हरिः ॐ | नमो नमः |
HariH OM| namo namaH|
We quickly reviewed what we had learned in the previous class: the correct gender usage of the pronouns etad and kim.
We then learned about the three gender forms of 'tad', the root word, meaning "that".
We formed simple question and answers using the three forms of the pronoun 'tat'.
Q: सः कः | (pointing at a tree outside the classroom, What is that?)
A: सः वृक्षः | (That is a tree.)
Q: सा का | (pointing at a creeper/climbing vine, What is that?)
A: सा लता | (That is a creeper.)
Q: तत् किम् | (pointing at a leaf, What is that?)
A: तत् पत्रम् | (That is a leaf.)
'tat' is used when the object being identified is far from the speaker. 'etat' is used when the object being referred to is very close to the speaker.
We then learned that the three number forms of the root word tat, in nominative case are:
When we stumbled on a word with a new ending, नदी (nadii), iikaaranta shabdaH, we discussed about ways to tell the gender of a word that one encounters for the first time. A simple way would be to look up the word in an online dictionary, as in the simple Spoken Sanskrit Dictionary. Another traditional option is to use ruupa-chandrika or shabda manjarii to locate the word, find the gender, and all the declensions or cases. However one is expected to know the root word for this exercise.
We found out that iikaaranta shabdaa-H are usually feminine gender nouns, or striilinga shabdaa-H. Hence saa kaa, the feminine gender form of the pronouns were used in the question.
To practice using ruupa-chandrika, we tried to look up a new word, and find the gender and then the singular, dual and plural number forms of the nominative case. The root form of the word we took for this example was केयूर (keyuura). This was an akaaranta shabda; on look-up we found out that it was a napumsaka linga shabda, or a neuter gender word.
That lead to an interesting discussion of a subhaaShitaH from Bhartruhari's niiti shatakam.
Though this might be a little overwhelming on first dose, as we progress step by step, understanding nouns and declensions, and, verbs and conjugations, the patterns shall sink in!! Hang in there!! It is not as difficult as it appears at first sight. Staying in constant touch with the concepts learned and practicing them helps tremendously. As we have a long break before our next session, here is an assignment to help you stay in touch.
Challenge: Write the plural forms of these nouns in your vocabulary.
We concluded our learning with Prayers.
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
HariH OM| namo namaH|
We quickly reviewed what we had learned in the previous class: the correct gender usage of the pronouns etad and kim.
We then learned about the three gender forms of 'tad', the root word, meaning "that".
| सः | saH | M. (Masculine) |
| सा | saa | F. (Feminine) |
| तत् | tat | N. (Neuter) |
We formed simple question and answers using the three forms of the pronoun 'tat'.
Q: सः कः | (pointing at a tree outside the classroom, What is that?)
A: सः वृक्षः | (That is a tree.)
Q: सा का | (pointing at a creeper/climbing vine, What is that?)
A: सा लता | (That is a creeper.)
Q: तत् किम् | (pointing at a leaf, What is that?)
A: तत् पत्रम् | (That is a leaf.)
'tat' is used when the object being identified is far from the speaker. 'etat' is used when the object being referred to is very close to the speaker.
We then learned that the three number forms of the root word tat, in nominative case are:
| एकवचनम् - Singular | द्विवचनम् - Dual | बहुवचनम् - Plural |
| सः saH | तौ tau | ते te |
| सा saa | ते te | ताः taaH |
| तत् tat | ते te | तानि taani |
When we stumbled on a word with a new ending, नदी (nadii), iikaaranta shabdaH, we discussed about ways to tell the gender of a word that one encounters for the first time. A simple way would be to look up the word in an online dictionary, as in the simple Spoken Sanskrit Dictionary. Another traditional option is to use ruupa-chandrika or shabda manjarii to locate the word, find the gender, and all the declensions or cases. However one is expected to know the root word for this exercise.
We found out that iikaaranta shabdaa-H are usually feminine gender nouns, or striilinga shabdaa-H. Hence saa kaa, the feminine gender form of the pronouns were used in the question.
To practice using ruupa-chandrika, we tried to look up a new word, and find the gender and then the singular, dual and plural number forms of the nominative case. The root form of the word we took for this example was केयूर (keyuura). This was an akaaranta shabda; on look-up we found out that it was a napumsaka linga shabda, or a neuter gender word.
That lead to an interesting discussion of a subhaaShitaH from Bhartruhari's niiti shatakam.
Though this might be a little overwhelming on first dose, as we progress step by step, understanding nouns and declensions, and, verbs and conjugations, the patterns shall sink in!! Hang in there!! It is not as difficult as it appears at first sight. Staying in constant touch with the concepts learned and practicing them helps tremendously. As we have a long break before our next session, here is an assignment to help you stay in touch.
Homework:
Look up nouns in the spoken sanskrit dictionary. Identify the gender. Build your list of 5 masculine, 5 feminine and 5 neuter gender nouns.Challenge: Write the plural forms of these nouns in your vocabulary.
We concluded our learning with Prayers.
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः
