Today we will look at the form महोदधेः from श्रीमद्वाल्मीकि-रामायणम्

ततः सुग्रीवसहितो गत्वा तीरं महोदधेः |
समुद्रं क्षोभयामास शरैरादित्यसंनिभैः || १-१-७९||

Gita Press translation “Moving to the shore of the (Indian) ocean (in the extreme south), accompanied by Sugriva, Sri Rama then shook the ocean to its lowest depths (in Patala, the nethermost subterranean plane) by his arrows glorious as the sun (on the latter refusing to allow passage to the army of monkeys, that sought to march across it in order to reach Lanka in their bid to recover Sita.)”

महोदधि (महा + उदधि) gets प्रातिपदिकसंज्ञा by 1-2-46 कृत्तद्धितसमासाश्च. The विवक्षा here is षष्ठी-एकवचनम्. 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिँभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप् mandates the प्रत्ययाः सुँ, औ, जस् etc. after the प्रातिपदिकम् “महोदधि”.

(1) महोदधि + ङस् । ‘महोदधि’ gets the घि-सञ्ज्ञा by 1-4-7 शेषो घ्यसखि ।

(2) महोदध् इ + अस् । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-8 लशक्वतद्धिते and 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः.

(3) महोदध् ए + अस् । 7-3-111 घेर्ङिति , when a ङित् सुँप् affix follows, then an अङ्गम् having the घि-संज्ञा takes the गुण: substitution. Note: By 1-1-52 अलोऽन्त्यस्य the गुण: substitution will take place for the ending letter of the अङ्गम् (in this case इ is substituted by ए).

(4) महोदधेस् । By 6-1-110 ङसिङसोश्च , In place of a preceding एङ् (ए, ओ) letter and the following short अ of the affix ङसिँ or ङस्, there is a single substitute of the former (एङ् letter.)

(5) महोदधेः । Applying रुँत्व-विसर्गौ 8-2-66 ससजुषो रुः and 8-3-15 खरवसानयोर्विसर्जनीयः.

Questions:

1. As we have seen in previous examples, the त्वा-प्रत्यय: is used when we have the same doer doing two actions. The verbal root in the earlier action takes the त्वा-प्रत्यय: . (The सूत्रम् is 3-4-21 समानकर्तृकयोः पूर्वकाले ।) In this verse we have the word गत्वा which comes from the धातु: “गम्” . Who is the doer of this action? Which word in the verse gives us the second (later) action?

2. What does शेष: refer to in the सूत्रम् 1-4-7 शेषो घ्यसखि ? The answer is given in the काशिका as follows – कश्च शेषः? ह्रस्वम् इवर्णोवर्णान्तं यन् न स्त्र्याख्यम्, स्त्र्याख्यं च यन् न नदीसंज्ञकं, स शेषः। Please explain.

3. In the declension table of an इकारान्त-पुंलिङ्ग-शब्द: (like “महोदधि”) which of the 21 (7×3) places are affected by the घि-सञ्ज्ञा?

4. Which other विभक्ति:/वचनम् of “महोदधि” will give the same form महोदधे: ?

5. From where does the अनुवृत्ति: of “पूर्व:” come into 6-1-110 ङसिङसोश्च ?

6. The सूत्रम् 7-3-111 घेर्ङिति is required in the सूत्रम् 7-3-111 घेर्ङिति itself. How is that?

7. In the commentary on the सूत्रम् 6-1-110 ङसिङसोश्च , the काशिका says अपदान्तार्थः आरम्भः। Please explain what this means.

8. Where is the सूत्रम् 7-1-9 अतो भिस ऐस् used in this verse?