-tvā, -ya, and -tum

We will start this topic by learning about the three suffixes -tvā, -ya, and -tum. All three of these suffixes create uninflected words.

-tvā

Also known as: the gerund, the absolutive, the indeclinable or adverbial participle, ktvā

When added to some root that means “X,” -tvā creates a word that means ”after X-ing.” In other words, -tvā shows that one action happens before another.

For example, suppose we have these two simple sentences:

• रामो लङ्कां गच्छति।
  rāmo laṅkāṃ gacchati.
  Rama goes to Lanka.

• रामो रावणं पश्यति।
  rāmo rāvaṇaṃ paśyati.
  Rama sees Ravana.

We can combine them like so:

• रामो लङ्कां गत्वा रावणं पश्यति
  rāmo laṅkāṃ gatvā rāvaṇaṃ paśyati
  Rama, after going to Lanka, sees Ravana.

Unlike many suffixes, -tvā does not strengthen the root's vowel:

• नी → नीत्वा
  nī → nītvā
  lead → after leading

• भू → भूत्वा
  bhū → bhūtvā
  become → after becoming

• कृ → कृत्वा
  kṛ → kṛtvā
  do → after doing

However, -tvā might cause many other sound changes. We will learn more about these specific sound changes in the next lesson when we study the -ta and -tavat suffixes.

-ya

Also known as: the gerund, the absolutive, the indeclinable or adverbial participle, lyap

-ya has the same meaning as -tvā. If the root uses a verb prefix, we always use -ya. Otherwise, we use -tvā.

For example, if we have these two simple sentences:

• हनुमान् रामं प्रतिगच्छति।
  hanumān rāmaṃ pratigacchati.
  Hanuman returns to Rama.

• हनुमान् हृष्यति।
  hanumān hṛṣyati.
  Hanuman rejoices.

Then we can combine them with -ya:

• हनुमान् रामं प्रतिगम्य हृष्यति।
  hanumān rāmaṃ pratigamya hṛṣyati.
  Hanuman, after returning to Rama, rejoices.

If the root ends in a short vowel, then we add an extra -t after the root:

• आहृ → आहृत्य
  āhṛ → āhṛtya
  fetch → after fetching

-tum

Also known as: the infinitive, tumun

When added to some root that means “X,” -tum creates a word that means ”to X.” Here are some examples:

• अहं खादितुम् इच्छामि।
  ahaṃ khāditum icchāmi.
  I want to eat.

• एतान् न हन्तुम् इच्छामि।
  etān na hantum icchāmi.
  I don't want to kill them.
  (Bhagavad Gita 1.34)

Note that we use this -tum word with another verb. Usually, we use -tum with a fairly small number of verbs. We most commonly use it to express that someone wants to do something:

• गजः खादितुम् इच्छति।
  gajaḥ khāditum icchati.
  The elephant wants to eat.

But there are many other ways we can use it, too:

• गजः खादितुं शक्नोति।
  gajaḥ khādituṃ śaknoti.
  The elephant is able to eat.

• गजः खादितुं यतति।
  gajaḥ khādituṃ yatati.
  The elephant tries to eat.

• गजः खादितुं जानाति।
  gajaḥ khādituṃ jānāti.
  The elephant knows (how) to eat.

• गजः खादितुम् अर्हति।
  gajaḥ khāditum arhati.
  The elephant deserves to eat.

And in a more general way, -tum can show the reason that some action was done:

• गजः खादितुं चरति।
  gajaḥ khādituṃ carati.
  The elephant walks (in order) to eat.

• गजः खादितुं धावति।
  gajaḥ khādituṃ dhāvati.
  The elephant runs (in order) to eat.

When we add -tum, we strengthen the root's vowel to the medium level. As usual, some roots don't use iṭ:

• नी → नेतुम्
  nī → netum
  lead → to lead

and others do:

• वन्द् → वन्दितुम्
  vand → vanditum
  venerate → to venerate