Today we will look at the form एभिः from श्रीमद्वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् ।

अनवाप्तातपत्रस्य रश्मिसंतापितस्य ते |
एभिश्छायां करिष्यामः स्वैश्छत्रैर्वाजपेयिकैः || २-४५-२३ ||

Gita Press translation “With these canopies of ours, obtained during a Vājpeya sacrifice, we shall give shade to you, who have got no canopy and (as such) are being scorched with rays (of the sun).”

‘इदम्’ gets प्रातिपदिकसंज्ञा by 1-2-45 अर्थवदधातुरप्रत्ययः प्रातिपदिकम् and सर्वनाम-सञ्ज्ञा by 1-1-27 सर्वादीनि सर्वनामानि । The विवक्षा here is तृतीया-बहुवचनम् । 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिँभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप् mandates the प्रत्ययाः सुँ, औ, जस् etc. after the प्रातिपदिकम् ‘इदम्’ ।

(1) इदम् + भिस् ।

(2) इद अ + भिस् । By 7-2-102 त्यदादीनामः, इदम् gets the अकारादेशः। As per 1-1-52 अलोऽन्त्यस्य , only the ending मकार: gets replaced. 1-3-4 न विभक्तौ तुस्माः prevents the ending सकारः of भिस् from getting इत्-सञ्ज्ञा ।

(3) इद् अ + भिस् । By 6-1-97 अतो गुणे, the अकारः at the end of ‘इद’ and the following अकारादेशः is replaced by अकारः (पररूपम्) as एकादेशः ।

(4) अ + भिस् । By 7-2-113 हलि लोपः, the इद् of इदम् that is without the ककारः takes लोपः, when the विभक्तिः affixes of the आप्-प्रत्याहारः, which begin with a consonant, follow. By the परिभाषा नानर्थकेऽलोन्त्यविधिरनभ्यासविकारे**, the ‘इद्’ part completely takes लोपः and not just the दकारः of ‘इद्’।

[ ** This परिभाषा means that the rule 1-1-52 अलोऽन्त्यस्य does not apply in the case of a term that is devoid of meaning, except in the case which involves modification of an अभ्यास:।
In this example, the entire term इदम् has meaning but the इद् part doesn’t. So 1-1-52 will not apply when it comes to operating on the इद् part. Therefore, the इद् part completely takes लोपः by 7-2-113.]

(5) ए + भिस् । By 7-3-103 बहुवचने झल्येत्‌, by which the ending अ of a प्रातिपदिकम् is changed to ए when followed by a plural सुँप् affix beginning with a झल् letter. 1-1-21 आद्यन्तवदेकस्मिन्, states that an operation should be performed on a single letter as upon an initial letter or upon a final letter. This allows us to consider the single letter अङ्गम् (अ) as an अदन्तम् अङ्गम् (an अङ्गम् ending in an अकार:).

(6) एभिः । रुँत्व-विसर्गौ 8-2-66 ससजुषो रुः and 8-3-15 खरवसानयोर्विसर्जनीयः ।

Questions:

1. The अमरकोश: gives one synonym for the word छत्रम् (प्रातिपदिकम् “छत्र” neuter) meaning canopy/umbrella. That synonym is in this verse. Can you spot which one it is?
छत्रं त्वातपत्रम् ।।२-८-३२।।
(इति द्वे “छत्रस्य” नाम्नी)

2. Why didn’t 7-1-9 अतो भिस ऐस् apply after step 4?

3. Please list the प्रत्यया: that are contained in the आप्-प्रत्याहारः। (“आपीति प्रत्याहारः तृतीयैकवचनात् प्रभृति सुपः पकारेण।” – काशिका)

4. The आप्-प्रत्याहारः is a subset of the सुँप्-प्रत्याहारः। There is another प्रत्याहारः (which we have encountered) which is also a subset of the सुँप्-प्रत्याहारः। Which one is that?

5. Where does the word एभिः come in the गीता (Chapter 7)?

6. We have studied one सूत्रम् which is an अपवाद: for 7-2-102 त्यदादीनामः। Which one is that?

7. How do you say this in Sanskrit?
“This question (is) difficult to answer.” Use the प्रातिपदिकम् “इदम्” for “this” and the प्रातिपदिकम् “दुरुत्तर” for “difficult to answer.”

8. What is the लिङ्गम् (gender) of एभि: in this verse?

Advanced question:

1. Instead of using the परिभाषा नानर्थकेऽलोन्त्यविधिरनभ्यासविकारे , the काशिका (in the commentary on the सूत्रम् 7-2-113 हलि लोपः।) suggests an alternative solution as follows – अथवा नायमिल्लोपः। अनाप्यकः ७।२।११२ इत्यन्ग्रहणमनुवर्तते। Please explain what this means.

Easy questions:

1. Can you spot the three places in this verse where the सूत्रम् 7-1-9 अतो भिस ऐस् has been used?

2. Which word translates to “shade”?