Lesson 55: Sanskrit for Beginners Course: Passive
Summary:
Tenses. Passive.
Source: Introduction to Sanskrit (4th Ed) – Thomas Egenes – Part Two
This session deals with: CH20, PG34-36.
PASSIVE CONSTRUCTION:
- Concept:
- Dog bites the man. > PASSIVE: Man is bitten (by the dog).
- Pāṇini Grammar:
| Active Construction (kartari prayoga) L4 |
Passive Construction (karmaṇi prayoga) L20 |
Abstract Construction (bhāve prayoga) L20 |
| The boy(kartṛ: agent of action) reads the book(karman: object of action).
bālaḥ pustakam paṭhati |
Book is read by the boy.
pustakam(NOM) bālena paṭhyate |
It is gone by me. (I'm going!)
mayā gamyate |
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- About:
- Subject is receiving the action. Subject is passive (just sitting idle), and VERB is done unto IT.
- EG: Scarf is(being) made by my grandma. Test is(being) taken by the class.
- TIP: Add a silent “is being“. Helps remind it's in PRESENT.
- EG: Scarf is(being) made by my grandma. Test is(being) taken by the class.
- Passive verb can be without INST in sentence. EG:
- When eternal knowledge is abandoned, then truth is not understood.
yadā nityaḥ vedaḥ tyajyate tadā satyam na avagamyate
यदा नित्यः वेदः त्यज्यते तदा सत्यम् न अवगम्यते
- When eternal knowledge is abandoned, then truth is not understood.
- Subject is receiving the action. Subject is passive (just sitting idle), and VERB is done unto IT.
- How formed? root(of all 10 classes) + ya(unrelated to ya sfix in L50) + Ā(for all 10 classes). EG:
- √gam + ya + te = gamyate गम्यते : He/she/it is gone.
- √paṭh + ya + te = paṭhyate पठ्यते : He/she/it is read.
- How to IDENTIFY?
- Verb has ya य. And most likely ends with e ए.
- RULES:
- Final i इ / u उ is lengthened. EG: √ji > jīyate जीयते : is conquered.
- Final ā आ or (e ए / ai ऐ, o ओ / au औ) becomes ī ई. EG: √sthā > sthīyate स्थीयते : is stood.
- Final ṛ ऋ after:
- One consonant, becomes ri रि. EG: √kṛ √कृ > kriyate क्रियते : is made/performed.
- Two consonants, becomes ar अर्. EG: √smṛ √स्मृ > smaryate स्मर्यते : is remembered.
- Some roots undergo samprasāraṇa (Meaning: va व > u/ū उ/ऊ | ya य > i/ī इ/ई | ra र > ṛ/ṝ ऋ/ॠ).
- EG:
- √vad √वद् > udyate उद्यते : is spoken.
- √vac √वच् > ucyate उच्यते : is said.
- √vas √वस् > uṣyate उष्यते : is lived.
- √yaj √यज् > jīyate जीयते : is sacrificed/conquered.
- EG:
- Roots (C10) which add aya अय, lose aya before adding ya.
- EG: √cint √चिन्त् 10P > cint
ayayate > cintyate चिन्त्यते : is thought.
- EG: √cint √चिन्त् 10P > cint
- Passive EG's:
| ācāryāya namaḥ śiṣyaiḥ kriyate आचार्याय नमः शिष्यैः क्रियते |
Salutation is offered by the students for the teacher. |
| (ātmanaḥgen tejaḥnom) sattvenainst manasāinst budhyate (आत्मनः तेजः) सत्त्वेनैन्स्त् मनसाइन्स्त् बुध्यते |
Light of the self is known by the mind with purity. |
| yadā yogī vane tapaḥ karoti tadā sa bandhāt mucyate यदा योगी वने तपः करोति तदा स बन्धात् मुच्यते |
When yogi performs austerity in forest, then he is released from bondage. |
Resources:
Homework:
- PG 40, #5 a-h.
Questions:
You'll have more questions throughout the course. How to ask? Leave in comments below, so others can also benefit. We'll respond within 48 hours. Only ask specific to this Lesson.
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Recorded 5 Dec, 2021