Today we will look at the form धर्मभृताम् mGp from श्रीमद्भागवतम् 1.10.1.

शौनक उवाच
हत्वा स्वरिक्थस्पृध आततायिनो युधिष्ठिरो धर्मभृतां वरिष्ठः । सहानुजैः प्रत्यवरुद्धभोजनः कथं प्रवृत्तः किमकारषीत्ततः ।। १-१०-१ ।।
सूत उवाच
वंशं कुरोर्वंशदवाग्निनिर्हृतं संरोहयित्वा भवभावनो हरिः । निवेशयित्वा निजराज्य ईश्वरो युधिष्ठिरं प्रीतमना बभूव ह ।। १-१०-२ ।।

श्रीधर-स्वामि-टीका
राज्यं चकारेत्युक्तं तत्र पृच्छति – हत्वेति । स्वस्य रिक्थे धने स्पर्धन्ते स्म ये ते तथा । यद्वा स्वरिक्थाय स्पृत्संग्रामो येषामत एव धनादिहरणादाततायिनस्तान्हत्वा । प्रत्यवरुद्धभोजनो बन्धुवधदुःखेन संकुचितभोगो, राज्यलाभेन प्राप्तभोगो वा । कथं राज्ये प्रवृत्तः, प्रवृत्तो वा ततः किमकार्षीत् ।। १ ।। राज्यप्रवृत्तौ श्रीकृष्णस्य प्रीतिं पर्यालोच्य प्रवृत्त इत्याशयेनोत्तरमाह । वंशं कुरोः संरोहयित्वा परीक्षिद्रक्षणेन संरोह्याङ्कुरितं कृत्वा । कथंभूतम् । वंशदवाग्निनिर्हृतं वंश एव दवो वनं तस्मादुद्भूतो यः क्रोधरूपोऽग्निस्तेन निर्हृतं दग्धम् । निजराज्ये निवेश्य च ।। २ ।।

Gita Press translation – Śaunaka said: Having got rid of the ruffians who sought to rob him of his lawful heritage, how did Yudhiṣṭhira, the foremost of pious rulers, proceed (to rule his kingdom) with his younger brothers and what did he accomplish later, averse as he was to the gratification of his senses? (1) Sūta continued: Having revived the race of Kuru, that had been consumed by the fire of internecine feud – even as the wild fire produced by the rubbing of bamboo stems against one another consumes a whole forest of bamboos – and established Yudhiṣṭhira on his throne, the almighty Śrī Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa), the promoter of the world, rejoiced at heart (2).

धर्मभृताम् is पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-बहुवचनम् of the प्रातिपदिकम् ‘धर्मभृत्’।

(1) धर्मभृत् + आम् । By 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिँभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप्। As per 2-3-41 यतश्च निर्धारणम्‌ – A sixth case affix (‘ङस्’, ‘ओस्’, ‘आम्’) or a seventh case affix (‘ङि’, ‘ओस्’, ‘सुप्’) is used following a प्रातिपदिकम् (nominal stem) which denotes a group/whole from which an element/part is to be singled out based on a genus or quality or action or proper name.

In the present example, ‘युधिष्ठिर’ is being singled out from the group denoted by ‘धर्मभृत्’ (‘pious ruler’) based on the quality of being ‘वरिष्ठ’ (‘foremost.’) Hence the conditions for applying 2-3-41 are satisfied and a sixth case affix is used following the प्रातिपदिकम् ‘धर्मभृत्’। (A seventh case affix could have also been used.)

1-3-4 न विभक्तौ तुस्माः prevents the ending letter ‘म्’ of the affix ‘आम्’ from getting इत्-सञ्ज्ञा।

= धर्मभृताम् ।

Questions:

1. In the first verse of which Chapter of the गीता has the सूत्रम् 2-3-41 यतश्च निर्धारणम्‌ (used in step 1) been used?

2. Which कृत् affix is used to form the उपपद-समास: ‘धर्मभृत्’?

3. Why is the form संरोहयित्वा not appropriate in the classical language? What is the correct form?

4. Where has the सूत्रम् 6-4-37 अनुदात्तोपदेशवनतितनोत्यादीनामनुनासिकलोपो झलि क्ङिति been used in the verses?

5. Which सूत्रम् justifies the use of a third case affix in the word अनुजै: used in the verses?

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“Pāṇini is the foremost among grammarians.” Use the masculine प्रातिपदिकम् ‘वैयाकरण’ for ‘grammarian.’

Easy questions:

1. Can you spot the augment ‘वुक्’ in the verses?

2. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the वृद्धि: substitution in the form अकार्षीत्?