Today we will look at the form वदतु 3As-लोँट् from श्रीमद्वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् 1-56-23.

क्षत्रवेदविदां श्रेष्ठो ब्रह्मवेदविदामपि ।। १-५६-२३ ।।
ब्रह्मपुत्रो वसिष्ठो मामेवं वदतु देवताः ।
यद्ययं परमः कामः कृतो यान्तु सुरर्षभाः ।। १-५६-२४ ।।

Gita Press translation “Let Vasiṣṭha, (a mind-born) son of Brahmā (the creator), the foremost among the masters of the science of archery etc., (the sciences mastered by the Kṣatriyas) as well as of those mastered by the Brāhmaṇas (viz., the four Vedas, including the Upaniṣads, that treat of Brahma, the Infinite), call me as such (a Brāhmaṇa), O gods! If this supreme desire of mine is granted by you, depart (then), O jewel among gods!”

वदतु is derived from the धातुः √वद् (भ्वादि-गणः, वदँ व्यक्तायां वाचि धातु-पाठः #१. ११६४)

The विवक्षा is लोँट्, कर्तरि प्रयोग:, प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्।

In the धातु-पाठः, the वद्-धातुः has one इत् letter which is the अकार: following the दकार:। This इत् letter has a उदात्त-स्वर:। Thus the √वद्-धातुः is devoid of any indications for bringing in आत्मनेपद-प्रत्यया:। (Neither 1-3-12 अनुदात्तङित आत्मनेपदम् nor 1-3-72 स्वरितञितः कर्त्रभिप्राये क्रियाफले applies.) Therefore, as per 1-3-78 शेषात् कर्तरि परस्मैपदम्, the वद्-धातुः, in कर्तरि प्रयोग:, will take the परस्मैपद-प्रत्यया: by default. As per 1-4-99 लः परस्मैपदम्, 1-4-100 तङानावात्मनेपदम्, the nine प्रत्यया: from “तिप्” to “मस्” get the परस्मैपद-सञ्ज्ञा। So वद्-धातुः can take only one of these nine प्रत्यया: in कर्तरि प्रयोग:। Since the विवक्षा is प्रथम-पुरुष-एकवचनम्, the प्रत्यय: will be “तिप्”।

(1) वद् + लोँट् । By 3-3-162 लोट् च , the affix लोँट् comes after a धातुः when used in the sense of command/request.

(2) वद् + ल् । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-2 उपदेशेऽजनुनासिक इत्, 1-3-3 हलन्त्यम्, 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः।

(3) वद् + तिप् । 3-4-78 तिप्तस्झिसिप्थस्थमिब्वस्मस् तातांझथासाथांध्वमिड्वहिमहिङ् mandates the प्रत्ययः “तिप्” as the substitute for the लकारः। “तिप्” gets the सार्वधातुक-सञ्ज्ञा by 3-4-113 तिङ्शित्सार्वधातुकम्।

(4) वद् + ति । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-3 हलन्त्यम्, 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः ।

(5) वद् + तु । By 3-4-86 एरुः, इकारः of a लोँट् affix is substituted by उकारः।

(6) वद् + शप् + तु । By 3-1-68 कर्तरि शप्, the शप्-प्रत्यय: is placed after a verbal root, when followed by a सार्वधातुक-प्रत्यय: that is used signifying the agent. The शप्-प्रत्यय: which is a शित्, gets सार्वधातुक-सञ्ज्ञा by 3-4-113 तिङ्शित्सार्वधातुकम्।

(7) वद् + अ + तु । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-3 हलन्त्यम् , 1-3-8 लशक्वतद्धिते , 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः ।

(8) वदतु

Questions:

1. Where else has the सुत्रम् 3-4-86 एरुः been used in the verse?

2. The सूत्रम् 3-3-162 लोट् च does NOT come in which अधिकार:?
a) “प्रत्ययः”, “परश्च”
b) “धातोः”
c) “लस्य”
d) “कृदतिङ्”

3. Where has the अस्मद्-प्रातिपदिकम् been used? Is there an alternate form possible?

4. Which other सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिकम् (besides “अस्मद्”) has been used in the verse?

5. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“Let all the students read this book.” Use the धातु: “पठ्” (पठँ व्यक्तायां वाचि १. ३८१) for “to read.”

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“Let us tell the teacher that this question (is) too difficult.” Use the adjective प्रातिपदिकम् “अतिक्लिष्ट” for “too difficult”, use the अव्ययम् “इति” as an end-quote. Use the चतुर्थी-विभक्ति: with “teacher.”

7. Please list the four synonyms for the word “पुत्र:” (प्रातिपदिकम् “पुत्र” masculine, meaning “son”) as given in the अमरकोश:। (We have already seen these in a prior example. Search this web site for “पुत्र”)

Advanced question:

1. In commenting on the सूत्रम् 3-3-162 लोट् च, the काशिका says – योगविभाग उत्तरार्थः। What does this mean?

Easy questions:

1. Where has the सूत्रम् 6-1-77 इको यणचि been used? (The way to spot an application of this सूत्रम् is to look for a यण् letter which is preceded by a हल् and followed by a अच्)।

2. The सूत्रम् 6-1-114 हशि च has been used four times in the verse. Can you spot these four places?