Kāraka (f): Apādāna

dhruvamapāye'pādānam (1/4/24) is the definition given by Pāṇini to Apādānakāraka. The Kāraka which functions as a point of departure is called Apādāna. The one which is in still firm when the departure takes place is Apādāna.

Bhartṛhari classifies this Kāraka under three heads.

nirdiṣṭaviṣayaṃ kiñcidupāttaviṣayaṃ tathā |
apekṣitakriyaṃ ceti tridhāpādānamucyate ||^[1]

Nirdiṣṭaviṣaya, Upāttaviṣaya and Apekṣitakriya are the three divisions of Apādāna.

Vāsudeva includes most of the rules of Apādāna for illustration. Vartikās are not discussed here in Vāsudevavijaya as it may not be the prime intention of the author.

Vāsudeva gives an example for the rule dhruvamapāye'pādānam (1/4/24) in the verse:—

nārāyaṇe rātrimaṭāṅganānāmasātaye tatra janiṣyamāṇe |
muktaṃ surairnākanagaprasūnaṃ papāta nakṣatrapathādanalpam || (Vāsudevavijaya 3.1)

Here, nakṣatrapathāt nākanagaprasūnaṃ papāta means that flowers of the Pārijāta fell down from the Heaven or Nakṣatrapatha. The departure takes place and the stable point is Nakṣatrapata from which the flowers are falling, is the matter of Apādānakāraka. Hence the word Nakṣtrapatha is Apādāna and it is used in Pañcamīvibakti as by the rule apādāne pañcamī.

After this, Vāudeva gives examples together in one verse for three important rules. They are bhītrārthānāṃ bhayahetuḥ (1/4/25), parājerasoḍhaḥ (1/4/26) and antardhau yenādarśanamicchati (1/4/28).

The verse for the illustration of these three rules is:—

yeṣāṃ parājeṣata vīryabhūmno yebhyaḥ purāntardadhate ca pūrvam |
muṣṭindhayebhyo'pi ca dānavebhyastebhyastadā nābibhayurdiviṣṭhāḥ || (Vāsudevavijaya 3.2)

Here, dānavebhyaḥ na abibhayuḥ forms the example for bhītrārthānāṃ bhayahetuḥ (1/4/25). In the case of words implying fear and protection from danger, that from which the danger or fear proceeds is called Apādāna. Here, abibhayuḥ is a verb which implies to become fear. (ñibhībhaye) Then the cause of the fear is Dānavās and thus they are called Apādāna as per this rule. At the same time the Apādāna, here the Dānavas, should be used in the fifth case (dānavebhyaḥ).

The next example given in the same verse is vīryabhūmnaḥ parājeṣata which is denoted for the rule parājerasoḍhaḥ (1/4/26) in the case of the verb parā + jī to be tired or weary of; the one which becomes unbearable is called Apādāna. In the example, the root jī—to conquer with the preposition parā is used. Here the unbearable thing is the valour or vīryabhū and thus it is the Apādāna which is used in the fifth i.e. vīryabhūmnaḥ |

The rule antardhau yenādarśanamicchati (1/4/28) is also illustrated here in this verse and the example given for this is yebhyaḥ antardadhate ‘from whom would they remain concealed’. According to this rule when concealment is indicated, the person whose sight one wishes to avoid is called Apādāna. Here the person intended by the Yacchabda is Apādāna, and that is used in fifth case as yebhyaḥ |

The one among these rules, vāraṇārthānāmīpsitaḥ (1/4/27) is omitted by Vāsudeva, likewise the next rules ākhyātopayoge (1/4/29) is also avoided.

He illustrates the rule janikartuḥ prakṛtiḥ (1/4/30) in the verse:—

iyānasāvityapi kalpakoṭyā durjñānasaubhāgyaviśeṣasīmā |
sutaḥ sa tādṛktrijagatpavitramāhātmyabhūmājani devakītaḥ ||(Vāsudevavijaya 3.9)

The example is devakītaḥ sutaḥ ajani |‘the son born out from Devakī’. The prime cause of the Agent of the verb jan to be born is called Apādāna. In this example, Devakī is the prime cause of the Agent of the root jan (ajani). So Devakī is Apādāna, and it is used in the fifth case (devakītaḥ) |

The next rule for Apādāna is bhuvaḥ prabhavaḥ (1/4/31) which is illustrated in the following verse:-

kalānidheḥ santamasasya hantuḥ patyuḥ satāmāttarateranante |
samudriyātprādita modamābhyāṃ vidhorbhavantī smitacandrikā sā || (Vāsudevavijaya 3.10)

Here, the source of the Agent of the root bhū to become is called Apādāna. In the example vidhoḥ bhavantī, the source of the smile or Candrikā is vidhuḥ, hence, it is called Apādāna and it employs fifth case.

Now, when one look into these examples the rules of Apādāna except one or two are well explained in Vāsudevavijaya, whereas the Vartikas are found excluded. At the same time, the rules for Pañcamīvibakti are included. Here, tries to discuss one or two examples for Pañcamīvibakti to know the manner of illustration in Vāsudevavijaya For the convenient access, all rules along with their respective examples are given in the appendix.

The rule akartaryṛṇe pañcamī (2/3/24) is taken here for discussion. A word, implying debt, considered as a cause but not as a Kartrī or Agent, takes the fifth case.

Vāsudeva gives an example for this in the verse,

pitrādīnāmṛṇād baddhaṃ prajādyaiḥ svaṃ vipāśya saḥ |
ninye'yāthākathācānāṃ rāyāṃ dānena vāsarān ||(Vāsudevavijaya 6.3)

Here the word ṛṇād is used in the fifth case as it denotes a debt. (He is bound by the debt of forefathers) Thus it is used in the Pañcamīvibakti.

In this way, Vāsudeva illustrates the rules regarding the fifth case and Apādānakāraka. More references and examples are given in the appendix.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

ibid.v.136