Sandhi (e): Vyañjanasandhi

Combination of consonants presents complicated variations and this topic is spread over mainly in the first Pāda of the sixth chapter and third and fourth pādas of the eigth chapter of Aṣṭādhyāyī. In Vāsudevavijaya also, the examples for Vyañjanasandhi is found scattered as seen in Aṣṭādhyayī. The rules regarding Vyañjanasandhi of the first pāda of the sixth chapter in Aṣṭādhyāyī are illustrated in the first canto of Vāsudevavijaya, where as the rules in the eight chapter are treated in the seventh canto.

The following verse contains examples for many rules regarding this subject. The verse is..

asyā vadhātpuṇyamahīruho ruṣā cchāyāṃ bhavānacchidurāṃ sma mā cchidat |
kīrtiṃ manastāpahṛtaṃ visṛtvarīṃ hrīcchennako duryaśasāmalīmasaḥ || (Vāsudevavijaya 1/47)

The rule saṃhitāyām (6/1/72) is a domain rule under which most of the rules are arranged. Then the following rule che ca (6/1/73) prescribes that the short vowel has the augment t (tuk) added to it when followed by cha | Here in the verse, acchidurāṃ is given as an example for this rule. chidurā -chedanaśīlā | na chidurā → acchidurā | nachidurā → achidurā (nalopo nañaḥ). In this state, short a has got the augment tuk (t) as it follows the letter cha | Then the form at chidurā and the t will be changed as c by the rule stoḥ ścunā ścuḥ, hence the form ac chidurā→ acchidurā |

The three subsequent rule viz. āṅmāṅośca (6/1/74) dīrghat (6/1/75) and padāntāndvā (6/1/76) are illustrated in the same verse itself. In these three rules, the augment tuk is introduced as a result of vowel-consonant combination. According to the rule āṅmāṅośca (6/1/74), the particles āṅ and māṅ take the augment tuk when follows cha | The word mācchidat in the above verse forms example for this rule. mā + chidat→ mācchidat | Here the particle māṅ (prohibition) is followed by cha (chidat) and as per this rule the augment tuk takes place. māt + chidat; Then the t will changed as c as per stoḥ ścunā ścuḥ and have the form mācchidat |

In the same way, the rule dīrghāt (6/1/75) states that the augment tuk is employed, when cha follows a long vowel. This is illustrated as hrīcched | In the state hī + ched, the long vowel ī followed by cha has the augment t by this rule. hrīt + chet | Then t is altered as c as per stoḥ ścunā ścuḥ | Thus the form hrīcched |

The next rule padāntādvā (6/1/76) prescribing the addition of the augment tuk optionally. The rule enjoins that when a long vowel coming at the end of the pada is followed by ch, it has the augment tuk optionally added to it. This rule is exemplified as ruṣā cchāyām | ruṣā + chāyām | Here the long vowel ā is at the end of the word ruṣā and it is followed by chā | Then there is the addition of the augment tuk and forms ruṣā t chāyā | Then t changed as c as per the rule stoḥ ścunā ścuḥ | ruṣācchāyā ||

The rules concerned with Sandhi of consonants are dealt with Pāṇini in the third and fourth Pādas of Aṣṭādhāyī. These rules are illustrated in various verses of the seventh canto of Vāsudevavijaya, by Vāsudeva.

The substitute ru which has been introduced at the beginning of the third Pāda is a prominent one. The rules regarding the substitute ru are discussed in the verses.

atha puṃskokilālāpā bālikā vratasaṃskṛtāḥ |
aicchat ramayituṃ devaḥ kāṃskān nṝṃḥspānti neśvarāḥ || (Vāsudevavijaya 7.35)

The rule samaḥ suṭi (8/3/5) enjoins that ru is substituted for the final m of sam when it is followed by the augment suṭ | In the verse, saṃskṛtā is the example given to illustrate this rule. In sam + kṛ + ta the augment suṭ is added as per the rule samparibhyāṃ karotaubhūṣaṇe (6/1/137).^[1] Then sam + s + kṛ + tā. Here the substitute ru is enjoined for the final m of sam according to the above stated rule (samaḥ suṭi) . The change would therefore be sar + s + kṛ + tā | Now according to the heading rule anunāsikaḥ pūrvasya tu vā (8.3.2), the letter preceding ru is optionally nasalized. At this stage one more rule viz. anunāsikātparo'nusvāraḥ (8/3/4) becomes applicable. This rule provides that anusvāra is augment of what precedes ru, when it is not nasalized. Thus the form will be saṃr + s + kṛ + tā | Now by the rule kharasānayorvisarjanīyaḥ (8.1.15), the r standing at the end of the word saṃr is substituted by visarga. Then the Vārtika saṃpuṃkānāṃ so vaktavyaḥ which informs that sa is necessarily the substitute for the visarga of sam, pum and kān comes in. then the form will be saṃskṛtā→ saṃskṛtā |

Vāsudeva illustrates there rules and one Vārtika regarding the augment ru in Vyañjanasandhi with a single word. Then in the same verse, the rule pumaḥ khayyampare (8/3/16) is illustrated. puṃskokila is the example for this rule. the rule states that ru is substituted for m of pum when khay followed by a vowel or semi-vowel or a nasal (am) puṃs + kokila→ pum + kokilaḥ; when s of puṃs is dropped by the rule saṃyogāntasya lopaḥ (8/2/23). Then m of pum enjoined is substituted by ru, and resulted in pum + r + kokilaḥ |T hen according to the rule anunāsikāt

paro%nusvāraḥ(8/3/4), the r is optionally preceded by Anusvāra and the r is substituted by visarga as per kharavasānayorvisarjanīyaḥ and the visarga has substituted as s by the Vārtika saṃpukānāṃ so vaktavyaḥ | Thus have the form puṃskokila |

The rule nṝnpe (8/3/10) states that n in nṝn is optionally substituted by ru when it is followed by the letter pa | nṝṃ pānti is the instance in Vāsudevavijaya, which is incorporated in the above verse itself. In the state nṝn + pānti applied the rule nṝnpe and ru is substituted here.

Another rule kānāmreḍite (8/3/12) is also exemplified here. The rule ordains that the ru is the substitution for n of kān, when it is followed by a reduplicative. The example is kāṃskān = kān + kān |

In this manner the rules regarding Vyañjanasandhi are illustrated comprehensively in Vāsudevavijaya He omits only some rules. Some Vārtikas are also taken here for illustration.

As a whole, Vāsudeva illustrates each and every form of Sandhis such as Svra, Vyañjana etc. Almost all rules regarding combination is well illustrated in Vāsudevavijaya Vāsudeva keeps the definite order of rules as seen in Aṣṭādhyāyī. In the case of Vārtikas, he is reluctant of illustrate them, but in some cases some Vārtikas are included.

Vāsudeva has made use of the aphorisms to explore these implications through usages up to an extent. While illustrating the poems, these citations will be of substantial value for the fields of Śāstrakavya literature.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

When kṛ is preceded by sam or pari, in the sense of embellishment, the augment suṭ is prefered to kṛ |