Today we will look at the form पञ्चदशभिः  mIp from श्रीमद्भागवतम् 8.11.23.

नमुचिः पञ्चदशभिः स्वर्णपुङ्खैर्महेषुभिः । आहत्य व्यनदत्सङ्ख्ये सतोय इव तोयदः ।। ८-११-२३ ।।
सर्वतः शरकूटेन शक्रं सरथसारथिम् । छादयामासुरसुराः प्रावृट्सूर्यमिवाम्बुदाः ।। ८-११-२४ ।।

श्रीधर-स्वामि-टीका
आहत्येन्द्रं विद्ध्वा ।। २३ ।। प्रावृट्कालीनं सूर्यम् ।। २४ ।।

Gita Press translation – Piercing Indra with fifteen large arrows furnished with hilts of gold, (the demon) Namuci roared on the field of the battle like a cloud charged with water (23). The demons covered Śakra (Indra) including his chariot and charioteer on all sides with a network of arrows (even) as clouds would obscure the sun in the rains (24).

(1) पञ्च च दश च = पञ्चदश – (five + ten =) fifteen.

(2) पञ्चन् जस् + दशन् जस् । By 2-2-29 चार्थे द्वन्द्वः – Two or more terms having the designation पदम् and standing in a relation expressible by ‘च’ (‘and’) may optionally compound to yield a compound called द्वन्द्वः।

(3) पञ्चन् जस् + दशन् जस् । Both the vowels (‘अ’) in ‘दशन्’ have the designation लघु as per the सूत्रम् 1-4-10 ह्रस्वं लघु। While in ‘पञ्चन्’ the first vowel ‘अ’ precedes the conjunct ‘ञ्च्’ and therefore does not have the designation लघु। It has the designation गुरु as per the सूत्रम् 1-4-11 संयोगे गुरु। Hence as per the वार्तिकम् ‘लघ्वक्षरं पूर्वम्‌’, ‘दशन्’ should have been placed in the prior position in this compound. But since ‘पञ्चन्’ denotes a smaller number it is placed in the prior position as per the वार्तिकम् (under 2-2-34 अल्पाच्तरम्‌) सङ्ख्याया अल्पीयस्याः पूर्वनिपातो वक्तव्यः – In a compound the term which denotes a smaller number is placed in the prior position.

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

(4) पञ्चन् + दशन् । By 2-4-71 सुपो धातुप्रातिपदिकयोः – A सुँप् affix takes a लुक् elision when it is a part of a धातुः or a प्रातिपदिकम्। Now ‘पञ्चन्’ has the पद-सञ्ज्ञा by 1-4-14 सुप्तिङन्तं पदम् with the help of 1-1-62 प्रत्ययलोपे प्रत्ययलक्षणम्। This allows 8-2-7 to apply in the next step.

(5) पञ्चदशन् । By 8-2-7 नलोपः प्रातिपदिकान्तस्य – The ending letter ‘न्’ of a पदम् is dropped when the पदम् also has the designation प्रातिपदिकम्।

As per the सूत्रम् 2-4-26 परवल्लिङ्गं द्वन्द्वतत्पुरुषयोः, the compound प्रातिपदिकम् ‘पञ्चदशन्’ is an adjective since the latter member ‘दशन्’ of the compound is an adjective. Here it is used in the masculine since पञ्चदशभिः is an adjective to the masculine noun महेषुभिः।

The विवक्षा is तृतीया-बहुवचनम्।

(6) पञ्चदशन् + भिस् । By 4-1-2 स्वौजसमौट्छष्टाभ्याम्भिस्ङेभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसिभ्याम्भ्यस्ङसोसाम्ङ्योस्सुप्‌। 1-3-4 न विभक्तौ तुस्माः prevents the ending letter ‘स्’ of ‘भिस्’ from getting the इत्-सञ्ज्ञा। The अङ्गम् ‘पञ्चदशन्’ gets the designation पदम् here by 1-4-17 स्वादिष्वसर्वनामस्थाने। This allows 8-2-7 to apply in the next step.

(7) पञ्चदश + भिस् । By 8-2-7 नलोपः प्रातिपदिकान्तस्य – The ending letter ‘न्’ of a पदम् is dropped when the पदम् also has the designation प्रातिपदिकम्।

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

Questions:

1. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the substitution ‘स’ in the compound सतोय:?

2. Which compound used in the verses is a नञ्-तत्पुरुष: compound?

3. Is there an alternate form for आहत्य? (Consider the सूत्रम् 6-4-38 वा ल्यपि।)

4. Where has the सूत्रम् 6-3-46 आन्महतः समानाधिकरणजातीययोः been used in the verses?

5. From which verbal root is the form विद्ध्वा (used in the commentary) derived?

6. How would you say this in Sanskrit?
“There are fifteen days in every fortnight.” Use the masculine noun ‘पक्ष’ for ‘fortnight.’

Easy questions:

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

2. Which सूत्रम् prescribes the substitution ‘उस्’ in the form छादयामासु:?