S; Sk t &;-;; pircy

An Introduction to Sanskrit : Unit XX

M. R. Dwarakanath
;Ib;,&ivrict;y;'
;Ib;,&ivrict;y;' k;dMbrIkq;y;' JjiynIv,Rnm
We will continue with the translation of the
1st sentence of Banas description of the city

su&;iWtVysinn; and who are ever calm

[m,I,s] p[x;Nten .

of Ujjayini in his Kadambari, from where we

left off at the end of Unit XIX.

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by

sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who are
always generous [m,I,s] sttdi=,en (pun
on di=,) like [I] Ev the breeze of spring

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by

sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who know
and discern all the sciences, [m,I,s]
skliv_;nivxeWivd; who are generous,
[m,I,s] vd;Nyen who are skilled at any task,

[m,I,s] suri&m;sm;ten .
(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by
sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who are
inwardly honest and upright [m,I,s]
aNtsrlen like [I] (
Ev the straight trees

[m,I,s] d=e, who are smiling even as they

initiate
conversation,
[m,I,s]
iSmtpUvR;i&&;iW,; who are charmingly witty,
[m,I,s] pirh;spexlen who don bright clean

of
the
Himalaya
ihmigirk;nnen .

clothes, [m,I,s] vlvexen who are

instructed in the languages of all nations,
[m,I,s] ixi=t;xeWdex&;We, who are skilled in
double entendres, [m,I,s] voiKtinpu,en

forest

[m,I,s]

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by

sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who are
adept in worship of Rama [m,I,s]
r;m;r;/ninpu,en like[I]
[m,I,s] l+m,en .

who are skilled in the subtleties of rhetoric,

(familiarity in communicating certain works
of prose) [m,I,s] a;:y;iyk;:y;npircycture,
who are knowledgeable about various
scripts,
[m,I,s]
are
svRilip_en who
passionate
about
Mahabharata
and
Ramayana
epics,
[m,I,s]

Ev

Lakshmana

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by

sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who
exhibit prowess in Bharatanatya [m,I,s]
a;iv-kOt&rtpircyen
like
[I]
Ev
Shatrughna [m,I,s] x]u`en
. Here the
reference is to Shatrughnas intimate
familiarity with his brother Bharata as well
as the dance form of Bharata.

mh;&;rtpur;,r;m;y,;nur;ig,; who are skilled in

fantastic tales, [m,I,s] bOhTkq;kuxlen who
excel at all arts including gambling, [m,I,s]
Ut;idkl;kl;pp;rge, who
love
the
scriptures, [m,I,s] ^utr;ig,; who are
addicted
to
sweet
talk,
[m,I,s]

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by

sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who
follow their friends [m,I,s] im];nuvitRn; like
17

[I] Ev the day follows the sun

[m,I,s] idvsen . Here, the play is on the
word im] which can mean the sun or friend!

Parijata [f,N,s] kLpvO=; . With walls

decorated [f,I,pl] ic]i&iTti& like [I] Ev
the revelation of the cosmic form [f,N,s]
dixRtivp; .

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by

sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who are

Now we see aspects of the city in direct

adept at arguing that everything exists

[m,I,s] sv;RiStv;dxUre, like [I] Ev the

similes.
Resembling
a
red
ruby
[f,N,s]
pr;g;nur;ig,I like[I] Ev the dusk [f,N,s]
sN?y; . Purified by the smoke of the fires
of
numerous
sacrifices
[f,N,s]

Buddhists [m,I,s] b*en .

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by
sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who are
associated with important people [m,I,s]
p[/;npuWopeten like [I] Ev the Sankhya
philosophy (pun
s;:y;gmen .

on

p[/;npuW)

m%xt;nl/UmpUt; like[I] Ev the visage of

Indra [f,N,s] amr;i/pmUitR . The laughter
emanating from beautiful whitewashed

[m,I,s]

mansions [f,N,s] su/;/vl;h;s; like [I]

Ev the dance of Shiva [f,N,s]
pxupitl;SyI@; . The
golden
houses
[f,N,s] j;tp=y; like [I] Ev a elderly

(The city is inhabited [f,N,s] ai/it; by

sportive people [m,I,s] ivl;isjnen) who fear
for all forms of life [m,I,s] jIv;nukiMpn; like
[I] Ev the Jains [m,I,s] ijn/meR, . In
these statements, personal philosophies of

(bejeweled) lady [f,N,s] vO; . Beguiling

as
the
seat
of
Vishnu
[f,N,s]
aCyutiSqitrm,Iy; like [I] Ev the visage of
Garuda
[f,N,s] g@mUitR . All
the

materialism, compassion etc. are compared

to the religious philosophies.

enlightened subjects [f,N,s] p[busvRlok;

like [I] Ev at the time of waking
(enlightenment) [f,N,s] p[&;tvel; . Houses
whitened by ivory and bedecked with
beautiful
hanging
fans
[m,N,pl]

Now we depart from the description of the

inhabitants of Ujjayini to the description of
other features in the city.
(It was) as if [I] Ev The city [f,N,s] ngrI

avliMbtc;c;mrn;gdNt/vlgOh; like [I] Ev

the residence of aborigines [f,N,s]
xbrvsit . The mountains always situated

by name [I] n;m Ujjayini [f,N,s] ;iynI

in the province of Avanti [f,L,pl] avNtIWu
surpassed the splendor of the abode of gods
With palaces [m,I,pl] p[;s;dw like[I] Ev
mountains with peaks [f,N,s] sxwl; .
With mansions [n,I,pl] mh;&vnw like [I]

near by [f,N,s] sd;s;vsu/;/r; like [I]

Ev the (resting) body of the serpent
Shesha [f,N,s] xeWtnu. Great sounds filling
in
all
directions
[f,N,s]
mh;`oWpUirtidgNtr; like [I] Ev at the time

Ev a city with suburbs [f,N,s]

sx;%;ngrI . With noble people [m,I,pl]
sTpuWw like [I] Ev the tree of paradise,

of the churning of the ocean [f,N,s]

jli/mqnvel; . Thousands of golden pots
placed [f,N,s] si;ihtknk`$shs[; as if [I]

[f,N,s] ivijt;mrlokuit . Such a city

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Ev (it was) the land set for a coronation

[f,N,s] p[Stut;i&Wek&Uim . Figures deserving
of great thrones [f,N,s] mh;ish;snoictmUitR
like [I] Ev Gowri (who rides a lion pun

[f,N,s] iSqr; . Such was the city of

Ujjayini.
subNtp[kr,m : Declension (Contd.)
We will continue where we left off in unit
XVIII to gain a general familiarity with
iv&iKtp[Tyy; . To recap, the terminations are

on ish;sn) [f,N,s] g*rI . (Ujjayinis

populace) in service of a multitude of
lineages of gods [f,N,s] devkulshs[seVy;
like [I] Ev Aditi (who was worshipped by

added to the p[;itpidkm . This process is most

straightforward
when
either
the
p[;itpidkm ends in a consonant or the affix
begins with one.

her many children, the gods) [f,N,s]

aidit . (Ujjayinis
populace)
have
displayed the play of golden dice [f,N,s]
dixRtihr<y;=p;t; like [I] Ev the play of

12. Instrumental singular takes the affix

the great incarnation Varaha [f,N,s]

mh;vr;hill; pun on ihr<y;= . (Ujjayinis
populace) made the realms of paramours

a; . However, r;me, hir,; gu,; are best

memorized. and ER ending nominals
behave familiarly iptO ip]; ndI n; .

happy [f,N,s] a;niNdt&ujlok; like [I]

Ev the body of the sage Astika (who
foiled the great serpent sacrifice) [f,N,s]
a;StIktnu pun on &uj . (Ujjayini) is

Some of the ER ending nominals where

the ER or belongs to a verbal root may be
treated as E+E + . S]I iS]y; &U &uv; .
Neuter
nouns
take
an
additional

fascinating with many children at play

[f,N,s] anekb;lI@;rm,Iy; like [I] Ev the
story of Harivamsa [f,N,s] hirvxkq; .

n . m/u m/un; v;ir v;ir,; .

13. Dative singular takes the affix
A . r;m;y fl;y rm;yw
are
again,
best
memorized. ending nominals behave the
same
as
in
instrumental
singular.

In the following, the author paints a picture

of Ujjayini in contrasts. How the same place

iptO ip]e . hir hrye mit mTyw v; mtye .

Either the final vowel or the affix is
strengthened by gu, v; vOi . Neuter nouns
take on the additional n . m/u m/u ne .
However, di/ d/e .

can look very different when viewed

differently.
Although [I] aip the women folk are
enjoying
themselves
vividly
[f,N,s]
p[k$;nop&og; their behavior is not
censured [f,N,s] a%i<@tcir]; . Although
[I] aip red in color [f,N,s] rKtv,;R the
(houses) are white washed [f,N,s]
su/;/vl; . Although [I] aip pearl
necklaces abound [f,N,s] avliMbtmuKt;kl;p;

14. Ablative and possessive singular take

the affix a . These two cases have
identical
forms
except
for
a r;m;t r;mSy ending nouns and most
pronouns. Notice below how the two

it seems undecorated [f,N,s] ivh;r&UW,; .

Although [I] aip variegated by nature
(fickle minded) [f,N,s] bhup[kOit it is stable

vowels appear to change positions and an

occasional strengthening of the vowel :
hir hre mit mTy; mte /enu /eNv; /eno
19

r;m r;m* r;m; . hir hrI hry . /;t; /;t;r* /;t;

r . rm; rme rm; . ndI n* n . S]I iS]y* iS
]y . mt mt* mt . r;j; r;j;n* r;j;n . k
rI kir,* kir, . ve/; ve/s* ve/s

. However, iptO iptu . Neuter nouns once

again take n . m/u m/un .
15. Possessive and locative dual take the
affix ao . These two cases have identical
forms. For a ending nouns and most
pronouns y is added r;myo rmyo.
ending
nominals
behave
familiarly.
iptO ip]o . Neuter nouns once again take

We conclude this section on declension by

again noting that the foregoing is to be
taken strictly as rules-of-thumb.
Influence of Sanskrit on Indo-European
languages:

n . m/u m/uno .
16.

Locative

singular

takes

the

It is well known that words like father,

mother, sister, daughter, you, me and some

affix

E . Sometimes, the final vowel is replaced

by a* v; a;m . hir hr* ndI n;m . rm;
rm;y;m . But &U &uiv . is strengthened

numbers have their origin in Sanskrit. This

similarity becomes more apparent when we
look, not just at English, but include Latin,

iptO iptir . Neuter nouns once again take

n . m/u m/uin .

Greek and German. It seemed fun to

compile a few not so familiar words.

17. We will now briefly touch on the 5

highlighted boxes in Unit XVIII.

ajR

earn

yu

unite

kOt

cut

r;y

royalty

Ur

cruel

rue

Nd ux

cry

ilh

lick

g[;vn

gravel

lI

lean

cow

vr<@

veranda

mht mhtI mh;iNt . pct pcNtI pciNt .

g*
g[h

grasp

vx

wish

kmR kmR,I km;Ri, . mn mnsI mn;is .

j;nu

genu(l)

sm

same

_;

gnosis

isv

sew

tt

that

sUnu

son

Tvm

thou

isv

sew

B. Masculine and feminine nouns have

N;;m

name

s_;

sign

identical duals in nominative and

accusative. Also Accusative singular always
ends in m v; am . Thus, we need again to
look at only the nominative patterns. A few
common types are as follows:

N;;s;

nose

St

strew

P;;d

ped(l)

Sq;

stand

peWi,

pestle

Sn;yu

sinew

mns

mind

iSvd

sweat

A. The neuter nouns have identical forms in

the nominative and accusative. Typical
forms are:
flm fle fl;in . v;ir v;ir,I v;rIi, .

Notice the consistency of the short and long

vowels patterns.

tumul

20

tumult x xIyRte

shear

cUi,Rt =u<, ainl

sIm; my;Rd;

With this unit, we conclude these Sanskrit

lessons. I am deeply indebted to SVBF for
giving me the rare opportunity to write
these articles for this esteemed journal,

T;xSy p[itp=

di/ smud[

kpURr a;rit

although baring my ignorance in the

process. I am hugely indebted to Sri Satish
Karandikar who has painstakingly corrected
many, many errors in proof. However, the

nIloTpl

l`omRTvqIRy

b;/

bother

iSm

smile

left over errors are entirely mine and mine

alone.
6

Sanskrit Crossword #19

(One syllable per box)

10

Clues Across:
1

b[;Hm,

bi/r v; ak,R

p[Sq;n]yy;m Ak;

M;;t;

inpu, p[vI, suSqt; ETy;dy

10

nIloTpl

11

in-kp$ srl p[&Oty

12

suNdr; l;v<y

13

nOto i,jNt

11

12
13

1. Solution to crossword # 18
1 rd . 4 vwir . 5 m/usUdn . 6 aiNtm . 8 ay
n . 10 hvn . 11 rjnI . 12 vtRnI . 13 y_S
q; 2 dmyNtI . 3 asUy . 4 vwntey . 6 avr
j . 7 mhnIy . 8 anvSq; . 9 nvnIt
^IkO-,;pR,mStu

Clues Down:

21