ghañ

In the previous lesson, we learned about kṛtya-pratyayas, which cause relatively simple sound changes in the dhātu. Here we will learn about a slightly more complicated suffix: the ghañ-pratyaya.

Defining the pratyaya

ghañ has many specific uses. Here are three:

  • पदरुजविशस्पृशो घञ्। ३.३.१६
    padarujaviśaspṛśo ghañ (3.3.16)
    pada̐-ruja̐-viśa̐-spṛśaḥ ghañ
    ghañ is used [after the dhātus] pad, ruj, viś, and spṛś;

  • सृ स्थिरे। ३.३.१७
    sṛ sthire (3.3.17)
    sṛ sthire
    after sṛ in the sense of a fixed agent;

  • भावे। ३.३.१८
    bhāve (3.3.18)
    bhāve
    and in the sense of abstract action.

Examples:

  • रुज् → रोग
    ruj → roga
    be sick → disease (3.3.16)

  • सृ + घञ् → सार
    sṛ + ghañ → sāra
    flow → essence (3.3.17)

  • त्यज् → त्याग
    tyaj → tyāga
    abandon → relinquishment (3.3.18)

Sound changes

ghañ has gh and ñ as it letters. Or to put it another way, ghañ is ghit and ñit.

Because it is ñit, ghañ causes vṛddhi of a final vowel or a penultimate a. If neither of these conditions apply, ghañ causes the usual kṛt guṇa change.

Because it is ghit, ghañ causes a final c or j to become k or g, respectively:

  • चजोः कु घिण्ण्यतोः। ७.३.५२
    cajoḥ ku ghiṇṇyatoḥ (7.3.52)
    ca-joḥ ku̐ ghit-ṇyatoḥ
    A [final] c or j is replaced by [the corresponding] ku̐ sound when a ghit pratyaya or [the pratyaya] ṇyat follows.

Sample prakriyas

roga, showing the use of rule 3.3.16 (padarujaviśaspṛśo ghañ) and rule 7.3.52 (cajoḥ ku ghinṇyatoḥ):

  1. rujo̐1.3.1 bhūvādayo dhātavaḥ
  2. ruj1.3.2 upadeśe'janunāsika it
    1.3.9 tasya lopaḥ
  3. ruj ghañ3.3.16 padarujaviśaspṛśo ghañ
  4. ruj a1.3.3 halantyam
    1.3.8 laśakvataddhite
    1.3.9 tasya lopaḥ
  5. rug a7.3.52 cajoḥ ku ghinṇyatoḥ
  6. roga7.3.86 pugantalaghūpadhasya ca

sāra, showing the use of rule 3.3.17 (sṛ sthire):

  1. sṛ1.3.1 bhūvādayo dhātavaḥ
  2. sṛ ghañ3.3.17 sṛ sthire
  3. sṛ a1.3.3 halantyam
    1.3.8 laśakvataddhite
    1.3.9 tasya lopaḥ
  4. sāra7.2.115 aco ñṇiti
    1.1.51 uraṇ raparaḥ

bhāva, showing the use of rule 3.3.18 (bhāve):

  1. bhū1.3.1 bhūvādayo dhātavaḥ
  2. bhū ghañ3.3.18 bhāve
  3. bhū a1.3.3 halantyam
    1.3.8 laśakvataddhite
    1.3.9 tasya lopaḥ
  4. bhau a7.2.115 aco ñṇiti
  5. bhāva6.1.78 eco'yavāyāvaḥ

tyāga, showing the use of rule 7.2.116 (ata upadhāyāḥ):

  1. tyaja̐1.3.1 bhūvādayo dhātavaḥ
  2. tyaj1.3.2 upadeśe'janunāsika it
    1.3.9 tasya lopaḥ
  3. tyaj ghañ3.3.18 bhāve
  4. tyaj a1.3.3 halantyam
    1.3.8 laśakvataddhite
    1.3.9 tasya lopaḥ
  5. tyag a7.3.52 cajoḥ ku ghinṇyatoḥ
  6. tyāga7.2.116 ata upadhāyāḥ