Today we will look at the form क्षीणः mNs from श्रीमद्-वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् 6.65.7.

विक्लवानां ह्यबुद्धीनां राज्ञां पण्डितमानिनाम् । रोचते त्वद्वचो नित्यं कथ्यमानं महोदर ।। ६-६५-५ ।।
युद्धे कापुरुषैर्नित्यं भवद्भिः प्रियवादिभिः । राजानमनुगच्छद्भिः सर्वं कृत्यं विनाशितम् ।। ६-६५-६ ।।
राजशेषा कृता लङ्का क्षीणः कोशो बलं हतम् । राजानमिममासाद्य सुहृच्चिह्नममित्रकम् ।। ६-६५-७ ।।

Gita Press translation – Your advice, (even) while it is being tendered, would undoubtedly appeal at all times to kings who are cowardly and devoid of intellect and account themselves wise, O Mahodara! (5) All undertakings have always been marred by you people, who are cowards in combat, utter pleasing words and say ditto to the kings (during deliberations) (6). The king alone is left in Laṅkā (which has been divested of its population), its exchequer depleted, and army destroyed. (Nay) having found access to this king, enemies masquerading as friends have gathered round him (7).

The प्रातिपदिकम् “क्षीण” is derived from the verbal root √क्षि (क्षि क्षये १. २६९, क्षि निवासगत्योः ६. १४३).

(1) क्षि + क्त । By 3-2-102 निष्ठा – The affix “निष्ठा” (ref.1-1-26 क्तक्तवतू निष्ठा) may be used following a verbal root when denoting an action in the past tense. Note: The affix ‘क्त’ has been used कर्तरि (to denote the agent) here as per 3-4-72 गत्यर्थाकर्मकश्लिषशीङ्स्थासवसजनरुहजीर्यतिभ्यश्च – When following one of the verbal roots listed below, the affix “क्त” may be used in the active voice (कर्तरि) as well as in the passive voice (भावकर्मणो:) –
(i) any verbal root used in the sense of motion (गत्यर्थ:)
(ii) any verbal root used intransitively (अकर्मक:)
(iii) the verbal roots √श्लिष् (श्लिषँ आलिङ्गने ४. ८३), √शी (शीङ् स्वप्ने २. २६), √स्था (ष्ठा गतिनिवृत्तौ १. १०७७), √आस् (आसँ उपवेशने २. ११), √वस् (वसँ निवासे १. ११६०), √जन् (जनीँ प्रादुर्भावे ४. ४४), √रुह् (रुहँ बीजजन्मनि प्रादुर्भावे च १. ९९५) and √जॄ (जॄष् वयोहानौ ४. २५)।
Note: The verbal roots listed in (iii) are intransitive. But when used with a उपसर्ग: they may become transitive. In that case they would not be covered by (ii). This is the reason for listing them separately in (iii).

(2) क्षि + त । अनुबन्ध-लोप: by 1-3-8 लशक्वतद्धिते and 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः। Note: 7-2-10 एकाच उपदेशेऽनुदात्तात्‌ prevents the affix ‘त’ from taking the augment ‘इट्’ which would have been done by 7-2-35 आर्धधातुकस्येड् वलादेः। The affix “क्त” is a कित्। Hence 1-1-5 क्क्ङिति च prevents 7-3-84 सार्वधातुकार्धधातुकयोः from applying.

(3) क्षी + त । By 6-4-60 निष्ठायामण्यदर्थे – (The final vowel) of a अङ्गम् consisting of the verbal root √क्षि (क्षि क्षये १. २६९, क्षि निवासगत्योः ६. १४३) is elongated when followed by a निष्ठा affix which is used in a non-passive sense. As per 1-1-52 अलोऽन्त्यस्य, only the ending इकार: of the अङ्गम् is elongated.

(4) क्षी + न । By 8-2-46 क्षियो दीर्घात्‌ – A नकार: is the replacement in place of a तकार: of a निष्ठा affix (ref. 1-1-26) which immediately follows the verbal root √क्षि (क्षि क्षये १. २६९, क्षि निवासगत्योः ६. १४३) (the final vowel of) which has been elongated.

(5) क्षी + ण । By 8-4-2 अट्कुप्वाङ्नुम्व्यवायेऽपि।

“क्षीण” gets प्रातिपदिक-सञ्ज्ञा by 1-2-46 कृत्तद्धितसमासाश्च – A word form that ends in a कृत्-प्रत्ययः or a तद्धित-प्रत्ययः and so also compounds gets the name प्रातिपदिकम्।

The विवक्षा is पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्।

(6) क्षीण + सुँ । By 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिँभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप्।

(7) क्षीण + स् । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-2 उपदेशेऽजनुनासिक इत् and 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः।

(8) क्षीणः । रुँत्व-विसर्गौ by 8-2-66 ससजुषो रुः and 8-3-15 खरवसानयोर्विसर्जनीयः।

Questions:

1. Where has the प्रातिपदिकम् ‘क्षीण’ been used in Chapter Nine of the गीता?

2. To highlight the importance of the term ‘अण्यदर्थे’ in the सूत्रम् 6-4-60 निष्ठायामण्यदर्थे (used in step 3), the तत्त्वबोधिनी gives the counter-example कामेन क्षितम्। Please explain.

3. Where has the सूत्रम् 3-2-83 आत्ममाने खश्च been used in the verses?

4. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the affix ‘णिनिँ’ in ‘प्रियवादिन्’?

5. Can you spot the affix ‘क्यप्’ in the verses?

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“A man whose sins have been exhausted is not born again.”

Easy questions:

1. Which सूत्रम् is used for the एकारादेश: (letter ‘ए’ as a substitute) in the form रोचते?

2. Where has the सूत्रम् 7-2-109 दश्च been used in the verses?