Today we will look at the form प्रमादात् m-Ab-s from श्रीमद्-वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् 4.15.2.

प्रमादाच्चरितं किंचित् कच्चिन्नावरजस्य मे । लक्ष्मणस्यर्षिभिर्दृष्टं नानुरूपं महात्मनः ।। २-११६-६ ।।
कच्चिच्छुश्रूषमाणा वः शुश्रूषणपरा मयि । प्रमदाभ्युचितां वृत्तिं सीता युक्तां न वर्तते ।। २-११६-७ ।।
अथर्षिर्जरया वृद्धस्तपसा च जरां गतः । वेपमान इवोवाच रामं भूतदयापरम् ।। २-११६-८ ।।
कुतः कल्याणसत्त्वायाः कल्याणाभिरतेः सदा । चलनं तात वैदेह्यास्तपस्विषु विशेषतः ।। २-११६-९ ।।
त्वन्निमित्तमिदं तावत्तापसान्प्रति वर्तते । रक्षोभ्यस्तेन संविग्नाः कथयन्ति मिथः कथाः ।। २-११६-१० ।।

Gita Press translation – I hope no lapse, unbecoming of an exalted soul, on the part of my younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, has been detected by the sages (6). While attending on you, Sītā, who remains solely devoted to my service, does not, I am afraid, follow the conduct wholly worthy of a young lady and showing due respect (to you)” (7). The Ṛṣi, who was not only worn out from age but had also attained ripeness through askesis, replied (as follows), as though quaking, to Śrī Rāma, who regarded compassion for created beings as the highest virtue: – (8) “How can there be any aberration, my darling, on the part of Sītā (a princess of the Videha kingdom), who has a benign disposition and is ever devoted to goodness, particularly (in her attitude) towards ascetics? (9) This peril from the Rākṣasas threatens the ascetics because of you (who are kindly disposed to the latter). Alarmed by it, they hold conversation among themselves (10).

Note: The translation ‘lapse’ is of the phrase प्रमादाच्चरितम् which literally means ‘performed due to carelessness/error.’

The प्रातिपदिकम् ‘प्रमाद’ (carelessness, error) is derived from the verbal root √मद् (मदीँ हर्षे ४. १०५) preceded by the उपसर्गः ‘प्र’।

(1) प्र मद् + घञ् । By 3-3-18 भावे – The affix घञ् may be used following a verbal root to denote the sense of the verbal root as having attained to a completed state.

Note: As per 3-3-68 प्रमदसम्मदौ हर्षे – The two ready-made forms ‘प्रमद’ and ‘सम्मद’ are prescribed in the meaning of हर्ष: (joy.) In the present example the desired meaning is not हर्ष: (joy) and hence 3-3-68 does not apply here.

(2) प्र मद् + अ । अनुबन्ध-लोप: by 1-3-8 लशक्वतद्धिते, 1-3-3 हलन्त्यम् and 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः।

(3) प्र माद् + अ । By 7-2-116 अत उपधायाः – A penultimate (उपधा) अकार: of a अङ्गम् gets वृद्धिः as the substitute when followed by a प्रत्ययः which is a ञित् or a णित्।

= प्रमाद ।

‘प्रमाद’ 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।

Note: घञबन्त: (लिङ्गानुशासनम् २.२) – A प्रातिपदिकम् ending in the affix ‘घञ्’ or ‘अप्’ is used in the masculine gender.

The विवक्षा is पञ्चमी-एकवचनम्।

(4) प्रमाद + ङसिँ । By 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप्‌।

(5) प्रमाद + आत् । By 7-1-12 टाङसिङसामिनात्स्याः – Following a अङ्गम् ending in a अकार:, the affixes ‘टा’, ‘ङसिँ’ and ‘ङस्’ are replaced respectively by ‘इन’, ‘आत्’ and ‘स्य’। 1-3-4 न विभक्तौ तुस्माः prevents the ending तकार: of ‘आत्’ from getting the इत्-सञ्ज्ञा।

(6) प्रमादात् । By 6-1-101 अकः सवर्णे दीर्घः।

Questions:

1. Where has प्रमादात् been used in the गीता?

2. Commenting on the सूत्रम् 3-3-68 प्रमदसम्मदौ हर्षे (referred to in step 1) the तत्त्वबोधिनी says – ‘प्रसंभ्यां हर्षे’ इति तु नोक्म्। प्रसंमदः, संप्रमद इति हर्षे मा भूदिति। Please explain.

3. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the नकारादेश: in the प्रातिपदिकम् ‘विग्न’ (used as part of the compound संविग्नाः in the verses)?

4. Where has the सूत्रम् 1-3-57 ज्ञाश्रुस्मृदृशां सनः been used in the verses?

5. Why doesn’t the सूत्रम् 6-1-58 सृजिदृशोर्झल्यमकिति apply in the form दृष्टम्? (Which condition is not satisfied?)

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“Even the wise make an error occasionally.” Paraphrase “Even of the wise an error takes place occasionally.” Use the adjective प्रातिपदिकम् ‘धीमत्’ for ‘wise’ and the अव्ययम् ‘क्वचित्’ for ‘occasionally.’ Use the verbal root √जन् (जनीँ प्रादुर्भावे ४. ४४) for ‘to take place.’

Easy questions:

1. Can you spot the affix ‘णिच्’ in the verses?

2. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the elision of the letter ‘न्’ in the form तपस्विषु (प्रातिपदिकम् ‘तपस्विन्’, पुंलिङ्गे सप्तमी-बहुवचनम्)?