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Noun, Adjective, Case
Of course Nouns and Adjectives are different, because one modifies the
other, but in Sanskrit both modifier and modified get the same Case
when the noun has one role in the sentence and the adjective modifies
the noun. Like:
Suppose you have a dog, kukkura, and it is a bad dog,
duʂʈa kukkura, but the point of this dog in a sentence is
that something belongs to the bad dog, say its place, sthānam,
then both the bad and the dog are in the possessive case, bad-of
dog-of place: duʂʈasya kukkurasya sthānam tatra asti,
"Bad's dog's place there is", or "The bad dog's place is there." Both
head noun and modifier adjectives all separately are given the same
case.
Vibhakti means Case, and Sanskrit has 8, namely 1-7 for those which
define a role relative to the Verb, and Sambodhana or Vocative which
doesn't get a number (or gets zero, v0) because it has no role with a
verb, yo. I use vN to identify each one, so v7 is Vibhakti #7,
Locative (the numbers are entirely traditional).
Also there are similar but often quite different vibhakti tables for
masculine, feminine and neuter, as well as the various final sounds in
the modified noun.
So M-a would indicate a Masculine noun ending in -a, like puruṣah
M-a (puruṣah)
Goldman p62
| Case Name | Singular | Dual | Plural | Ordinal | Role |
Nominative | -ah | -au | -aah | prathamaa (v1) | Subject |
Accusative | -am | -au | -aan | dvitiiyaa (v2) | Object |
Instrumental | -ena | -aabhyaam | -aih | tritiiyaa (v3) | Means,Method |
Dative | -aaya | -aabhyaam | -ebhyah | caturthii (v4) | Recipient |
Ablative | -aat | -aabhyaam | -ebhyah | pancamii (v5) | Source |
Genitive | -asya | -ayoh | -aanaam | shashtii (v6) | Possessor |
Locative | -e | -ayoh | -eSu | saptamii (v7) | Location |
Vocative | -a | -au | -aah | sambodhana (v0) | Calling to, Addressee |
Your Super Power: Memory
My first attempted mnemonic was ah-am-ena-aaya-aat-asya-e which are
the M-a sg Singular vibhaktis, in the first column. I thought I could
economize because some columns are pretty redundant. But learning
columns although it's rather compact, is harder than learning rows.
First, they are too long. Learning rows with all the redundancy is
pretty easy; you can just focus especially on the unpredictable parts
once they start to seem predictable. That is, you memorize it once,
then the redundant ones when you see them you don't quite have to
fully memorize it a second time; you can just recognize them already
where they are and what they indicate. It's actually easier than
remembering a table half-full of links to the first occurrence, or
blanks to implicitly refer over. You actually get them for free.
I'm going to tag new, not-yet-redundant elements with boldface,
below. That is, it is not bold if it repeats an element..
- in the same paradigm in the same column (same number).
- in a different paradigm in the same column and row (same number and case).
So maybe learn row-wise, all the rows, -ah -au -aah prathamaa
("first"), then -am -au -aan dvitiiyaa ("second"), etc. I myself
tried to memorize columns, but now I'm starting over row-wise, in the
middle of second year. It's up to you.
But if you will give it a try and gradually master the art of
memorization, in your own way, with your own mix of familiarization,
meaning-finding, path-laying, and checked repetition, you can then
use this new superpower to put them all in your memory, and practice
retrieval a few times until you don't just know but you know you know,
and then it is solid, and you can use it later anytime.
M-ah (puruṣah)
Goldman p62
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -ah | -au | -aah |
Acc v2 | -am | -au | -aan |
Instr v3 | -ena | -aabhyaam | -aih |
Dat v4 | -aaya | -aabhyaam | -ebhyah |
Abl v5 | -aat | -aabhyaam | -ebhyah |
Gen v6 | -asya | -ayoh | -aanaam |
Loc v7 | -e | -ayoh | -eSu |
Voc v0 | -a | -au | -aah |
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Neuter-am (pustakam)
Goldman p63
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -am | -e | -aani |
Acc v2 | -am | -e | -aani |
Instr v3 | -ena | -aabhyaam | -aih |
Dat v4 | -aaya | -aabhyaam | -ebhyah |
Abl v5 | -aat | -aabhyaam | -ebhyah |
Gen v6 | -asya | -ayoh | -aanaam |
Loc v7 | -e | -ayoh | -eSu |
Voc v0 | -a | -e | -aani |
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F-aa (kanyaa)
Goldman p79
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -aa | -e | -aah |
Acc v2 | -aam | -e | -aah |
Instr v3 | -ayaa | -aabhyaam | -aabhih |
Dat v4 | -aayai | -aabhyaam | -aabhyah |
Abl v5 | -aayaah | -aabhyaam | -aabhyah |
Gen v6 | -aayaah | -ayoh | -aanaam |
Loc v7 | -aayaam | -ayoh | -aasu |
Voc v0 | -e | -e | -aah |
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M-ih (munih)
Goldman p91
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -ih | -ii | -ayah |
Acc v2 | -im | -ii | -iin |
Instr v3 | -inaa | -ibhyaam | -ibhih |
Dat v4 | -aye | -ibhyaam | -ibhyah |
Abl v5 | -eh | -ibhyaam | -ibhyah |
Gen v6 | -eh | -yoh | -iinaam |
Loc v7 | -au | -yoh | -iSu |
Voc v0 | -e | -ii | -ayah |
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F-ih (gatih)
Goldman p92
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -ih | -ii | -ayah |
Acc v2 | -im | -ii | -iih |
Instr v3 | -yaa | -ibhyaam | -ibhih |
Dat v4 | -yai | -ibhyaam | -ibhyah |
Abl v5 | -yaah | -eh | -ibhyaam | -ibhyah |
Gen v6 | -yaah | -eh | -yoh | -iinaam |
Loc v7 | -yaam | -au | -yoh | -iSu |
Voc v0 | -e | -ii | -ayah |
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M-uh (Satruh)
Goldman p93
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -uh | -uu | -avah |
Acc v2 | -um | -uu | -uun |
Instr v3 | -uNaa | -ubhyaam | -ubhih |
Dat v4 | -ave | -ubhyaam | -ubhyah |
Abl v5 | -oh | -ubhyaam | -ubhyah |
Gen v6 | -oh | -voh | -uunaam |
Loc v7 | -au | -voh | -uSu |
Voc v0 | -o | -uu | -avah |
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Neuter-u (madhu)
Goldman p93
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -u | -unii | -uuni |
Acc v2 | -u | -unii | -uuni |
Instr v3 | -unaa | -ubhyaam | -ubhih |
Dat v4 | -une | -ubhyaam | -ubhyah |
Abl v5 | -unah | -ubhyaam | -ubhyah |
Gen v6 | -unah | -unoh | -uunaam |
Loc v7 | -uni | -unoh | -uSu |
Voc v0 | -o | -u | -unii | -uuni |
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F-ii (devii)
Goldman p113
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -ii | -yau | -yah |
Acc v2 | -iim | -yau | -iih |
Instr v3 | -yaa | -iibhyaam | -iibhih |
Dat v4 | -yai | -iibhyaam | -iibhyah |
Abl v5 | -yaah | -iibhyaam | -iibhyah |
Gen v6 | -yaah | -yoh | -iinaam |
Loc v7 | -yaam | -yoh | -iSu |
Voc v0 | -i | -yau | -yah |
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M-an strong/weak (aatman)
Goldman p139
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -aa | -aanau | -aanah |
Acc v2 | -aanam | -aanau | -anah |
Instr v3 | -anaa | -abhyaam | -abhih |
Dat v4 | -ane | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Abl v5 | -anah | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Gen v6 | -anah | -anoh | -anaam |
Loc v7 | -ani | -anoh | -asu |
Voc v0 | -an | -aanau | -aanah |
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Neuter -an strong/weak (karman)
Goldman p140
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -a | -aNi | -aaNi |
Acc v2 | -a | -aNi | -aaNi |
Instr v3 | -aNaa | -abhyaam | -abhih |
Dat v4 | -aNe | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Abl v5 | -aNah | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Gen v6 | -aNah | -aNoh | -aNaam |
Loc v7 | -aNi | -aNoh | -asu |
Voc v0 | -an | -a | -aNi | -aaNi |
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M-an strong/weak/weakest (raajan)
Goldman p140
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -aa | -aanau | -aanah |
Acc v2 | -aanam | -aanau | -nah |
Instr v3 | -naa | -abhyaam | -abhih |
Dat v4 | -ne | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Abl v5 | -nah | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Gen v6 | -nah | -noh | -naam |
Loc v7 | -ni | -ani | -noh | -asu |
Voc v0 | -an | -aanau | -aanah |
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N-an strong/weak/weakest (naaman)
Goldman p141
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -a | -ni | -ani | -aani |
Acc v2 | -a | -ni | -ani | -aani |
Instr v3 | -naa | -abhyaam | -abhih |
Dat v4 | -ne | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Abl v5 | -nah | -abhyaam | -abhyah |
Gen v6 | -nah | -noh | -naam |
Loc v7 | -ni | -ani | -noh | -asu |
Voc v0 | -an | -a | -ni | -ani | -aani |
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N-aḥ (tapaḥ)
Goldman p140
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -aḥ | -asī | -aaṃsi |
Acc v2 | -aḥ | -asī | -aaṃsi |
Instr v3 | -asaa | -obhyaam | -obhih |
Dat v4 | -ase | -obhyaam | -obhyah |
Abl v5 | -asah | -obhyaam | -obhyah |
Gen v6 | -asah | -asoh | -asaam |
Loc v7 | -asi | -asoh | -aḥsu |
Voc v0 | -aḥ | -asii | -aaṃsi |
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M|F- (aḥ | as) (angiraḥ | s)
Goldman p158
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -aaḥ | -asau | -asaḥ |
Acc v2 | -asam | -asau | -asaḥ |
Instr v3 | -asaa | -obhyaam | -obhih |
Dat v4 | -ase | -obhyaam | -obhyah |
Abl v5 | -asah | -obhyaam | -obhyah |
Gen v6 | -asah | -asoh | -asaam |
Loc v7 | -asi | -asoh | -aḥsu |
Voc v0 | -aḥ | -asii | -aaṃsi |
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N-is (haviḥ)
Goldman p1??
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -iḥ | -iṣii | -iiṃṣi |
Acc v2 | -iḥ | -iṣii | -iiṃṣi |
Instr v3 | -iṣaa | -irbhyaam | -irbhih |
Dat v4 | -iṣe | -irbhyaam | -irbhyah |
Abl v5 | -iṣah | -irbhyaam | -irbhyah |
Gen v6 | -iṣah | -īṣoh | -iṣaam |
Loc v7 | -iṣi | -iṣoh | -iḥṣu |
Voc v0 | -iḥ | -iṣii | -iiṃṣi |
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N -us (dhanus)
Goldman p1??
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -uḥ | -uṣii | -uuṃṣi |
Acc v2 | -uḥ | -uṣii | -uuṃṣi |
Instr v3 | -uṣaa | -urbhyaam | -urbhih |
Dat v4 | -uṣe | -urbhyaam | -urbhyah |
Abl v5 | -uṣah | -urbhyaam | -urbhyah |
Gen v6 | -uṣah | -uṣoh | -uṣaam |
Loc v7 | -uṣi | -uṣoh | -uḥṣu |
Voc v0 | -uḥ | -uṣii | -uuṃsi |
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M-tṛ (pitṛ)
Goldman p??
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -taa | -tarau | -araḥ |
Acc v2 | -taram | -tarau | -tṛṛṇ |
Instr v3 | -traa | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhiḥ |
Dat v4 | -tre | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhyaḥ |
Abl v5 | -tuḥ | -tur | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhyaḥ |
Gen v6 | -tuḥ | -tur | -troḥ | -tṛṛṇaam |
Loc v7 | -tari | -troḥ | -tṛṣu |
Voc v0 | -taḥ,-tara | -tarau | -taraḥ |
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Neuter-tṛ (daatṛ)
Goldman p63
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -tṛ | -tṛṇii | -tṛṛṇi |
Acc v2 | -tṛ | -tṛṇii | -tṛṛṇi |
Instr v3 | -tṛṇa | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhiḥ |
Dat v4 | -tṛṇe | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhyaḥ |
Abl v5 | -tṛṇaḥ | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhyaḥ |
Gen v6 | -tṛṇaḥ | -tṛṇoḥ | -tṛṛṇaam |
Loc v7 | -tṛṇi | -tṛṇoḥ | -tṛṣu |
Voc v0 | -tṛ | -tṛṇii | -tṛṛṇi |
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F-tṛ (maatṛ)
Goldman p??
| Case | Singular | Dual | Plural |
Nom v1 | -taa | -tarau | -araḥ |
Acc v2 | -taram | -tarau | -tṛṛḥ |
Instr v3 | -traa | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhiḥ |
Dat v4 | -tre | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhyaḥ |
Abl v5 | -tuḥ | -tur | -tṛbhyaam | -tṛbhya |
Gen v6 | -tuḥ | -tur | -troḥ | -tṛṛṇaam |
Loc v7 | -tari | -troḥ | -tṛṣu |
Voc v0 | -taḥ,-tara | -tarau | -taraḥ |
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