Sandhi - Rules

 Sandhi (संधिः saṃdhiḥ)

• A Sandhi is possible in all the places where there is a “+” above. The ending sound before the “+” and the beginning sound after the “+” may change as per euphonic laws. We touched briefly on this in lessons 1 and 3.
• The Sandhi between words is called an external Sandhi, while the Sandhi within a word is called an internal Sandhi.
• The rules for external Sandhi and internal Sandhi are mainly the same. But there are some differences.
  • In lesson 3, we said that to form the thematic verb stem of the class 1 roots, √bhū, √nī etc., in internal Sandhi, e + a becomes aya .
    • √nī  √नी –> gunated –> ne  ने + a अ –> naya  नय
  • but in external Sandhi, the intervening “y” is dropped and the hiatus remains
    • nagare + iha –> nagara iha [not nagarayiha as would have happened in internal Sandhi]
• In this lesson we will mainly deal with external Sandhi. We will mention any different rule for internal Sandhi if and when required.

  rājāsīt  राजासीत्  =>  राजा  + आसीत्     

Vowel Sandhis

1. Generally, hiatus (break between vowels) is forbidden.

2. Two similar simple vowels coalesce to from the corresponding long vowel

• अ (a) or आ (ā) + अ (a) or आ (ā) = आ (ā)
  • rājā  āsīt  राजा  आसीत् –>  rājāsīt  राजासीत्   [आ (ā) + आ (ā) = आ (ā)] [ There was a king]
  • rāmasya astram  रामस्य अस्त्रम् –> rāmasyāstram रामस्यास्त्रम्  [अ (a) + अ (a) = आ (ā)] [Rama’s missile]
  • rāmasya ācāryaḥ  रामस्य आचार्यः –> rāmasyācāryaḥ रामस्याचार्यः [अ (a) + आ (ā) = आ (ā)] [Rama’s teacher]
  • rājā + asti  राजा + अस्ति = rājāsti  राजास्ति   [आ (ā)  + अ (a) = आ (ā)] [There is a king]
  • mumūrṣuriva + abhavat –> mumūrṣurivābhavat [From the Hitopadesha story in lesson 4]
•  इ (i) or  ई  (ī) +  इ (i) or  ई  (ī) = ई  (ī)
  • hi + iti  हि + इति =  hīti हीति etc.
  • gardabhī +iyam –> gardabhīyam [From the Hitopadesha story in lesson 4]
• उ (u) or ऊ (ū) + उ (u) or ऊ (ū) = ऊ (ū)
  • sādhu + uktam  साधु + उक्तम् = sādhūktam साधूक्तम्
  • su-uktam सु – उक्तम् becomes  sūktam  सूक्तम् [internal combination within a word]

3. Combination of “a” with following dissimilar vowels and diphthongs

•  अ (a) or आ (ā) + इ (i) or  ई (ī) = ए (e)
  • rāmasya + icchā  रामस्य + इच्छा = rāmasyecchā रामस्येच्छा [Rama’s wish]
  • rāja –  indraḥ राज – इन्द्रः becomes  rājendraḥ   राजेन्द्रः [internal combination within a word]
• अ (a) or आ (ā) + ए (e) or ऐ (ai) = ऐ (ai)
  • rāmasya + eva + asti रामस्य + एव + अस्ति rāmasyaivāsti  रामस्यैवास्ति [(It) is surely Rama’s] [Here you can see a + e and also a + a]
  • atha + ekadā  –> athaikadā [From the Hitopadesha story in lesson 4]
• अ (a) or आ (ā) + उ (u) or ऊ (ū) = ओ (o)
  • rāmasya + upānat रामस्य + उपानत् = rāmasyopānat  रामस्योपानत् [Rama’s shoe]
  • hita – upadeśaḥ हित – उपदेशः becomes  hitopadeśaḥ   हितोपदेशः  [internal combination within a word]
• अ (a) or आ (ā) + ओ(o) or औ(au) = औ (au)
  • rāmasya + oṣṭhau रामस्य + ओष्ठौ = rāmasyauṣṭhau रामस्यौष्ठौ [Rama’s lips]
• अ (a) or आ (ā) +  ऋ (r̥) = अर् (ar)
  • rāmasya + r̥k  रामस्य + ऋक् = rāmasyark  रामस्यर्क् [Rama’s verse]
  • mahā – r̥ṣiḥ महा – ऋषिः becomes maharṣiḥ  महर्षिः [internal combination within a word]

4. Combination of non-a and non-ā vowels with dissimilar vowels and diphthongs

• The vowels इ (i) ई (ī), उ (u) ऊ (ū) and ऋ (r̥) before a dissimilar vowel or diphthong are converted into the corresponding semivowels, य् (y), व् (v), र् (r) respectively.
• Examples
  • iti + āha इति + आह = ityāha   इत्याह [(He) said thus]
  • madhu + iva मधु + इव = madhviva   मध्विव [Like honey]
  • dātr̥ + asti दातृ + अस्ति = dātrasti   दात्रस्ति [That which gives exists]
  • vi – uṣṭi वि – उष्टि becomes vyuṣṭi  व्युष्टि [internal combination within a word]
  • su – iṣṭa सु – इष्ट becomes sviṣṭa  स्विष्ट [internal combination within a word]
  • nadi – au नदि – औ becomes nadyau  नद्यौ [internal combination within a word]
  • paśyati abuddhimān –> paśyatyabuddhimān [From the Hitopadesha story in lesson 4]

5. Combination of the diphthongs with “a”

• After ए (e) or ओ (o) an initial अ (a) disappears. The अ (a) that disappears is indicated by the “avagraha” sign ऽ. In the Roman script it is indicated by the quote sign ‘. The avagraha has no pronunciation.
• Examples
  • te + abruvan ते + अब्रुवन् = te’bruvan  तेऽब्रुवन् [They said] [Pronounced as tebruvan  तेब्रुवन्]
  • so + abravīt सो + अब्रवीत् =  so’bravīt   सोऽब्रवीत् [He said] [Pronounced as sobravīt   सोब्रवीत् ] [Note: the सो (so) here stands for  सः (saḥ). We will learn about how the visarga changes to “so” later]

6. Combination of ए (e) and ऐ (ai) with non-a vowels

• Before a non-a vowel, ए (e) becomes अ (a) and ऐ (ai) becomes आ (ā). The non-a vowel remains unchanged and the hiatus remains. That is the two words don’t combine any further!]
  • te + āgatāḥ  ते + आगताः = ta āgatāḥ त आगताः [They are come]
  • nagare + iha  नगरे + इह = nagara iha नगर इह [Here in the city]
  • tasmai + adadāt  तस्मै + अददात् = tasmā adadāt तस्मा अददात् [He gave it to him]
  • striyai + uktam  स्त्रियै + उक्तम् = striyā uktam स्त्रिया उक्तम्

7. Combination of औ (au)

• औ (au) becomes āv  आव् before vowels and diphthongs
  • tau + eva तौ + एव = tāveva  तावेव

8. Uncombinable final vowels

• Some final vowels do not enter into Sandhi and remain unchanged before any following vowel or diphthong. The instances of these vowels are called प्रगृह्य (pragr̥hya).
•  ई (ī), ऊ (ū) and ए (e) of dual endings of both declensional and conjugational forms are प्रगृह्य (pragr̥hya).
• Example
  • harī apaśyatām  हरी अपश्यताम्; Two Haris saw. [Here the ई (ī) and अ (a) don’t combine to give the form haryapaśyatām  हर्यपश्यताम् which would otherwise happen]
• The final ई (ī) of amī  अमी [nominative plural of the masculine of pronoun adas  अदस्] is प्रगृह्य (pragr̥hya).
  • amī aśvāḥ  अमी अश्वाः – Yonder horses

Please study the first few verses of the नळोपाख्यानम् naḷopākhyānam   – The story of Nala – that I have analysed on a first level and uploaded here. This will help you understand how to analyse Sanskrit verses.

Also have a look at the quick dictionary that I have published. These contain a few simple words. There is also a link to a good online dictionary.

Exercises:

Translate into Sanskrit

1. Krishna went to the city [The object of the verb “go”, that is where the person is going to is rendered in the accusative]
2. Krishna or Rama saw the fruit
3. Where did Krishna go?
4. Hey Rama, Krishna is not here.
5. Rama, Krishna or Seeta went to the city