kāraka

The Pāṇinian school assumes that sentences have a basic structure. There is a verb, like gacchati (“goes”), that describes some action. And there are different components involved in this action:

  • रामः सीतायै वने मार्गेण आश्रमात् मृगं चरति।
    rāmaḥ sītāyai vane mārgeṇa āśramāt mṛgaṃ carati.
    Rama walks in the forest from the hermitage to the deer via the path for Sita.

The different components of some action are called kārakas. Roughly, you can think of a kāraka as an intermediate step between the meaning we want to express and the actual sup ending we use.

We don't know how to describe kāraka well in English, nor do the scholars who study it professionally; it is a complex, latent category. Although some of our scholarly readers may disapprove, it may help for now to think of kāraka as a “semantic role” within the context of some action. Even if this description is wrong at a more profound level, it is simple and concrete enough to be useful to us right now.

adhikāra rules

The Aṣṭādhyāyī describes six main kārakas and does so within the scope of a new adhikāra rule:

  • आ कडारादेका संज्ञा। १.४.१
    ā kaḍārādekā saṃjñā (1.4.1)
    ā kaḍārāt ekā saṃjñā
    Up to the kaḍāra rule (rule 2.2.38), one saṃjñā is allowed.

as well as a new paribhāṣā rule:

  • विप्रतिषेधे परं कार्यम्। १.४.२
    vipratiṣedhe paraṃ kāryam (1.4.2)
    vipratiṣedhe param kāryam
    In matters of conflict, the later [rule] should be applied.

The first rule tells us that a word expresses only one kāraka at a time. And the second lets us know how to choose a kāraka when multiple rules could feasibly apply.

Finally, the kāraka section begins with this adhikāra:

  • कारके। १.४.२३
    kārake (1.4.23)
    kārake
    In the context of a kāraka, …

The six kārakas

Here are the basic meanings of the six kārakas. We also include some common secondary meanings.

The first kāraka is apādāna, which is usually expressed by the fifth (“ablative”) case:

  • ध्रुवमपाये ऽपादानम्। १.४.२४
    dhruvamapāye 'pādānam (1.4.24)
    dhruvam apāye apādānam
    In the sense of movement away, [a kāraka that is] the fixed point is called apādāna (ablation).

  • भीत्रार्थानां भयहेतुः। १.४.२५
    bhītrārthānāṃ bhayahetuḥ (1.4.25)
    bhī-trā-arthānām bhaya-hetuḥ
    For [roots] meaning bhī (to fear) or trā (to protect), [a kāraka that is] the source of fear [is called apādāna].

Next is sampradāna, which is usually expressed by the fourth (“dative”) case:

  • कर्मणा यम् अभिप्रैति स सम्प्रदानम्। १.४.३२
    karmaṇā yam abhipraiti sa sampradānam (1.4.32)
    karmaṇā yam abhipraiti sa sampradānam
    [A kāraka that is] whom one aims to benefit with the action is called sampradāna (beneficiary).

  • रुच्यर्थानां प्रीयमाणः। १.४.३३
    rucyarthānāṃ prīyamāṇaḥ (1.4.33)
    ruci̐-arthānām prīyamaṇaḥ
    For [roots] meaning ruc (to delight), [a kāraka that is] the one being delighted [is called sampradāna].

Then karaṇa, which is usually expressed by the third (“instrumental”) case:

  • साधकतमं करणम्। १.४.४२
    sādhakatamaṃ karaṇam (1.4.42)
    sādhakatamam karaṇam
    [A kāraka that is] the most effectual means [is called] karaṇa (means).

Then adhikaraṇa, which is usually expressed by the seventh (“locative”) case:

  • आधारो ऽधिकरणम्। १.४.४५
    ādhāro 'dhikaraṇam (1.4.45)
    ādhāraḥ adhikaraṇam
    [A kāraka that is] the locus of action [is called] adhikaraṇa (locus).

Then karma, which is usually expressed by the second (“accusative”) case:

  • कर्तुरीप्सिततमं कर्म। १.४.४९
    karturīpsitatamaṃ karma (1.4.49)
    kartuḥ īpsitatamam karma
    [A kāraka that is] what the agent most desires [is called] karma (object),

  • तथायुक्तं चानीप्सितम्। १.४.५०
    tathāyuktaṃ cānīpsitam (1.4.50)
    tathā-yuktam ca an-īpsitam
    and likewise for what is similarly related [to what is desired].

And finally kartṛ, which is usually expressed in either the first (“nominative”) or the third (“instrumental”) case, depending on the verb's prayoga:

  • स्वतन्त्रः कर्ता। १.४.५४
    svatantraḥ kartā (1.4.54)
    sva-tantraḥ kartā
    [A kāraka that is] independent [is called] kartṛ (agent);

  • तत्प्रयोजको हेतुश्च। १.४.५५
    tatprayojako hetuśca (1.4.55)
    tat-prayojakaḥ hetuḥ ca
    And the instigator of the kartṛ [is called] hetu.

Review

kāraka is a complex concept, but we hope the rules above give you some intuition for what it represents.

For our simple example of rāma, let's start by expressing that Rama is the agent of whatever action is being performed. According to the rules above, rāma expresses the kartṛ-kāraka. But we're still left with two questions:

The next lesson will answer both of these questions.