Today we will look at the form बध्नन्ति 3Ap-लँट् from श्रीमद्भागवतम् Sb11.23.37

तर्जयन्त्यपरे वाग्भिः स्तेनोऽयमिति वादिनः ।
बध्नन्ति रज्ज्वा तं केचिद्बध्यतां बध्यतामिति ।। ११-२३-३७ ।।

Gita Press translation – Calling him a thief, others threatened him with words; while others tied him with a rope, exclaiming “Let him be bound, let him be bound!”

बध्नन्ति is derived from the धातुः √बन्ध् (क्रयादि-गणः, बन्धँ बन्धने, धातु-पाठः # ९. ४४)

The अकारः at the end of “बन्धँ” gets इत्-सञ्ज्ञा by 1-3-2 उपदेशेऽजनुनासिक इत् and takes लोप: by 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः। This इत् letter has उदात्त-स्वरः। Thus √बन्ध् 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, √बन्ध् takes परस्मैपद-प्रत्यया: by default in कर्तरि प्रयोग:।

The विवक्षा is लँट्, कर्तरि प्रयोगः, प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम्, therefore the प्रत्यय: will be “झि”।

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

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

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

(4) बन्ध् + श्ना + झि । By 3-1-81 क्र्यादिभ्यः श्ना, the श्ना-प्रत्यय: is placed after the verbal roots belonging to the क्र्यादि-गणः, when followed by a सार्वधातुक-प्रत्ययः that is used signifying the agent. This सूत्रम् is a अपवाद: (exception) to 3-1-68 कर्तरि शप्‌। “श्ना” which is a शित्, gets सार्वधातुक-सञ्ज्ञा by 3-4-113 तिङ्शित्सार्वधातुकम्।

(5) बन्ध् + ना + झि । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-8 लशक्वतद्धिते, 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः।

(6) बध् + ना + झि । By 6-4-24 अनिदितां हल उपधायाः क्ङिति, the penultimate नकारः of bases that end in a consonant and that do not have इकारः as a marker, takes लोपः when followed by an affix that has ककारः or ङकारः as a marker.
(Note: Since the सार्वधातुक-प्रत्यय: “श्ना” is अपित्, by 1-2-4 सार्वधातुकमपित् it behaves ङिद्वत् – as if it has ङकार: as a इत्। This allows 6-4-24 to apply.)

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

(8) बध्नन्ति । By 6-4-112 श्नाभ्यस्तयोरातः, when followed by a सार्वधातुक-प्रत्ययः which is a कित् or a ङित्, the आकारः of the श्ना-प्रत्ययः or of a reduplicated root (अभ्यस्तम्) is elided.
(Note: Since the सार्वधातुक-प्रत्यय: “अन्ति” is अपित्, by 1-2-4 सार्वधातुकमपित् it behaves ङिद्वत् – as if it has ङकार: as a इत्। This allows 6-4-112 to apply.)

Questions:

1. Where has √बन्ध् (क्रयादि-गणः, बन्धँ बन्धने, धातु-पाठः # ९. ४४) been used in a तिङन्तं पदम् in a कर्मणि प्रयोग: in the first twenty verses of Chapter Eighteen of the गीता?

2. Can you spot a “णिच्”-प्रत्यय: in the verse?

3. Can you spot a “यक्”-प्रत्यय: in the verse?

4. The अव्ययम् “इति” normally ends a quotation. Based on the context we have to find out where the quotation begins. “इति” has been used twice in the verse. In each case, from where does the quotation begin?

5. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“This bridge was built by my grandfather.” Use the masculine प्रातिपदिकम् “सेतु” for “bridge” and the use the masculine प्रातिपदिकम् “पितामह” for “grandfather (father’s father.)” Use (in the passive) √बन्ध् (क्रयादि-गणः, बन्धँ बन्धने, धातु-पाठः # ९. ४४) for “to build.”

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“(You) maintain silence.” Use the neuter प्रातिपदिकम् “मौन” for “silence” and √बन्ध् (क्रयादि-गणः, बन्धँ बन्धने, धातु-पाठः # ९. ४४) for “to maintain.”

Easy questions:

1. Derive the form वाग्भि: (तृतीया-बहुवचनम्) from the स्त्रीलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम् “वाच्”।

2. Can you spot a “टा”-प्रत्यय: in the verse?