अव्यय
वक्ष्यामि - shall tell - वच् धातु; लृट् लकार; उ. पु.; एक

इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवो रामो नाम जनैः श्रुतः ।
नियतात्मा महावीर्यो द्युतिमान् धृतिमान् वशी ।८।
ikShvaakuvaMshaprabhavo raamo naama janaiH shrutaH |
niyataatmaa mahaavIryo dyutimaan dhRutimaan vashI |8|

Breaking sandhi-s
इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवः रामः नाम जनैः श्रुतः ।
नियतात्मा महावीर्यः द्युतिमान् धृतिमान् वशी ।८।
ikShvaakuvaMshaprabhavaH raamaH naama janaiH shrutaH |
niyataatmaa mahaavIryaH dyutimaan dhRutimaan vashI |8|

Now for the grammatical aspects

प्रभवः - originated

Titbit: नेमि was दशरथ's real name.  After fighting an asura named शबर, as if he had his one chariot in 10 directions, he was called दशरथ

इक्ष्वाकोः वंशः - इक्ष्वाकुवंशः - षष्टी तत्पुरुष

इक्ष्वाकुवंशात् प्रभवः यस्य सः - इक्ष्वाकुवंशप्रभवः - बहुव्रीहि

नियतः आत्मा यस्य सः - नियतात्मन् - बहुव्रीहि

द्युतिमत् प्रातिपदिकम्, मतुप् प्रत्ययान्त द्युतिमान्

धृतिमत् प्रातिपदिकम्, मतुप् प्रत्ययान्त धृतिमान्

वशि प्रातिपदिकम् - वशी

To understand paaNini rules, it is essential to understand maaheshwara suutras.  It has been dealt earlier.  But it is a good time to revisit.  Click here for a detailed version.

Until next lesson, happy practicing.  

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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