Dec 8, 2013

हरिः ॐ | नमो नमः |
HariH OM| namo namaH|

After reviewing the new words that our class members had found using the online dictionary, and their bahuvachana-ruupam or plural form,  we moved on to a new topic, sanskrit numerals. 

संख्याः - Numerals 

Numerals or Numbers can be classified as Cardinal and Ordinal numbers.

Cardinal numbers are the number forms used to count, and they answer the question "How many?"
The sanskrit word to question "How many?" is कति .
Devanagari also has symbols to represent the numerals 0 - 9. We learned the cardinal numbers 1 - 20 in their neuter gender form, and their symbolic representation.

The teachers then asked simple questions, which required the students to answer with a count. Here are few examples.

Q: अस्माकं कक्ष्यायां कति छात्राः सन्ति | (How many students are there in our class?)
A: सप्तदश छात्राः सन्ति | (The class counted and answered, "Seventeen students")
Q: कुरुवंशे कति पाण्डवाः सन्ति |
A: पञ्च पाण्डवाः सन्ति |
Q: संगीते कति स्वराः सन्ति |
A: सप्त स्वराः सन्ति |
Q: विष्णोः अवताराः कति |
A: दश अवताराः |
Q: क्रिखेट् क्रीडायां एकस्मिन् दले कति क्रीडकाः सन्ति |
A: एकादश क्रीडकाः सन्ति |
Q: भगवद् गीतायां कति अध्यायाः सन्ति |
A: अष्टादश अध्यायाः सन्ति |

Numbers 5 and above when used to qualify a noun, are always used in napumsaka linga and bahuvachanam. However numbers 1 - 4 are special and they have variations to match the gender of the noun that they qualify.

Number 1, is always used with singular nouns, and depending on the gender of the word that it qualifies, it takes the form एकः, एका , एकं for masculine, feminine and neuter genders respectively.
Ex: एकः बालकः | एका बालिका | एकं फलं |

Number 2, is always used with dual nouns, and depending on the gender of the word that it qualifies, it takes the form द्वौ, द्वे, द्वे  for masculine, feminine and neuter genders respectively.
Ex: द्वौ बालकौ | द्वे बालिके | द्वे फले |

Number 3, is always used with plural nouns, and depending on the gender of the word that it qualifies, it takes the form त्रयः, तिस्रः, त्रीणि for masculine, feminine and neuter genders respectively.
Ex: त्रयः बालकाः  | तिस्रः बालिकाः  | त्रीणि फलानि |

Number 4, is always used with plural nouns, and depending on the gender of the word that it qualifies, it takes the form चत्वारः , चतस्रः , चत्वारि  for masculine, feminine and neuter genders respectively.
Ex: चत्वारः बालकाः | चतस्रः बालिकाः | चत्वारि फलानि |

Thankfully number 5 and above do not have variations based on gender :) Here is a table that summarizes cardinal numbers 1 - 5 for all three genders.

Numeral	पुंल्लिङ्गः - Masculine	स्त्रीलिङ्गः - Feminine	नपुंसकलिङ्गः  - Neuter
1	एकः   ekaH	एका     ekaa	एकं    ekam
2	द्वौ    dvau	द्वे     dve	द्वे    dve
3	त्रयः   trayaH	तिस्रः   tisraH	त्रीणि    triiNi
4	चत्वारः    chatvaaraH	चतस्रः    chatasraH	चत्वारि    chatvaari
5	पञ्च    pa~ncha	पञ्च    pa~ncha	पञ्च    pa~ncha

Here are the rest of the numbers until 20.

6	षट्     ShaT
7	सप्त   sapta
8	अष्ट     aShTa
9	नव     nava
10	दश     dasha
11	एकादश     ekaadasha
12	द्वादश     dvaadasha
13	त्रयोदश    trayodasha
14	चतुर्दश     caturdasha
15	पञ्चदश     pa~nchadasha
16	षोडश   ShoDasha
17	सप्तदश     saptadasha
18	अष्टादश     aShTaadasha
19	नवदश             navadasha एकोनविंशतिः  ekonaviMshatiH
20	विंशतिः     viMshatiH

Homework Assignment: 

1. Find out the gender of the word "sa~NkhyaaH". 
2. Practice writing the numerals 1 - 10 in sanskrit, and reading them in sanskrit texts.
3. Memorize the cardinal numbers, 1 - 20, in sanskrit.

With closing prayers, we concluded our class.

ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः |