Today we will look at the form विशालाक्षी  fNs from श्रीमद्-वाल्मीकि-रामायणम् 3.34.15.

एका कथंचिन्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना | स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना ।। ३-३४-१२ ।।
भ्राता चास्य महातेजा गुणतस्तुल्यविक्रमः | अनुरक्तश्च भक्तश्च लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान् ।। ३-३४-१३ ।।
अमर्षी दुर्जयो जेता विक्रान्तो बुद्धिमान्बली | रामस्य दक्षिणो बाहुर्नित्यं प्राणो बहिश्चरः ।। ३-३४-१४ ।।
रामस्य तु विशालाक्षी पूर्णेन्दुसदृशानना | धर्मपत्नी प्रिया नित्यं भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता ।। ३-३४-१५ ।।

Gita Press translation – I alone was spared somehow, after disgracing me (in the form of mutilation), by the high-souled Rāma, who has realized the self, afraid as he was of (the sin of) killing a woman (12). Nay, his mighty brother, Lakṣmaṇa by name, who is possessed of exceptional glory and equally valorous, is attached and devoted too to him because of his (rare) virtues (13). Intolerant, hard to conquer, victorious (in battle), heroic, talented and strong, he is always the right hand of Rāma, (nay) his (very) life exteriorized (14). Rāma’s beloved wife, wedded according to religious rites, has large eyes and a countenance resembling the full moon. She is ever intent on doing what is pleasing and beneficial to her lord (15).

(1) विशाले अक्षिणी यस्या: सा = विशालाक्षी (सीता) – She (Sītā) who has large eyes.

(2) विशाल औ + अक्षि औ । By 2-2-24 अनेकमन्यपदार्थे – Two or more terms having the designation पदम् and ending in the nominative case may optionally compound to yield a बहुव्रीहि: compound provided the terms are employed to denote the sense of another पदम् (which is not part of the compound.)

(3) By the सूत्रम् 1-2-43 प्रथमानिर्दिष्टं समास उपसर्जनम् – the term ‘विशाल औ’ as well as ‘अक्षि औ’ gets the designation उपसर्जनम् because in the सूत्रम् 2-2-24 अनेकमन्यपदार्थे (which prescribes the compounding) the term अनेकम् ends in the nominative case. And hence 2-2-30 cannot help us in deciding which term to place in the prior position in the compound.

The adjective ‘विशाल औ’ is placed in the prior position in the compound as per the सूत्रम् 2-2-35 सप्तमीविशेषणे बहुव्रीहौ – In a बहुव्रीहि: compound the पदम् which ends in a seventh case affix or is an adjective takes the prior position.

Note: ‘विशाल औ + अक्षि औ’ gets the designation प्रातिपदिकम्‌ by 1-2-46 कृत्तद्धितसमासाश्च। This allows 2-4-71 to apply in the next step.

(4) विशाल + अक्षि । By 2-4-71 सुपो धातुप्रातिपदिकयोः – A सुँप् affix takes a लुक् elision when it is a part of a धातुः or a प्रातिपदिकम्।

(5) विशालाक्षि । By 6-1-101 अकः सवर्णे दीर्घः।

(6) विशालाक्षि + षच् । By 5-4-113 बहुव्रीहौ सक्थ्यक्ष्णोः स्वाङ्गात्‌ षच् – Following a बहुव्रीहि: compound ending in either i) ‘सक्थि’ (when denoting a limb of one’s body) or ii) ‘अक्षि’ (when denoting a limb of one’s body) the तद्धित: affix षच् is prescribed and this affix becomes the ending member of the compound.
Note: In this सूत्रम् the seventh case affix used in बहुव्रीहौ actually stands for a fifth case affix. Hence बहुव्रीहौ should be interpreted as बहुव्रीहेः।
Note: In this सूत्रम् the sixth/seventh case affix used in सक्थ्यक्ष्णोः actually stands for a fifth case affix. Hence सक्थ्यक्ष्णोः should be interpreted as सक्थ्यक्षिभ्याम्। And since it is qualifying बहुव्रीहेः, as per 1-1-72 येन विधिस्तदन्तस्य we get सक्‍थ्‍यक्ष्यन्‍ताद् बहुव्रीहेः।
Note: The अनुवृत्ति: of बहुव्रीहौ runs from this सूत्रम् down to 5-4-160 निष्प्रवाणिश्च which is the last सूत्रम् in the Fifth Chapter of the अष्टाध्यायी।

(7) विशालाक्षि + अ । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-3 हलन्त्यम्, 1-3-6 षः प्रत्ययस्य and 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः।
Note: The अङ्गम् ‘विशालाक्षि’ has the भ-सञ्ज्ञा here as per the सूत्रम् 1-4-18 यचि भम्। This allows the सूत्रम् 6-4-148 to apply in the next step.

(8) विशालाक्ष् + अ । By 6-4-148 यस्येति च – When the letter ‘ई’ or a ‘तद्धित’ affix follows, the (ending) इ-वर्ण: (letter ‘इ’ or ‘ई’) or the (ending) अवर्ण: (letter ‘अ’ or ‘आ’) of a अङ्गम् with the भ-सञ्ज्ञा takes elision (लोपः)।

= विशालाक्ष ।

The gender of a बहुव्रीहि: compound matches that of which it qualifies. In the present example, सीता is being qualified. Hence we form the feminine प्रातिपदिकम् ‘विशालाक्षी’as follows –

(9) विशालाक्ष + ङीष् । By 4-1-41 षिद्गौरादिभ्यश्च – In the feminine gender the affix ‘ङीष्’ is prescribed following a प्रातिपदिकम् which either (i) contains the letter ‘ष्’ as a ‘इत्’ or (ii) belongs to the class of words beginning with ‘गौर’।

(10) विशालाक्ष + ई । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-3 हलन्त्यम्, 1-3-8 लशक्वतद्धिते and 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः।
Note: The अङ्गम् ‘विशालाक्ष’ has the भ-सञ्ज्ञा here as per the सूत्रम् 1-4-18 यचि भम्। This allows the सूत्रम् 6-4-148 to apply in the next step.

(11) विशालाक्ष् + ई । By 6-4-148 यस्येति च – When the letter ‘ई’ or a ‘तद्धित’ affix follows, the (ending) इ-वर्ण: (letter ‘इ’ or ‘ई’) or the (ending) अवर्ण: (letter ‘अ’ or ‘आ’) of a अङ्गम् with the भ-सञ्ज्ञा takes elision (लोपः)।

= विशालाक्षी । Declines like नदी-शब्द:।

The विवक्षा is प्रथमा-एकवचनम्।

(12) विशालाक्षी + सुँ । By 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिँभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप्।

(13) विशालाक्षी + स् । अनुबन्ध-लोपः by 1-3-2 उपदेशेऽजनुनासिक इत्, 1-3-9 तस्य लोपः।

(14) विशालाक्षी । By 6-1-68 हल्ङ्याब्भ्यो दीर्घात्‌ सुतिस्यपृक्तं हल् – A single letter affix ‘सुँ’, ‘ति’ or ‘सि’ is dropped following a base ending in a consonant or in the long feminine affix ‘ङी’ or ‘आप्’।

Questions:

1. Where has the सूत्रम् 5-4-113 बहुव्रीहौ सक्थ्यक्ष्णोः स्वाङ्गात्‌ षच् (used in step 6) been used in the first five verses of Chapter Eleven of the गीता?

2. Commenting on the सूत्रम् 5-4-113 बहुव्रीहौ सक्थ्यक्ष्णोः स्वाङ्गात्‌ षच् the सिद्धान्तकौमुदी says – स्‍वाङ्गात्‍किम्? दीर्घसक्थि शकटम्। स्‍थूलाक्षा वेणुयष्‍टिः। ‘अक्ष्णोऽदर्शनात्‌’ इत्यच्। Please explain.

3. Commenting on (the affix ’षच्’ prescribed by) the same सूत्रम् the तत्त्वबोधिनी says – षो ङीषार्थ:। Please explain.

4. In which word in the verses has the affix खल् been used?

5. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the substitution ‘आ’ in the form महात्मना (प्रातिपदिकम् ‘महात्मन्’, पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया-एकवचनम्)?

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“In Laṅkā Śrī Hanumān saw many demons with deformed eyes.” Construct a बहुव्रीहि: compound for ‘those who have deformed eyes’ = ‘विरूपाणि (विकृतरूपाणि) अक्षीणि येषां ते’।

Easy questions:

1. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the substitution ‘अनङ्’ in the form भ्राता (पुंलिङ्ग-प्रातिपदिकम् ‘भ्रातृ’, प्रथमा-एकवचनम्)?

2. Where has the सूत्रम् 6-1-111 ऋत उत्‌ been used in the verses?