Consonant stems

Consonant stems are the last of the major families of nominal stems. As you might guess, these stems end in consonants.

Consonant stems use the basic nominal endings we saw earlier. But some consonant stems have strong and weak versions that they use in front of different endings, just as the -ṛ stems do. And since these stems end in consonants, various sandhi changes might occur.

As a reminder, we use the strong stem in cases 1, 2 and 8 (except for the plural of case 2) and the weak stem everywhere else.

Basic consonant stems

Many consonant stems have strong and weak versions. But there also many that use just one version for all endings. Let's quickly learn about these basic consonant stems, which use the same version with all endings.

Here are the forms of the masculine stem marut, which means “wind.” Apart from some sandhi changes, all of these forms are regular:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1मरुत्
marut
मरुतौ
marutau
मरुतः
marutaḥ
Case 2मरुतम्
marutam
मरुतौ
marutau
मरुतः
marutaḥ
Case 3मरुता
marutā
मरुद्भ्याम्
marudbhyām
मरुद्भिः
marudbhiḥ
Case 4मरुते
marute
मरुद्भ्याम्
marudbhyām
मरुद्भ्यः
marudbhyaḥ
Case 5मरुतः
marutaḥ
मरुद्भ्याम्
marudbhyām
मरुद्भ्यः
marudbhyaḥ
Case 6मरुतः
marutaḥ
मरुतोः
marutoḥ
मरुताम्
marutām
Case 7मरुति
maruti
मरुतोः
marutoḥ
मरुत्सु
marutsu
Case 8मरुत्
marut
मरुतौ
marutau
मरुतः
marutaḥ

Likewise, here are the forms of the neuter stem manas, which means “mind.” All of these forms use the basic nominal endings:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1मनः
manaḥ
मनसी
manasī
मनांसि
manāṃsi
Case 2मनः
manaḥ
मनसी
manasī
मनांसि
manāṃsi
Case 3मनसा
manasā
मनोभ्याम्
manobhyām
मनोभिः
manobhiḥ
Case 4मनसे
manase
मनोभ्याम्
manobhyām
मनोभ्यः
manobhyaḥ
Case 5मनसः
manasaḥ
मनोभ्याम्
manobhyām
मनोभ्यः
manobhyaḥ
Case 6मनसः
manasaḥ
मनसोः
manasoḥ
मनसाम्
manasām
Case 7मनसि
manasi
मनसोः
manasoḥ
मनःसु
manaḥsu
Case 8मनः
manaḥ
मनसी
manasī
मनांसि
manāṃsi

-at, -mat, and -vat

Many of the words that end in at are created with the suffixes -at, -mat, and -vat.

at is a root suffix. When we attach it to a root that means “X,” we get a stem that means “(someone who is) X-ing”:

  • पश्यत्
    paśyat
    (someone who is) seeing

  • अहम् सिंहं पश्यन् धावामि।
    aham siṃhaṃ paśyan dhāvāmi.
    I, seeing the lion, run.

And -mat and -vat are nominal suffixes that mean “possessing X”:

  • भगवत्
    bhagavat
    having glory or fortune; glorious, fortunate, blessed

  • हनुमत्
    hanumat
    having (prominent) jaws; Hanuman

Generally, all of these stems use the same endings. The strong stem is -ant, and the weak stem is -at.

Here are the masculine forms of the adjective bhagavat, which means ”blessed” or “fortunate”:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1भगवान्
bhagavān
भगवन्तौ
bhagavantau
भगवन्तः
bhagavantaḥ
Case 2भगवन्तम्
bhagavantam
भगवन्तौ
bhagavantau
भगवतः
bhagavataḥ
Case 3भगवता
bhagavatā
भगवद्भ्याम्
bhagavadbhyām
भगवद्भिः
bhagavadbhiḥ
Case 4भगवते
bhagavate
भगवद्भ्याम्
bhagavadbhyām
भगवद्भ्यः
bhagavadbhyaḥ
Case 5भगवतः
bhagavataḥ
भगवद्भ्याम्
bhagavadbhyām
भगवद्भ्यः
bhagavadbhyaḥ
Case 6भगवतः
bhagavataḥ
भगवतोः
bhagavatoḥ
भगवताम्
bhagavatām
Case 7भगवति
bhagavati
भगवतोः
bhagavatoḥ
भगवत्सु
bhagavatsu
Case 8भगवन्
bhagavan
भगवन्तौ
bhagavantau
भगवन्तः
bhagavantaḥ

As before, the strong stems are highlighted. Notice the long vowel in the case 1 singular (bhagavān) and the short vowel in the case 8 singular (bhagavan).

One small exception is that the case 1 singular of -at is -an, not -ān:

  • हनुमन् → हनुमान्
    hanuman → hanumān
    Hanuman (case 1 singular)

  • गच्छत् → गच्छन्
    gacchat → gacchan
    while going (case 1 singular)

Next, here are the neuter endings of bhagavat:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1भगवत्
bhagavat
भगवती
bhagavatī
भगवन्ति
bhagavanti
Case 2भगवत्
bhagavat
भगवती
bhagavatī
भगवन्ति
bhagavanti
Case 8भगवत्
bhagavat
भगवती
bhagavatī
भगवन्ति
bhagavanti

For the feminine, we usually use the endings -antī, -vatī, and -matī. We then use the normal endings for stems.

-an, -man, and -van

These stems are formed with the suffixes -an, -man, or -van. The strong stem is -ān and the weak stem is -a. But if the ending starts with a vowel, we use -an.

Here are the forms of the masculine stem ātman, which means “self”:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1आत्मा
ātmā
आत्मानौ
ātmānau
आत्मानः
ātmānaḥ
Case 2आत्मानम्
ātmānam
आत्मानौ
ātmānau
आत्मनः
ātmanaḥ
Case 3आत्मना
ātmanā
आत्मभ्याम्
ātmabhyām
आत्मभिः
ātmabhiḥ
Case 4आत्मने
ātmane
आत्मभ्याम्
ātmabhyām
आत्मभ्यः
ātmabhyaḥ
Case 5आत्मनः
ātmanaḥ
आत्मभ्याम्
ātmabhyām
आत्मभ्यः
ātmabhyaḥ
Case 6आत्मनः
ātmanaḥ
आत्मनोः
ātmanoḥ
आत्मनाम्
ātmanām
Case 7आत्मनि
ātmani
आत्मनोः
ātmanoḥ
आत्मसु
ātmasu
Case 8आत्मन्
ātman
आत्मानौ
ātmānau
आत्मानः
ātmānaḥ

Note that the case 1 singular is ātmā and has no final -n sound.

Here are forms of the neuter stem karman, which roughly means “action”:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1कर्म
karma
कर्मणी
karmaṇī
कर्माणि
karmāṇi
Case 2कर्म
karma
कर्मणी
karmaṇī
कर्माणि
karmāṇi
Case 8कर्म
karma
कर्मणी
karmaṇī
कर्माणि
karmāṇi

-in, -min, and -vin

These stems are formed with the suffixes -in, -min, or -vin. The strong stem is -in and the weak stem is -i. But if the ending starts with a vowel, we use -in instead.

Here are the forms of the masculine stem yogin, which means “yogi”:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1योगी
yogī
योगिनौ
yoginau
योगिनः
yoginaḥ
Case 2योगिनम्
yoginam
योगिनौ
yoginau
योगिनः
yoginaḥ
Case 3योगिना
yoginā
योगिभ्याम्
yogibhyām
योगिभिः
yogibhiḥ
Case 4योगिने
yogine
योगिभ्याम्
yogibhyām
योगिभ्यः
yogibhyaḥ
Case 5योगिनः
yoginaḥ
योगिभ्याम्
yogibhyām
योगिभ्यः
yogibhyaḥ
Case 6योगिनः
yoginaḥ
योगिनोः
yoginoḥ
योगिनाम्
yoginām
Case 7योगिनि
yogini
योगिनोः
yoginoḥ
योगिषु
yogiṣu
Case 8योगिन्
yogin
योगिनौ
yoginau
योगिनः
yoginaḥ

As above, note that the case 1 singular is yogī and has no final -n sound.

Here are the forms of the neuter stem:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1योगि
yogi
योगिनी
yoginī
योगीनि
yogīni
Case 2योगि
yogi
योगिनी
yoginī
योगीनि
yogīni
Case 8योगि
yogi
योगिनी
yoginī
योगीनि
yogīni

-vas, -ivas, and -yas

-vas is a root suffix. When we attach it to a root that means “X,” we usually get a stem that means “one who has X-ed.” Some roots will use the suffix -ivas instead.

For -vas, the strong stem is -vāṃs and the weak stem is -uṣ. But if the ending starts with a consonant, we use -vat instead. -ivas is similar, except that its strong stem is -ivāṃs and we use -ivat if the ending starts with a consonant.

Here are the masculine forms of the stem vidvas, which means “one who knows” or “a wise person”:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1विद्वान्
vidvān
विद्वांसौ
vidvāṃsau
विद्वांसः
vidvāṃsaḥ
Case 2विद्वांसम्
vidvāṃsam
विद्वांसौ
vidvāṃsau
विदुषः
viduṣaḥ
Case 3विदुषा
viduṣā
विद्वद्भ्याम्
vidvadbhyām
विद्वद्भिः
vidvadbhiḥ
Case 4विदुषे
viduṣe
विद्वद्भ्याम्
vidvadbhyām
विद्वद्भ्यः
vidvadbhyaḥ
Case 5विदुषः
viduṣaḥ
विद्वद्भ्याम्
vidvadbhyām
विद्वद्भ्यः
vidvadbhyaḥ
Case 6विदुषः
viduṣaḥ
विदुषोः
viduṣoḥ
विदुषाम्
viduṣām
Case 7विदुषि
viduṣi
विदुषोः
viduṣoḥ
विद्वत्सु
vidvatsu
Case 8विद्वन्
vidvan
विद्वांसौ
vidvāṃsau
विद्वांसः
vidvāṃsaḥ

Here is the same stem in the neuter:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1विद्वत्
vidvat
विदुषी
viduṣī
विद्वांसि
vidvāṃsi
Case 2विद्वत्
vidvat
विदुषी
viduṣī
विद्वांसि
vidvāṃsi
Case 8विद्वत्
vidvat
विदुषी
viduṣī
विद्वांसि
vidvāṃsi

-yas is a nominal suffix. When added to a nominal stem that means “X,” -yas creates a stem that means “more X.” Its strong stem is -yāṃs and its weak stem is -yas.

Here are the masculine forms of the adjective śreyas, which means “better”:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1श्रेयान्
śreyān
श्रेयांसौ
śreyāṃsau
श्रेयांसः
śreyāṃsaḥ
Case 2श्रेयांसम्
śreyāṃsam
श्रेयांसौ
śreyāṃsau
श्रेयसः
śreyasaḥ
Case 3श्रेयसा
śreyasā
श्रेयोभ्याम्
śreyobhyām
श्रेयोभिः
śreyobhiḥ
Case 4श्रेयसे
śreyase
श्रेयोभ्याम्
śreyobhyām
श्रेयोभ्यः
śreyobhyaḥ
Case 5श्रेयसः
śreyasaḥ
श्रेयोभ्याम्
śreyobhyām
श्रेयोभ्यः
śreyobhyaḥ
Case 6श्रेयसः
śreyasaḥ
श्रेयसोः
śreyasoḥ
श्रेयसाम्
śreyasām
Case 7श्रेयसि
śreyasi
श्रेयसोः
śreyasoḥ
श्रेयःसु
śreyaḥsu
Case 8श्रेयन्
śreyan
श्रेयांसौ
śreyāṃsau
श्रेयांसः
śreyāṃsaḥ

And in the neuter:

 SingularDualPlural
Case 1श्रेयः
śreyaḥ
श्रेयसी
śreyasī
श्रेयांसि
śreyāṃsi
Case 2श्रेयः
śreyaḥ
श्रेयसी
śreyasī
श्रेयांसि
śreyāṃsi
Case 8श्रेयः
śreyaḥ
श्रेयसी
śreyasī
श्रेयांसि
śreyāṃsi