Ātmanepada (in Sanskrit grammar)

Sanskrit verbs are of two types called Parasmaipada and Ātmanepada. Parasmaipda words usually describe the activity done by others or result occurring to others. On the other hand Ātmanepada verb describes the activity done by itself or result occurring to the self.

The third Pāda of the first chapter of Aṣṭādhyāyi distributes the rules for Ātmamepadas and Parasmaipadas. There are almost eighty two rules regarding this section.

Now, the treatment of Ātmaepada and Parasmaepada rules in Vāsudevavijaya is subject to discussion. Vāsudeva deals these rules with the first and second cantos of Vāsudevavijaya

The first rule to define Ātmamepada is anudāttaṅita ātmanepadam (1/3/12). The root which has an indicatory anudātta vowel or an endicatory ṅ, employs the affixes of Ātmanepada (taṅ). The word Ātmanepada governs all the subsequent rules up to 1.3.77 inclusive.

Vāsudeva gives example for this rule in the verse—

vyatiprabhāno vividhastadoccakaiḥ tatraidhate māṅgalikaḥ sma nisvanaḥ |
rathena kaṃsapragṛhītaraśminā jāyāpatibhyāmatha niryaye śanaiḥ || (Vāsudevavijaya 1.35)

Here the form edhate which is formed from the root edha vṛddhau | The a in the root edha is anunāsika and which is an indicatory (it) as per upadeśe'janunāsika it (9/3/2). Thus as per the rule anudāttaṅita ātmanepadam, the Ātmanepada affixes would be employed from this shoot edha + ta →edhate |

The following rule bhāvakarmaṇoḥ (1/3/13) Ātmanepada affix is the substitute of the affix la, when it denotes the action of the verb (bhāve) or the object of the verb (karmaṇi) | niryaye is the example given in the verse for this rule is rathena niryaye | Here the root iṇ gatau denotes the object i.e. ratha of the verb. Thus it employs the Ātmanepada affix taṅ |

The same verse holds an example for the very next rule kartari karcyatihāre (1/3/14). The rule implies that in denoting the agent, when reciprocity of action is to be expressed, the affixes of Ātmanepada are employed. vyatiprabhānaḥ is the example given in the verse to illustrate the rule. vyatiprabhānaḥ → anyonyavinimayena prakarṣeṇa śobhamānaḥ | Here reciprocity of action takes place and thus it is an Ātmanepada.

Vāsudeva gives example for the Vārtika upasargādasyatyūhyorvā vacanam in the following verse—

śasrāpagoraṃ calatāṃ padoddhataṃ rajo bhaṭānāmadadhatprabhāṃ raveḥ |
kṣvelā ca vāditraninādamāṃsalāghanāghanānāṃ ninadaṃ nirāsthata || (Vāsudevavijaya 1.36)

The roots asu kṣepaṇe and ūhavitarke optionally take the affixes of Ātmanepada, when they follow after an upasarga in the verse nirasthateis the example for this Vārtika. It is formed from the root asu, prefixed by the upasarga nir | Thus as per this Vārtika, it Ātmanepada.

Then the two subsequent rules are formed to prohibit the Ātmanepada affixes. They are na gatihiṃsārthemyaḥ (1/3/15) and itaretarānyonyopapadācca (1/3/16).

These two rules are exemplified in the following verse.

padgāḥ salīlaṃ vyatijagmurutsukāḥ parasparaṃ vyatyabhavaṃśca veginaḥ |
anyonyamuccaircyatidadhvanuḥ pathinyavikṣatāntaḥ paramotsavonṛṇām || (Vāsudevavijaya 1.37)

The first rule, ordains that after verbs having the sense of motion (gati) or injury (hiṃsā) when expressing interchange of action, the Ātmanepada affixes are not used. Example given for this rule is vyatijagmuḥ | The word is derived from the root gam which has the sense gati motion. vyatijagmuḥ-kriyāvinimayena gatavantaḥ | Here as it bears the sense of motion, the Ātmanepada affixes are negated.

The latter one itaretarānyonyopapadācca means that after the verbs which take the words itaretara 'each other' and anyonya 'one another' as upapada, the affixes of Ātmanepada are not allowed though reciprocity of action be denoted. anyonyamuccaiḥ vyatidadhvanuḥ is the example for this rule. It means they made sounds loudly one another. Here as being the indication of the upapada anyonya, the Ātmanepada affixes are not be used.

In the verse, Vāsudeva exemplifies a Vārtika also viz. parasparopapadācceti vaktavyam | The above sated rule must also be applied when the word paraspara is in composition with the verb, as an upapada. Example is parasparaṃ vyatyabhavan | Here, as per the adjacent word paraspara, the taṅ affixes are not applied from the root bhū |

After illustrating this rule, Vāsudeva occupies another important rule of Ātmanepada in this verse itself. i.e. nerviśaḥ |A fter the verb viś 'to enter', when preceded by the preposition ni, the Ātmanepada affixes are employed. The word nyavikṣata in the verse forms example for this rule. The word is derived from the root viś with the prefix ni, thus it employs the affix of Ātmanepada.

Now, some of the important rules regarding Ātmanepada have to be discussed. The rules regarding stha and krīḍ are focused here in order to get a comprehensive picture of the treatment of the roots.

The following verse has several examples regarding these rules.

uttiṣṭhase karmaṇi kiṃ jugupsite saṃdihya dharme tvayi tiṣṭhate janaḥ |
saṃkrīḍatāṃ kīrtiradūṣitaiva te kā vā tvaraiṣā hyavatiṣṭhate vaśe || (Vāsudevavijaya 1.45)

Here, the rule krīḍo'nusaṃparibhyaśca (1/3/21) is illustrated as saṃkrīḍatām | The rule employs that after the verb krīḍ to play preceded by anu, sam or pari as well as āṅ, the Ātmanepada affix is used. In the present example saṃkrīḍatām, the root krīḍ is used with the prefix sam with loṭ lakāra and thus there employs the Ātmanepada affix.

After illustrating the root krīḍ, Vāsudeva gives examples for the rules regarding root stha | The word avatiṣṭhate is an example for the rule samavapravibhyaḥ sthaḥ (1/3/22). It implies that after the verb stha to stand, preceded by sam, ava, pra, or vi, the Ātmanepada conjugation is used. Here in the example the root stha is prefixed by ava and thus by the application of this rule, it is used in Ātmanepada. ava + stha + ta→ avatiṣṭhate |

The subsequent rule prakāśanastheyākhyayośca (1/3/23) rules that after the verb stha, when meaning 'to indicate one's intentions to another' (prakāśanam) or 'to make an award as a mediator', the Ātmanepada affix is employed (stheyā-vivādapadanirṇetā) | Vāsudeva's example for this rule is, dharme sandihya tvayitiṣṭhate | Here tiṣṭhate means that that he is considered as able to settle the despute nirṇetṛtvena āśrayati | The people are in doubt with Dharma, and resources you for a judgment. Thus there is a sense of stheya | So the root employs Ātmanepada affixes. stha + ta →tiṣṭhate |

Then the next rule udo'nūrdhvakarmaṇi (1/3/24) and a Vārtika īhāyāmeva together illustrated as karmaṇi uttiṣṭhase | The rule udo'nūrdhvakarmaṇi means that after the verb stha, preceded by ut, when not meaning to get up or rise (anūrdhvakarma) as from a seat, Ātmanepada conjugation is employed. Then the Vārtika enjoins that the force of the preposition must be to express īhā (effort, exertion, wish or desire, to surprise or excel). If this is not by the force of ut, the affixes are those of Pararmaipada.

The example karmaṇi uttiṣṭhase means desired to the action. Here is a prefix ud with the root stha, but which does not mean get up or rise from a seat or the like; here also have a desire. So as per the rule and the Vārtika, the Ātmanepada affixes are employed. ud+ stha + thās →uttiṣṭhase |

The remaining rules regarding the root stha are exemplified in another verse of Vāsudevavijaya. That is—

yaḥ sādhu mantrairupatiṣṭhate hariṃ tadbhāvapūtānapi vopatiṣṭhate |
citte tadīye hyupatiṣṭhate kṣamā saitādṛśasyottapate kathaṃ punaḥ || (Vāsudevavijaya 1.50)

The rule upānmantrakaraṇe (1/3/25) is illustrated here as mantraiḥ upatiṣṭhate harim | It means, who approaches Hari, with Prayers or worships him with hymns. The above stated rule means that after the verb stha, preceded by upa, when meaning to adore, Ātmanepada conjugation is used. In the given example the root stha prefixed by upa is in the sense of worship, so it is used as Ātmanepada. upa + stha + ta→ upatiṣṭhate |

Subsequently, there is a Vārtika viz. upāddepūjāsaṅgatikaraṇamitrakaraṇapathiṣviti vācyam | This prescribes, the verb stha after the preposition upa takes the terminations of Ātmanepada, when meaning 'worshipping a deity', 'to approach for join or mix or uniting or joining', 'to form friendship with', and 'to lead to as a way'. The same is illustrated in the same verse by Vāsudeva. As upatiṣṭhite taiḥ | This bears the sense 'forms a friendship with' (mitrīkaroti) thus as per the Vārtika it is used in Ātmanepada.

The final rule regarding stha is akarmakācca (3/1/26). This means after the verb stha, preceded by upa, when used intransitively, the Ātmanepada conjugation is employed. tadīye citte kṣamā upatiṣṭhate forms example for this. Here the root stha is intransitive, so it employs Ātmanepada affix.

In the verse, after employing rules regarding stha, Vāsudeva gives example for the rule udvibhyāṃ tapaḥ (3/1/27) which related to the root tapa 'to shine'. After the verb tapa 'to shine' when used intransitively, and preceded by ut or vi, the Ātmanepada conjugation is employed. kṣamā kathaṃ uttapate etādṛśasya duṣṭasya citte | Here the root tapa is preceded by ut and it is transitive here. (ut +tap + ta → uttapate) |

Thus in the case of Ātmanepada each and every rules were illustrated. Unlike the other sections, here all the Vārtikas were included.