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Aṣṭādhyāyī - Explanation
Chapter 1 - Subchapter 1
Introduction
This is the first chapter/first subchapter out of eight chapters/thirty-two subchapters Aṣṭādhyāyī consists of.
This work was written by the greatest Sanskrit grammarian of all time: Pāṇini, who lived about 500BCE in India.
This Aṣṭādhyāyī contains the entire set of rules controlling Sanskrit grammar. It is required reading for all Sanskrit scholars and also for those who want to go deep at Sanskrit grammar.
Now read Aṣṭādhyāyī and experience Supreme Delight.
Important: All that is in brackets and italicized within the translation has been added by me in order to complete the sense of a particular phrase or sentence. In turn, all that is between double hyphen (--...--) constitutes clarifying further information also added by me.
Aphorisms 1-10
१.१.१ वृद्धिरादैच्।
1.1.1 Vṛddhirādaic|
(The vowels) ā, ai and au (āt-aic) (are) Vṛddhi --protracted gradation-- (vṛddhiḥ).
Vṛddhi or protracted gradation, as postulated in the present aphorisms, results from adding "a" twice to the short vowels a, i, ī, u and ū, while Guṇa -strengthened gradation- is the result of adding "a" once to the same vowels. I will fully explain this topic under my explanations of the next two aphorisms.
१.१.२ अदेङ् गुणः।
1.1.2 Adeṅ guṇaḥ|
(The vowels) a, e and o (at-eṅ) (are) Guṇa --strengthened gradation-- (guṇaḥ).
Guṇa or strengthened gradation results from adding "a" once to the short vowels a, i, ī, u and ū. To make the addition, you have to follow simple rules of Sandhi or combination like this:
a + a = a (and not ā in this case, i.e. the Guṇa of "a" is the same "a")
a + i-ī = e
a + u-ū = o
Now, if I add "a" again to the Guṇa vowels (a, e and o), then I get Vṛddhi. Like this:
a + a = ā
a + e = ai
a + o = au
The process is very simple. I will continue to expand this subject-matter in my explanation of the next aphorism.
१.१.३ इको गुणवृद्धी।
1.1.3 Iko guṇavṛddhī|
(There is) Guṇa and Vṛddhi (guṇa-vṛddhī) of the "ik" vowels, i.e. i, ī, u, ū, ṛ, ṝ, ḷ and ḹ (ikaḥ).
Apart from a, i, ī, u and ū, there is also Guṇa and Vṛddhi of the vowels ṛ, ṝ, ḷ and ḹ, but the result is NOT other vowels. Let us see how to generate them:
To form Guṇa, I add "a" once:
a + ṛ-ṝ = ar
a + ḷ-ḹ = al
And to form Vṛddhi I need to add "a" again but to the Guṇa forms, like this:
a + ar = ār
a + al = āl
By means of a simple table, I summarize now all the teachings given in these three first aphorisms:
| Type | Vowels | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weakened Gradation (simple vowels) | a | i-ī | u-ū | ṛ-ṝ | ḷ-ḹ |
| Strengthened Gradation (Guṇa) | a | e | o | ar | al |
| Protracted Gradation (Vṛddhi) | ā | ai | au | ār | āl |
Specifying that there is Guṇa and Vṛddhi only for these letters, Pāṇini is indicating that there is no strengthened or protracted gradation for: (1) Consonants, (2) diphthongs (e, o, ai and au) and (3) the vowel ā.
Guṇa and Vṛddhi are abundantly utilized in conjugations, additions of affixes, etc. All in all, these first three rules are extremely important. Hence they were mentioned at the beginning.
१.१.४ न धातुलोप आर्धधातुके।
1.1.4 Na dhātulopa ārdhadhātuke|
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१.१.५ ग्किङति च। or १.१.५ क्ङितिच।
1.1.5 Gkiṅati ca| or 1.1.5 Kṅitica|
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१.१.६ दीधीवेवीटाम्।
1.1.6 Dīdhīvevīṭām|
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१.१.७ हलोऽनन्तराः संयोगः।
1.1.7 Halo'nantarāḥ saṁyogaḥ|
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१.१.८ मुखनासिकावचनोऽनुनासिकः।
1.1.8 Mukhanāsikāvacano'nunāsikaḥ|
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१.१.९ तुल्यास्यप्रयत्नं सवर्णम्।
1.1.9 Tulyāsyaprayatnaṁ savarṇam|
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१.१.१० नाज्झलौ।
1.1.10 Nājjhalau|
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Aphorisms 11-20
१.१.११ ईदूदेद्द्विवचनं प्रगृह्यम्।
1.1.11 Īdūdeddvivacanaṁ pragṛhyam|
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१.१.१२ अदसो मात्।
1.1.12 Adaso māt|
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१.१.१३ शे।
1.1.13 Śe|
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१.१.१४ निपात एकाजनाङ्।
1.1.14 Nipāta ekājanāṅ|
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१.१.१५ ओत्।
1.1.15 Ot|
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१.१.१६ सम्बुद्धौ शाकल्यस्येतावनार्षे।
1.1.16 Sambuddhau śākalyasyetāvanārṣe|
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१.१.१७ उञः।
1.1.17 Uñaḥ|
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१.१.१८ ऊम्ँ।
1.1.18 Ūm̐|
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१.१.१९ ईदूतौ च सप्तम्यर्थे।
1.1.19 Īdūtau ca saptamyarthe|
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१.१.२० दाधा घ्वदाप्।
1.1.20 Dādhā ghvadāp|
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Aphorisms 21-30
१.१.२१ आद्यन्तवदेकस्मिन्।
1.1.21 Ādyantavadekasmin|
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१.१.२२ तरप्तमपौ घः।
1.1.22 Taraptamapau ghaḥ|
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१.१.२३ बहुगणवतुडति सङ्ख्या।
1.1.23 Bahugaṇavatuḍati saṅkhyā|
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१.१.२४ ष्णान्ता षट्।
1.1.24 Ṣṇāntā ṣaṭ|
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१.१.२५ डति च।
1.1.25 Ḍati ca|
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१.१.२६ क्तक्तवतू निष्ठा।
1.1.26 Ktaktavatū niṣṭhā|
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१.१.२७ सर्वादीनि सर्वनामानि।
1.1.27 Sarvādīni sarvanāmāni|
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१.१.२८ विभाषा दिक्समासे बहुव्रीहौ।
1.1.28 Vibhāṣā diksamāse bahuvrīhau|
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१.१.२९ न बहुव्रीहौ।
1.1.29 Na bahuvrīhau|
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१.१.३० तृतीयासमासे।
1.1.30 Tṛtīyāsamāse|
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Aphorisms 31-40
१.१.३१ द्वन्द्वे च।
1.1.31 Dvandve ca|
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१.१.३२ विभाषा जसि।
1.1.32 Vibhāṣā jasi|
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१.१.३३ प्रथमचरमतयाल्पार्धकतिपयनेमाश्च।
1.1.33 Prathamacaramatayālpārdhakatipayanemāśca|
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१.१.३४ पूर्वपरावरदक्षिणोत्तरापराधराणि व्यवस्थायामसञ्ज्ञायाम्।
1.1.34 Pūrvaparāvaradakṣiṇottarāparādharāṇi vyavasthāyāmasañjñāyām|
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१.१.३५ स्वमज्ञातिधनाख्यायाम्।
1.1.35 Svamajñātidhanākhyāyām|
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१.१.३६ अन्तरं बहिर्योगोपसंव्यानयोः।
1.1.36 Antaraṁ bahiryogopasaṁvyānayoḥ|
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१.१.३७ स्वरादिनिपातमव्ययम्।
1.1.37 Svarādinipātamavyayam|
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१.१.३८ तद्धितश्चासर्वविभक्तिः।
1.1.38 Taddhitaścāsarvavibhaktiḥ|
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१.१.३९ कृन्मेजन्तः।
1.1.39 Kṛnmejantaḥ|
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१.१.४० क्त्वातोसुन्कसुनः।
1.1.40 Ktvātosunkasunaḥ|
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Aphorisms 41-50
१.१.४१ अव्ययीभावश्च।
1.1.41 Avyayībhāvaśca|
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१.१.४२ शि सर्वनामस्थानम्।
1.1.42 Śi sarvanāmasthānam|
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१.१.४३ सुडनपुंसकस्य।
1.1.43 Suḍanapuṁsakasya|
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१.१.४४ न वेति विभाषा।
1.1.44 Na veti vibhāṣā|
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१.१.४५ इग्यणः सम्प्रसारणम्।
1.1.45 Igyaṇaḥ samprasāraṇam|
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१.१.४६ आद्यन्तौ टकितौ।
1.1.46 Ādyantau ṭakitau|
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१.१.४७ मिदचोऽन्त्यात्परः।
1.1.47 Midaco'ntyātparaḥ|
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१.१.४८ एच इग्घ्रस्वादेशे।
1.1.48 Eca igghrasvādeśe|
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१.१.४९ षष्ठी स्थानेयोगा।
1.1.49 Ṣaṣṭhī sthāneyogā|
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१.१.५० स्थानेऽन्तरतमः।
1.1.50 Sthāne'ntaratamaḥ|
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Aphorisms 51-60
१.१.५१ उरण् रपरः।
1.1.51 Uraṇ raparaḥ|
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१.१.५२ अलोऽन्त्यस्य।
1.1.52 Alo'ntyasya|
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१.१.५३ ङिच्च।
1.1.53 Ṅicca|
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१.१.५४ आदेः परस्य।
1.1.54 Ādeḥ parasya|
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१.१.५५ अनेकाल्शित्सर्वस्य।
1.1.55 Anekālśitsarvasya|
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१.१.५६ स्थानिवदादेशोऽनल्विधौ।
1.1.56 Sthānivadādeśo'nalvidhau|
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१.१.५७ अचः परस्मिन् पूर्वविधौ।
1.1.57 Acaḥ parasmin pūrvavidhau|
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१.१.५८ न पदान्तद्विर्वचनवरेयलोपस्वरसवर्णानुस्वारदीर्घजश्चर्विधिषु।
1.1.58 Na padāntadvirvacanavareyalopasvarasavarṇānusvāradīrghajaścarvidhiṣu|
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१.१.५९ द्विर्वचनेऽचि।
1.1.59 Dvirvacane'ci|
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१.१.६० अदर्शनं लोपः।
1.1.60 Adarśanaṁ lopaḥ|
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Aphorisms 61-70
१.१.६१ प्रत्ययस्य लुक्श्लुलुपः।
1.1.61 Pratyayasya lukślulupaḥ|
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१.१.६२ प्रत्ययलोपे प्रत्ययलक्षणम्।
1.1.62 Pratyayalope pratyayalakṣaṇam|
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१.१.६३ न लुमताऽङ्गस्य।
1.1.63 Na lumatā'ṅgasya|
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१.१.६४ अचोऽन्त्यादि टि।
1.1.64 Aco'ntyādi ṭi|
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१.१.६५ अलोऽन्त्यात् पूर्व उपधा।
1.1.65 Alo'ntyāt pūrva upadhā|
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१.१.६६ तस्मिन्निति निर्दिष्टे पूर्वस्य।
1.1.66 Tasminniti nirdiṣṭe pūrvasya|
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१.१.६७ तस्मादित्युत्तरस्य।
1.1.67 Tasmādityuttarasya|
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१.१.६८ स्वं रूपं शब्दस्याशब्दसञ्ज्ञा।
1.1.68 Svaṁ rūpaṁ śabdasyāśabdasañjñā|
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१.१.६९ अणुदित् सवर्णस्य चाप्रत्ययः।
1.1.69 Aṇudit savarṇasya cāpratyayaḥ|
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१.१.७० तपरस्तत्कालस्य।
1.1.70 Taparastatkālasya|
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Aphorisms 71-75
१.१.७१ आदिरन्त्येन सहेता।
1.1.71 Ādirantyena sahetā|
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१.१.७२ येन विधिस्तदन्तस्य।
1.1.72 Yena vidhistadantasya|
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१.१.७३ वृद्धिर्यस्याचामादिस्तद् वृद्धम्।
1.1.73 Vṛddhiryasyācāmādistad vṛddham|
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१.१.७४ त्यदादीनि च।
1.1.74 Tyadādīni ca|
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१.१.७५ एङ् प्राचां देशे।
1.1.75 Eṅ prācāṁ deśe|
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EXPLANATION IS IN PROGRESS WITH NO POLISHING YET
Further Information
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