15 वर्तमाने कृदन्तः (The Present Participle)
15.0
With the fara fess (optative) we learned the last verbal conju gation of the present system. However, there is still one participial (i.e., nominal) form based on the present stem. This form, the present participle, is of very common occurrence and great usefulness. It is, like the art and other non-conju gational verbal forms, an excellent example of classical Sanskrit’s tendency to depart from the false forms. It func tions like
in that it, too, is both adjectival (in that it must agree in case, number, and gender with the noun to which it refers) and verbal (in that it must have a da (gram matical subject]) and may, if formed from a H is root, have a कर्मन् (direct object). Its relation to the भूते कृदन्त is very
much like that of the कर्तरि to the कर्मणि प्रयोग. That is, it is subject-referent, i.e., is in grammatical agreement with its te while the Ta Gat (of a H+24root) is object-referent, i.e., in agreement with its 04. Its use, however, is rather different. The use of the art PGRI. The a rt any is basically a simple formation. Neverthe less, the use of this form, like that of bail AARA-s, and the
for seitl, is sometimes confusing to the beginner. There fore, it requires some explanation. There are basically two reasons for confusion regarding this participle, one conceptual and significant, the other mechani cal and trivial. a. The latter, trivial reason is nothing more than the fact that
certain common forms of the participle are identical with some common finite verbal forms. This, however, is rarely the cause of real ambiguity. This minor issue will be dis cussed below (15.13).
15.1
15.2
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b. The major reason for misunderstanding the function of the
ad PGR is a failure to understand that the participle is limited, unlike the a rt, to a status in a sentence sub ordinate to another finite verb or its equivalent. The present participle can never substitute for the principal verb of a sentence or an independent clause. In this it is rather like the gerund (see 11.5). Thus, although Ta a: (or Tesla, 3MTOT, 1919, TEOg etc.) is a complete sentence, the phrases i. 74 R eall air) ii. 11 1989 ( GRI) require an independent verbal phrase just as clearly as do their English equivalents: i. Rāma, having gone to the forest, … and ii. Rāma, going to the forest, … The “resolution” of these sentence fragments must be a finite verb or some nominal equivalent. For example, the phrases i. and ii.could be resolved by the clause 44444. The sentences would now read: . i. 274Ral 4442401 ii. 7 a TE-A443401 which would mean: i. Having gone to the forest, Rāma saw a sage. ii. (While) going to the forest, Rāma saw a sage. [or]
Rāma, (who was going to the forest, saw a sage. As the above sentences show, the major difference with regard to usage, between Sale and the adHA EGR, is that the action expressed by the former is more or less perfective while the action expressed by the latter is more or less imperfective. The call is used to indicate an action that is completed by the time of the action expressed by the finite verb of the comple mentary independent clause. The adH GRI, on the other hand, generally expresses an action that is in process at the
15.3
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15.4
time of the action of the independent verb so the two actions (or states) are more or less simultaneous. Thus in sentence (i) above we would understand that Rāma had already completed his journey to the forest before he saw the sage. In (ii) he sees the sage while he is still on his way. a. This expression of simultaneous actions maybe otherwise
accomplished by the compound sentences of the type UGL… GI etc., (6.5 ff.) that have been introduced earlier. Examples: i. यदा रामो वनमगच्छत्तदा स मुनिमपश्यत्
(When Rāma went to the forest, he saw a sage.)
ii. यः पुरुषः कृष्णं भजति स मोक्षं लभते ।
(The man who worships Kļşņa, [he] attains liberation.)
1
An important function of the Gal is to serve as a substitute for such relative clauses. The above examples might be paraphrased as follows: i. A TERH YA443401
ii. qui 45-46) hei au b. If you always remember first to translate a ada cima
regardless of its case, as a subordinate or relative clause, you will have no difficulty with the form. Afterwards, if you feel the result is not always the best English, you may change the English wording; but you will have understood the sentence. It is impossible to stress this point too strongly because the वर्तमाने कृदन्त, like the भूते कृदन्त, is a verbal adjective and must, therefore, agree in case, number, and gender with the noun it modifies. If, however, you try to express the case of this adjective separately, you will not
understand the sentence. a. Consider the following sentence:
वनं गच्छता रामेण मुनिर्दृश्यते । (Rāma, going to the forest, sees the sage.)
15.5
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Here we see the वर्तमाने कृदन्त of the root /गम् in its तृतीया, 20, form. Now the structure of the finite phrase of the sentence is clear: रामेण मुनिर्दृश्यते । (The sage is seen by Rāma.)
b. The remainder of the sentence, C Codl, requires some
explanation. i. Two specific questions arise:
a. Why is गच्छता in the तृतीया?
b. What is the syntactical role of a 14 in the sentence? ii. The answers to these questions are:
a. Egil is in the air because, being an adjective,
it must agree in case, number, and gender with the noun it modifies. Since 7441 is , 24, gtos and Tradi modifies 744, it must be the same. This does not mean that the action of “going” is to be understood or translated as being agentive
or instrumental! b. 024 is facili, h, ja and is the locus of mo
tion of the action of the root V14 as expressed in
the form गच्छता (see 4.38). iii. In these two questions (and answers) lies the whole
explanation of the function of the वर्तमाने कृदन्त. It is nominal in that it is an adjective and it is verbal in that it can (if formed from a H4 root) have a direct object. As such, it can serve as a transition between two separate clauses by serving as an adjective in one
and as a verb in the other. iv. Thus, in our example the words 9-14 and 144 each
relate in a different way to the key word for the first as locus of motion of a verb and the second as the governing noun of an adjective. It is as though 144 were the subject of two different clauses, of which the verbs were derived from V-14 and Ved respectively.259
v. Because of this dual nature of the present participle,
we should translate it as a verb of a subordinate or
relative clause. vi. We should then translate
वनं गच्छता र (The sage is seen by Rāma, who is going to the for est.) (or) (Rāma, while going to the forest, sees a sage.) a. Remember that the TFGR is a verbal adjec
tive and not a verbal noun. Therefore it is no more proper to attempt to give its own case relation than it is with an ordinary (nonverbal) adjective. Thus if (as many beginning Sanskritists do) one were to translate the phrase: 144 Tegll as “by Rāma’s going …,” it would be as great an error as to trans
late <TH PIHA as “by the dark of Rāma…" b. There are indeed many true nouns derived from the
verbal roots (Lesson 20). The Art PGRI, how ever, may be easily distinguished from these (and all other verbal adjectives) by the fact that it is formed from the present stems of the various roots,
rather than from the roots themselves. Formation of the वर्तमाने कृदन्त The H G has one feature more characteristic of verbal than of nominal forms. Unlike the other participial formations learned thus far (the EGR (Lesson 10) and HAR(11.4) constructions), it distinguishes voice. Like finite verbs it has different endings according to whether its verbal root is conju gated in the 31164246 or 74. a. The E46 participle may be formed quite mechanically.
The stem form is discovered in each case by dropping the final इof the प्रथम, बहु, परस्मैपद form of वर्तमाने लट् (present
indicative). i. Thus, the “active” participle of the following roots may
be generated as follows:
15.6
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सन्ति
सन्त्
root
प्रथम बहु लट् participle stem गम् (1) गच्छन्ति गच्छन्त् Vश्रु (5) शृण्वन्ति शृण्वन्त Vकु (8) कुर्वन्ति कुर्वन्त् Vभी (3) बिभ्यति बिभ्यत्
अस् (2)
छिद् (7) छिन्दन्ति छिन्दन्त ii. The forms thus generated are ones with a strong/weak
alternation of -अन्त्/-अत्. The only exception to this is that roots of the third (which have no 7 in their प्रथम बहु परस्मैपद लट् forms [see 7.25]), therefore havea participial stem form in-37d, which then has no strong/
weak alternation. All its forms are in this sense “weak.” iii. The paradigm is thus the same as that given at 11.1,
with the single important exception that the पुंलिङ्ग, एक, प्रथमा is always formed without length of the final अ. Examples:
पश् (4) सीतां पश्यनामो मुदितो ऽभवत् । (Seeing Sītā, Rāma became happy.)
श्रु (5) मधुराञ्छब्दाञ्छृण्वन्सुखितो ऽपि पर्युत्सुको भवेत् । (Even a happy man, when he hears sweet sounds, might be stricken by longing.)
भी (3) राक्षसेभ्यो बिभ्यदृषिधैरवनमत्यजत् । (Fearing the raksasa-s, the rsi left the terrible forest.)
आ + गम् (1) भवन्तमागच्छन्तं दृष्ट्वा सर्व उत्तिष्ठन्तु । (Seeing you coming, let everyone rise.) Vवस् (1), सम् + Vवद् (1) वने वसद्धिर्मुनिभिः सह संवदतो जनान् रामलक्ष्मणौ सस्नेहं पश्यतः । (Rāma and Lakşmaņa view with affection the people, who are conversing with the sages dwelling in the for est.)
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iv. The Fall forms of the participle are formed by the
suffixation of $ to either the strong or weak stem (de pending on the ) and are declined regularly according to7.1. The ई is added: a. to the strong stem in गण-s 1,4 and 10.
Examples: root
m. stem f. stem Vवद् (1) वदन्त्
वदन्ती
b. to the strong or weak stem for 14 6 and for roots
of the 2nd Mending in 311, although the strong stem is perhaps more common. Examples: root m. stem f.stem Vतुद् (6) तुदन्त् तुदन्ती/तुदती Vया (2) यान्त
यान्ती/याती
c. to the weak stem for all others.
Examples: root m. stem f.stem
कृ (8) कुर्वन्त् कुर्वती छिद् (7) छिन्दन्त छिन्दती
v. The नपुंसकलिङ्ग is formed in general from the weak stem
-अत् and its declension is the same as that of neuter stems in-वन्त् or-मन्त् (11.1.b)except in the प्रथमा, द्वितीया and संबोधन द्विवचन forms where stem-strength occurs in accordance with the pattern of the feminine. For example:
गम् एक द्वि बहु°
प्र० गच्छत् गच्छन्ती गच्छन्ति द्वि० गच्छत् । गच्छन्ती गच्छन्ति
सम् गच्छत् गच्छन्ती गच्छन्ति
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15.7
The आत्मनेपद stem form of the वर्तमाने कृदन्त, which, as with the finite verbs, has no semantic value to distinguish it from the RE4G, is generated simply by: a. adding -414 to present stems of roots of the 34 70-s (1,4,6,
and 10). Examples: root stem form Vभाष (1A) भाषमाण (See 3.59 for सन्धि.)
147 (4A) PRIR b. adding -376 to the weak present stems of the non-37 10-S
(2,3,5,7,8,9). Examples: root stem form Viac (2) farmy (See 3.59 for H .) vą (8) gaator VE (3) 9811 Since the 31164614G forms are all -37 stems, their declension is of no difficulty. The h os endings are:
teş: . -37:
नपुंसकलिङ्गः -अम् and स्त्रीलिङ्गः -आ d. The use of the आत्मनेपद is just like that of the परस्मैपद.
Example: अहं कामान कदापि त्यजेयमिति मन्यमानेषु पुरुषेषु वैराग्यं कथमुद्भवेत् । . (How could vairāgya arise among men who think, “I would never abandon sensual pleasures?")
c.
15.8
A कर्मणि (or भावे) equivalent of the वर्तमाने कृदन्त may be formed from the 1 stem of any verbal root. As in the case of finite verbs, this participle is formed with the 31164-146 ending, which, for this form, is invariably -HF. As with any
c r it form, this participle agrees with the 24 or object of the action expressed by its verbal root, if the root is Hap , or transitive.
15.9
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Examples: रामेण हन्यमाना राक्षसा दूरं गच्छन्ति यथा वायुना नुद्यमानानि पर्णानि । (The rākşasa-s, being slain by Rāma, go far away, like leaves driven by the wind.)
मया दृश्यमानासु कन्यासु सीतोत्तमेति मन्ये ऽहम् । (I think that among the girls I see (lit., being seen by me), Sītā is the best.)
15.10
There are a number of special or idiomatic applications of the AR GR which, if studied carefully, greatly increase one’s ability to understand and generate sophisticated Sanskrit sentences: a. The वर्तमाने कृदन्त of the root /अस् (सन्त सत् सती), “being,” is
quite useful. One of its regular idiomatic applications is with the F141a (particle) 3714 to indicate a situation contrary to normal expectation. Examples: ब्राह्मणः सन्नपि स न वेदज्ञः । (Even though he is a brāhman, he is not a knower of the Vedas.)
सुन्दरी सत्यपि दुर्गा न विवाहिता । (Even though she is beautiful, Durgā is not married.)
i. This sense of “even though” may be conveyed by 319
and the GR of any other root as well. Example: पुस्तकं पठनप्यर्थं नावगच्छामि । (Even though I read the book, I don’t understand the meaning.)
b. The वर्तमाने कृदन्त of the आत्मनेपद roots Vवृत् (1A) and V विद्
(4Ā), “to be, exist,” (adh and fagyra) in the sense of “existing," “going on,” “present,” have several common uses.
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i. The participle he can be used as an adjective mean
ing present" or even as the noun the present." It is from this form that we have the grammatical term 47
MC, or the VC (indicative) used in the present. ii. The negative of the participle of viac, 31 ehf is used
in order toprovide the विग्रह of a particularkindof बुहव्रीहि समास. In this kind of समास, the prior member is the negative particle 31, which here serves as a sort of ad jective meaning not-existing. When such a compound is subjected to foue, however, a real word is required. The word is usually supplied by the participle अविद्यमान. Example: समास
विग्रह
meaning 3142544 (7544) 31EMAT: G61 a (realm) having
HTCL no men
c. Another common use of this participle is as a true continu
ative or “imperfective.” This is done by making use of the simultaneity of the participial action with a finite form of a verb of motion or of standing still. Examples:
(1P) (sing) गायन्नागच्छति ।
(He comes singing.)
(speak)
तया सह संभाषमाण आस्ते । (He is speaking with her (lit., He sits speaking with her.])
Van
(1P)
(laugh)
हसंस्तिष्ठति । (He goes on laughing (lit., He stands laugh ing.)
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15.11
सति सप्तमी and सतः षष्ठी : Absolute Constructions Two of the most common and characteristic idiomatic uses of the participles, especially the present participles, are the Ha सप्तमी and सतः षष्ठी or locative and genitive absolute construc tions. By the use of these constructions, a noun and its participle may, by being placed either in the HGH or 9001 case, form a special kind of relative clause that conveys a sense of concur rent or immediately contiguous time relative to that of an independent clause. a. By far the more common of these usages is in the 1974 or
locative case. Its meaning is simply “while” or “when,” and it may be formed freely with both active and passive participles. Examples: रामे वनं गच्छति सर्वे जना दुःखिता अभवन् । (When Rāma was going to the forest, all the people were unhappy.)
सीतायां तं पश्यन्त्यां कैकेय्यहसत् । (While Sitā was watching him, Kaikeyī laughed.) सर्वेषु जनेषु दुःखितेषु सत्सु देवा अपि विषण्णा भवन्ति । (When all the people are unhappy, even the gods become dejected.)
रामेण हन्यमानेषु राक्षसेषु वानरा आनन्देनानृत्यन् । (When the demons were being killed by Rāma, the mon keys danced for joy.)
i.
The same construction may be used with other participles, for example; तस्मिन्हते राक्षसे सर्वे जना भयमुक्ता अभवन् । (When that raksasa was killed, all people became free from fear.)
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b. An exactly parallel usage to the ara H it may be formed
from the 901, or genitive case. This usage, called the Ha: षष्ठी, is somewhat less common than the सति सप्तमीalthough its function is quite similar. It too indicates simultaneous action. Its occurrence, however, is occasionally restricted to cases in which the action expressed by the genitive par ticiple is carried on not only at the same time as the action expressed by a finite verb (or equivalent) but in spite of it. As this construction is used to indicate action that is in some way disrespectful or contemptuous, it is called
TAIG9001, or genitive of disrespect. Examples: पश्यतो रावणस्य रामो राक्षसान्हन्ति । (Rāma kills the rākşasas (despite the fact that) Rāvana is looking on; i.e., Rāma kills the rākṣasa-s right before Rāvana’s eyes.)
राज्ञो भाषमाणस्य कैकेय्यहसत् । (Kaikeyi laughed while the king was speaking.)
c. Note that both absolutive constructions are used only when
the subjects of the two clauses are not the same. 15.12 Special problems
One of the most elementary but frequently occurring errors that students commit with regard to the ad कृदन्त is due to the fact that in many instances the various cases of a participle of a given root may be homonymous with finite forms of the same root. A glance through the paradigm will indicate where confusion is possible. a. The most common instance of this should be considered
separately. It happens that the HH, ga, giay or नपुंसकालिङ्ग of the परस्मैपद वर्तमाने कृदन्त of roots belonging to the 37 7-s has exactly the same form as the extremely common 979459, 300, RA4G of the HH
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Since, because of the common occurrence of the ala 97 (15.11.a), the former form occurs relatively frequently, the opportunities for confusion are not rare. To avoid this confusion, be sure, when dealing with an apparently finite verbal form, that you can identify the subject of the verb and that there are no “suspicious locatives” in its vicinity. Example: रामे वनं गच्छति सर्वे दुःखिता भवन्ति । Do not simply assume that Toofd is a finite form. If it were, you would have to find a subject. 274, of course, cannot be the subject of any finite form. Even if you were to assume an unexpressed subject, you would have to explain TH. Keeping in mind the HR a eliminates the difficulty. i. One should note in this connection that the confusion,
common among beginners, of the post-consonantal forms of and 37 (viz., and l) can prove particularly troublesome here.
EXERCISES
Translate the reading up until the sentence beginning a
T. Identify all the act G-s in A. Rewrite the reading, sub stituting relative clauses or other paraphrases for the acha
IGR1-s. Translate the remainder of the reading and carry out the same procedure as in B. Translate the following sentences into Sanskrit, using a nd
GRI-s and absolute constructions whenever possible. 1. Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa killed rākṣasa-s in the forest while
(despite the fact that) the king of the rākşasa-s was watch ing. (V421 [4P])
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- When the king speaks, everyone stands listening. 3. The guru stands among the students who are reading books. 4. I cannot see the book that is being read by you. 5. When who is slain, do the people become free from fear? Now rewrite the sentences of D., substituting relative clauses for the participles. Translate and memorize the following two verses.
कूजन्तं राम रामेति मधुरं मधुराक्षरम् । आरुह्य कविताशाखां वन्दे वाल्मीकिकोकिलम् ।।
वाल्मीकेर्मुनिसिंहस्य कवितावनचारिणः । शृण्वनामकथानादं को न याति परां गतिम् ।।
Note: These two verses are based upon figures of speech called समस्तरूपक-s, or compound-metaphors, in which the subject of comparison (e.g., als Hilt:) is compared to the object of com parison (e.g., कोकिलः) by making an appositional कर्मधारय compound (see 12.10.b) of which the former is the prior and the latter the final, member. Thus, the word dichilocalocs: means the “Vālmiki cuckoo,” or “Vālmīki viewed poetically as a cuckoo.” There are two such समस्तरूपक-s in the first verse and three in the second.
READING
अहमपि वनं गच्छामीति वदन्तं लक्ष्मणं परिष्वजमानो रामो ऽमन्यत । प्रियां वनगमनात्पूर्वं पश्यामीति । एवं चिन्तयित्वा सीतापतिः सीतां द्रष्टुं गतः । सीताप्यागच्छन्तं विवर्णवदनं भर्तारं दृष्ट्वा चिन्तया बाध्यमानैवम बवीत् । एतादृशस्य शोकस्य कारणमुच्यतामिति । एवमुक्तो दशरथतनयो ऽब्रवीत् । पुरा राज्ञा सत्यप्रतिज्ञेन दशरथेन कैकेय्यै महावरौ दत्तौ । अद्य ममाभिषेके क्रियमाणे सा वदति । प्रथमवरेण चतुर्दशवर्षाणि रामेण दण्डका रण्य उष्यताम् । द्वितीयेन भरतो यौवराज्ये ऽभिषिच्यतामिति । ततो269 ऽहमद्यैव पितृप्रतिज्ञामनुसृत्यायोध्यां परित्यजन्वनं गच्छेयम् । त्वयात्रैव स्थीयताम् । देवपूजां यथाविधि सर्वदा कुर्वती भरतशत्रुघ्नौ सेवस्वेति । एवं वदति रामे जनकतनया संक्रुद्धा सत्युपहासमकरोत् । आर्यपुत्र किं भाषसे । ईदृशं वचनं न कदापि त्वादृशा वीरा वक्तुमर्हन्ति । भर्तुर्वनं गच्छतः कथं भार्या नगरे तिष्ठेदिति । एवं ब्रुवतीं सीतां न नेतुमैच्छद्रामो वनदुःखानि चिन्तयन् । सो ऽवदत् । शृणु सीते । वने वसता जनेन बहुदुःखान्यनुभूयन्ते । वने सिंहादयो* हिंस्रजन्तवश्वरन्ति यथाकामम् । तत्र च सन्ति बहून्यन्यानि मार्गश्रमादीनि दुःखानीति । तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दुःखिता सीताश्रुपूर्णनयना पुनरब्रवीत् । हे राम । त्वया निरूप्यमाणानि दुःखानि सुखान्येव भवेयुस्त्वया सह संचरन्त्या मम । त्वयि वनं गते कथमिह जीवेयम् । त्वया त्यक्ताहं विषं पिबेयमग्निं वा प्रविशेयम् । अलमनेन वचनेन । दण्डकारण्यं गच्छता त्वया सहाहमागच्छामीति । रामो ऽपि तां शोचन्तीं परिष्वज्य सान्त्वयन्नेवावदत् । साधु प्रिये साधु । यदि मया सहागन्तुमिच्छसि तागच्छति ॥
- See “आदिः " in the glossary
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GLOSSARY
Vकूज्
अक्षरम्
कविता (n)-syllable, sound, word (f) poetry
अग्निः
कामः (m)-fire
(m) desire अलम्
कारणम् (ind) enough, sufficient; with (n)-reason, cause
तृतीया, ‘enough of …’ आदिः
(1P)—warble (m)—beginning; this word is very | कोकिलः
frequently used as the final
(m)—koil, Indian cuckoo member of a bahuvrihi
चतुर्दश application of appositional karmadhāraya compounds of
(adj) -fourteen (see 19.3) the meaning ‘having … for a vचर् beginning.’ This is the typical (1P)-move, wander Sanskrit way of saying’…etc.,’
चारिन् indicating a known group by its
(m)-roamer, wanderer first or foremost member.
जन्तुः Example: इन्द्रादयो देवाः (the gods)
(m)—creature, living being having Indra foremost,i.e., Indra, etc.
तनयः
(m)—son आ + रुह (1P)—ascend (to)
तनया
उपहासः
(f) daughter (m)-satirical laughter, ridicule त्वादृश एतादृश
(adj)—like you
(adj)—such
दुर्गा
(f prop)—Durga, woman’s name कथा (f)-story, tale
नादः (m) roar
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4.41)
पूजा
निः + रूप
| वर्षम्
(10P)—see, perceive, foresee,
(n)-year, in द्वितीया ‘for ayear’ (see
describe
पर
वदनम्
(adj) highest (see 5.7)
(n)-face
वाल्मीकिः परि + स्वज् → परिष्वजते
(m prop)—thersi Valmiki, first (1A) embrace
poet (adikavih), and traditional पा पिबति (see 7.15.d)
author of the Rāmāyaṇa (1P)—drink
विधिः
(m)-rule, custom (f)—worship, reverence
विषम् पूर्वं + (पञ्चमी विभक्ति)
(n)-poison (ind)—before ‘X’
शाखा प्र + विश्
(1)-branch (6P) enter
Vशुच् मधुरम्
(1P)-grieve . (ind)—sweetly
श्रमः यथाकामम्
(m)-toil, effort (ind)-in accordance with desire,
संक्रुद्ध at will
(adj)—angry यथाविधि
सं + चर् (ind)-in accordance with custom
(1P)-go, walk
Vसान्त्व (2P)-go
(10P)-pacify, appease यौवराज्यम्
सिंहः (n)-state of being heir apparent
(m)—lion Vवन्द्
हिंस्र (1A) praise, extol
(adj)-injurious, harmful हिंसा
(f)—violence
Vया
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ENGLISH-SANSKRIT GLOSSARY
(n)
पुस्तकम् भयम् मुक्त
book fear free listen people read slain stand
जनः पठ् हत
स्था शिष्यः
(adj) (5P) (m) (use sing. or pl.) (1P) (adj) (1P)
student
(m)