Introduction

Almost all of chapters 4 and 5 of the Aṣṭādhyāyī focuses specifically on the pratyayas (suffixes) that we add directly to a prātipadika. As a reminder, a prātipadika is defined as follows:

• अर्थवदधातुरप्रत्ययः प्रातिपदिकम्। १.२.४५
  arthavadadhāturapratyayaḥ prātipadikam (1.2.45)
  arthavat a-dhātuḥ a-pratyayaḥ prātipadikam
  A meaningful [term] that is neither a dhātu (verb root) nor a pratyaya (suffix), [nor a term ending in a pratyaya, is called] prātipadika,

• कृत्तद्धितसमासाश्च। १.२.४६
  kṛttaddhitasamāsāśca (1.2.46)
  kṛt-taddhita-samāsāḥ ca
  and [terms ending with] kṛt or taddhita [pratyayas], as well as samāsas (compounds), [are called prātipadika].

We can add three types of pratyayas to a prātipadika. The first type is the sup-pratyaya, which creates subantas (nominals):

• राम + सुँ → रामः
  rāma + su̐ → rāmaḥ
  Rama
  

• नौ + टा → नावा
  nau + ṭā → nāvā
  with a boat
  

The second type is the strī-pratyaya, which creates feminine prātipadikas to which we can add sup-pratyayas:

• कर्तृ + ङीप् → कर्त्री
  kartṛ + ṅīp → kartrī
  (female) doer
  

And the third type, the taddhita-pratyaya, is any other pratyaya we could add. taddhita-pratyayas create prātipadikas (stems) that eventually become subantas:

• अदिति + अण् → आदित्य
  aditi + aṇ → āditya
  a descendant of Aditi; a deva
  

• सुन्दर + तरप् → सुन्दरतर
  sundara + tarap → sundaratara
  more beautiful
  

General rules for taddhitas

taddhita-pratyayas are introduced under the two pratyaya adhikāras that we've already seen:

• प्रत्ययः। ३.१.१
  pratyayaḥ (3.1.1)
  pratyayaḥ
  … is a pratyaya (suffix).

• परश्च। ३.१.२
  paraśca (3.1.2)
  paraḥ ca
  … and [it is inserted] after [the base].

In addition, taddhita-pratyayas are scoped to appear only after prātipadikas and feminine bases:

• ङ्याप्प्रातिपदिकात्। ४.१.१
  ṅyāpprātipadikāt (4.1.1)
  ṅī-āp-prātipadikāt
  After [the strī-pratyayas] ṅī or āp or after a prātipadika, …

• तद्धिताः। ४.१.७६
  taddhitāḥ (4.1.76)
  taddhitāḥ
  … is called taddhita.

Traditionally, a taddhita is a way to condense a multi-word expression. For example, if we start with an expression like:

• उपगोः अपत्यम्
  upagoḥ apatyam
  a descendant of Upagu
  

Then we can replace the helping word with a taddhita:

• उपगोः + अपत्यम् → उपगोः + अण्
  upagoḥ + apatyam → upagoḥ + aṇ
  a descendant of Upagu
  

By using rule 2.4.71, we can delete the sup-pratyaya in upagoḥ:

• सुपो धातुप्रातिपदिकयोः। २.४.७१
  supo dhātuprātipadikayoḥ (2.4.71)
  supaḥ dhātu-prātipadikayoḥ
  A sup followed by a dhātu or a prātipadika [is replaced by luk].

to create the following result:

• उपगोः + अण् → उपगु + अण्
  upagoḥ + aṇ → upagu + aṇ
  a descendant of Upagu
  

Then we apply the normal sound change rules for taddhitas to get our final result:

• उपगुः + अण् → औपगवः
  upaguḥ + aṇ → aupagavaḥ
  a descendant of Upagu
  

But if we start with such a multi-word expression, which word do we add the taddhita to? Simply, it is the subordinate one:

• समर्थानां प्रथमाद्वा। ४.१.८२
  samarthānāṃ prathamādvā (4.1.82)
  samarthānām prathamāt vā
  Among syntactically related [terms], optionally after the first …

Together, these five adhikāra rules mean “… is optionally added as a taddhita-pratyaya after either a prātipadika or the pratyayas ṅī and āp, if that term is subordinate in the syntactic relationship.”

Sound changes

taddhita-pratyayas are neither sārvadhātuka nor ārdhadhātuka, so they do not cause guṇa changes by 7.3.84 (sārvadhātukārdhadhātukayoḥ). By default, they cause no sound changes.

However, taddhitas are still able to cause vṛddhi changes, per rules 7.2.117 and 7.2.118:

• तद्धितेष्वचामादेः। ७.२.११७
  taddhiteṣvacāmādeḥ (7.2.117)
  taddhiteṣu acām ādeḥ
  The first vowel [of an aṅga becomes vṛddhi] if followed by a taddhita-pratyaya [that is ñit or ṇit],

• किति च। ७.२.११८
  kiti ca (7.2.118)
  kiti ca
  Likewise if [the taddhita-pratyaya] is kit.

Additionally, taddhitas might cause some small changes to the vowel they follow. The three rules below use a saṃjñā called bha, which roughly refers to an aṅga followed by a vowel or y:

• ओर्गुणः। ६.४.१४६
  orguṇaḥ (6.4.146)
  oḥ guṇaḥ
  [The last sound of a bha followed by a taddhita], if it is u, is replaced with its guṇa.

• ढे लोपोऽकद्र्वाः। ६.४.१४७
  ḍhe lopo'kadrvāḥ (6.4.147)
  ḍhe lopaḥ a-kadrvāḥ
  Except for kadrū, [the last u of a bha followed by a taddhita] undergoes lopa when followed by [a pratyaya beginning with] ḍha.

• यस्येति च। ६.४.१४८
  yasyeti ca (6.4.148)
  i-a-sya īti ca
  The last i and a [of a bha followed by a taddhita] undergoes lopa, [and likewise] when followed by [a pratyaya beginning with] ī.

We will see examples of these rules in the lessons to come.