Today we will look at the form पन्थानम्-mAs from श्रीमद्भागवतम् SB 6-5-21.

इति व्यवसिता राजन्हर्यश्वा एकचेतसः ।
प्रययुस्तं परिक्रम्य पन्थानमनिवर्तनम् ।। ६-५-२१ ।।

Gita Press translation “Thus resolved, O king (Parīkṣit), the Haryaśwas, who were (all) of one mind, went round the sage (from left to right, as a mark of respect) and took to the path (leading to God-Realization) which does not bring one back to the mortal plane.”

‘पथिन्’ gets प्रातिपदिकसंज्ञा by 1-2-45 अर्थवदधातुरप्रत्ययः प्रातिपदिकम्। The विवक्षा here is द्वितीया-एकवचनम्। 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टा… mandates the प्रत्ययाः सुँ, औ, जस् etc. after the प्रातिपदिकम् ‘पथिन्’ ।

(1) पथिन् + अम् । ‘अम्’ is a सर्वनामस्थानम् affix by 1-1-43 सुडनपुंसकस्य। 1-3-4 न विभक्तौ तुस्माः prevents the ending मकारः of अम् from getting इत्-सञ्ज्ञा ।

(2) पथ् अन् + अम् । By 7-1-86 इतोऽत्‌ सर्वनामस्थाने, the इकारः of पथिन्, मथिन् and ऋभुक्षिन् gets अकारः as replacement when they are followed by a सर्वनामस्थानम् affix.

(3) पन्थ् अन् + अम् । By 7-1-87 थो न्थः, the थकारः of पथिन् and मथिन् gets न्थ् as replacement when they are followed by a सर्वनामस्थानम् affix.

(4) पन्थानम् । By 6-4-8 सर्वनामस्थाने चासम्बुद्धौ, the penultimate letter of the अङ्गम् (base) ending in a नकार: gets elongated if it is followed by a सर्वनामस्थानम् affix.

Questions:

1. Can you spot a word in the verse which gets the अव्यय-सञ्ज्ञा by the सूत्रम् 1-1-40 क्त्वातोसुन्कसुनः?

2. Where is the प्रातिपदिकम् “पथिन्” used in Chapter 6 of the गीता?

3. Which term from the चादि-गण: (ref. 1-4-57 चादयोऽसत्त्वे) has been used in the verse?

4. The पदच्छेद: of the सूत्रम् 7-1-87 थो न्थः is थ:, न्थ:। So there are two letters “अ” in the सूत्रम्। The first one is in “थ:” and the second in “न्थ:”। Which one of these is उच्चारणार्थम् (for the sake of pronunciation only)?
a) The first one is उच्चारणार्थम्, the second one is not.
b) The second one is उच्चारणार्थम्, the first one is not.
c) Both are उच्चारणार्थम्।
d) Neither is उच्चारणार्थम्।

5. The सुँट्-प्रत्याहार: (used in the सूत्रम् 1-1-43 सुडनपुंसकस्य) is a subset of the सुँप्-प्रत्याहार:। Can you recall another प्रत्याहार: (which पाणिनि: has used) that is also a subset of the सुँप्-प्रत्याहार:?

6. Which प्रातिपदिकम् from the सर्वादि-गण: (ref. 1-1-27 सर्वादीनि सर्वनामानि) has been used in this verse?

7. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“We have resolved to read the Gita everyday.” Use a word from the verse for “have resolved”, use the अव्ययम् “पठितुम्” for “to read” and the अव्ययम् “प्रतिदिनम्” for “everyday.”

8. The अमरकोश: gives eleven synonyms for the word पन्था: (प्रतिपदिकम् “पथिन्” masculine, meaning “path.”) We have seen these in prior examples. Which of the following is NOT a synonym of पन्था:?
a) वर्तनी
b) पद्धतिः
c) अटवी
d) सरणिः

Easy questions:

1. Where has the सूत्रम् 8-3-19 लोपः शाकल्यस्य been used in the verse?

2. Why didn’t the ending नकार: of (हे) राजन् drop by 8-2-7 नलोपः प्रातिपदिकान्तस्य?