Today we will look at the form शृण्वन्ति 3Ap-लँट् from श्रीमद्भागवतम् 3-32-19.

नूनं दैवेन विहता ये चाच्युतकथासुधाम् ।
हित्वा शृण्वन्त्यसद्गाथाः पुरीषमिव विड्भुजः ।। ३-३२-१९ ।।

Gita Press translation “Abandoning the nectar-like stories of the immortal Lord, they who listen to vile talks (relating to sensual enjoyment) – even as the swine feed on filth – have surley been cheated by fate.”

शृण्वन्ति is derived from the धातुः √श्रु (भ्वादि-गणः, श्रु श्रवणे, धातु-पाठः #१. १०९२)

The विवक्षा is लँट्, कर्तरि प्रयोग:, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्।

In the धातु-पाठः, the √श्रु-धातुः has no इत् letters. It is devoid of any indications for bringing in आत्मनेपद-प्रत्यया:। Therefore, as per 1-3-78 शेषात् कर्तरि परस्मैपदम्, the √श्रु-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 √श्रु-धातुः can take only one of these nine प्रत्यया: in कर्तरि प्रयोग:। Since the विवक्षा is प्रथम-पुरुष-बहुवचनम्, the प्रत्यय: will be “झि”।

(1) श्रु + लँट् । By 3-2-123 वर्तमाने लट्, the affix लँट् comes after a धातुः when denoting an action in the present tense.

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

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

(4) शृ + श्नु + झि । By 3-1-74 श्रुवः शृ च , the श्नु-प्रत्ययः is placed after the verbal root √श्रु (श्रु श्रवणे १. १०९२), when followed by a सार्वधातुक-प्रत्यय: that is used signifying the agent. Simultaneously, “श्रु” takes the substitution “शृ”। The श्नु-प्रत्यय: which is a शित्, gets सार्वधातुक-सञ्ज्ञा by 3-4-113 तिङ्शित्सार्वधातुकम्।

(5) शृ + नु + झि । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-8 लशक्वतद्धिते , 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः । Note: The प्रत्यय: “नु” as well as “झि” are ङिद्वत् by 1-2-4 सार्वधातुकमपित्। Therefore 1-1-5 ग्क्ङिति च prevents 7-3-84 from performing the गुण: substitution for the ऋकार: of “शृ” as well as the उकार: of “नु”।

(6) शृनु + अन्ति । By 7-1-3 झोऽन्तः -“अन्त्” comes in as a replacement for the झकारः of a प्रत्यय:।

(7) शृन् व् अन्‍ति । By 6-4-87 हुश्नुवोः सार्वधातुके – The वकारः is the replacement for उकारः of the √हु-धातुः or for the उकारः at the end of an अङ्गम् that is अनेकाच् (has more than one vowel) and ends in the श्नु-प्रत्यय:, provided
i) a conjunct consonant does not precede the उकारः।
ii) a सार्वधातुक-प्रत्ययः beginning with a vowel follows the उकारः।

(8) शृण्‍वन्‍ति । By वार्त्तिकम् (under 8-4-1) – ऋवर्णान्नस्य णत्वं वाच्यम् – णकारः shall be ordained in the place of the नकारः after the vowel ऋ also (along-side the रेफः and षकारः)।

Questions:

1. Can you spot a तिङन्त-पदम् with the √श्रु-धातुः in Chapter 2 of the गीता?

2. Why was 6-4-87 हुश्नुवोः सार्वधातुके required in step 7? (Why couldn’t we just use 6-1-77 इको यणचि?)

3. Which अव्ययम् in the verse translates to “surely”?

4. The अमरकोश: gives eight synonyms for the word “विष्ठा” (प्रातिपदिकम् “विष्ठा” feminine, meaning “feces.”) One of them is “पुरीषम्” (प्रातिपदिकम् “पुरीष” neuter) used in this verse. Please list the other seven.
उच्चारावस्करौ शमलं शकृत् ।।२-६-६७।।
गूथं पुरीषं वर्चस्कमस्त्री विष्ठाविशौ स्त्रियौ ।।२-६-६८।।
(इति नव “विष्ठाया:” नामानि)
Note: Some editions of the अमरकोश: have विष्ठाविषौ instead of विष्ठाविशौ।

5. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“Those who listen to the गीता (are) surely fortunate.” Use the adjective प्रातिपदिकम् “भाग्यवत्” (which ends in the वतुँप्-प्रत्यय:) for “fortunate.”

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“When the scholars speak, attentively listen to their words.” Use the adjective प्रातिपदिकम् “विद्वस्” for “scholar” and “सावधानेन” as the adverb “attentively.”

Easy questions:

1. Where has 7-1-12 टाङसिङसामिनात्स्याः been used?

2. Can you spot a जस्-प्रत्यय: in the second half of the verse?