समर्थः पदविधिः

This is a paribháshá or interpreting aphorism. Where ever in this Grammar a पदविधि is found, that must be understood to apply to समर्थ words. A rule relating to पद or complete words is called पदविधि. The word विधि is formed by adding वि to the root धाम्; that which is ordained (विधीयते) is called विधि. What are those rules which are ordained with regard to complete words? They are as follows.-(1) Rules relating to समास or compounding of words; (2) Rules relating to विभक्ति or the application of declensional and conjugational affixes; (3) and the rule by which one word is considered as if it had become a constituent member of another word (पराङ्गवद् भाव).

The word समर्थ means capable; that is to say, that which is capable of expressing the sense of a sentence on analysis, is called समर्थ ; or the word\/ समर्थ may mean that which depends upon words as connected in sense; that is to say, a rule relating to words whose senses are connected together.

Thus it will be taught in sútra 24 'a word ending with the second case-affix is optionally compounded with the words श्रित, अतीत &c. and forms tatpurusha compound;' as, कष्टं श्रितः = कष्टश्रितः 'who has had recourse to pain'. But when these words are not समर्थ or connected in sense there can be no compounding; as, पश्य देवदत्त कष्टं, श्रितो विष्णुमित्रो गुरुकुलम् see O Devadatta, the pain, Vishnumitra has taken recourse to his teacher's house. Here the words कष्टं and श्रितं though read in juxtaposition are not compounded, as they are not समर्थ.

Similarly, it will be taught in sútra 30 'a word coding with the 3rd case-affix is optionally compounded with what denotes that the quality of which is instrumentally caused by the thing signified by what ends with the 3rd case-affix and with the word अर्थ wealth; as, शङ्कुलया + खण्डः = शङ्कुलाखण्डः 'a piece cut by nippers.' Here also when the words are not connected in sense there is no composition; as, करिष्यसि शङ्कुलया, खण्डो देवदत्त उपलेन 'thou shall do it with the nippers, Devadatta is cut by the stones.'

Similarly, sútra 36 declares, ' a word ending with the 4th case-affix, is compounded optionally with what denotes that which is for the purpose of what ends with the 4th case-affix, and so too with the words, अर्थ, बलि &c.

Thus यूपाय + दारु = यूपदारु' wood for a stake.' But when these words are not connected in sense, there is no composition; as, गच्छ त्वं यूपाय,दारु देवदत्तस्य गेहे ' go thou for the stake, the wood is in Devadatta's house.'

Similarly, sútra 37 declares 'a word ending with the 5th case-affix may be compounded with the word भय; as, वृकेभ्यो भयं = वृकभयं ' fear by reason of a wolf. But when these words are not connected in sense, there is no composition; as, गच्छ त्वं मां वृकेभ्यो, भयं देवदत्तस्य यज्ञदत्तात् 'come thou to me from the wolves, there is fear to Devadatta from Yajñadatta'.

Similarly, sútra 2.2.8 declares \a word ending with the 6th case affix is optionally compounded with what ends with a case-affix;\ as, राज्ञः पुरुषो = राजपुरुषः 'the king's man'. But when the words are not समर्थ , there is no composition: as भार्य्या राज्ञः, पुरुषो देवदत्तस्य \the wife of the king, the man of Devadatta\.

Similarly, sútra 40 declares. \A word ending with the 7th case-affix is optionally compounded with the word शौण्ड 'skilled;' as, अक्षेषु शौण्डः = अक्षशौण्डः 'skilled in dice.' But when the words are not connected in sense, there is no composition; as, शक्तस्त्वमक्षेषु शौण्डः पिबति पानागारे ' thou art skilled in dice, the gambler drinks in the tavern.'

Why have we used the word पद 'a complete word' in the sútra? So that this समर्थ परिभाषा may not apply to वर्णविधि i.e. rules relating to letters.

Thus rules of सन्धि 'conjunction of letters' are वर्णविधि and not पदविधि; and therefore the condition of being connected in sense, does not apply here. Two words however disconnected in sense, must be glued together by the rules of sandhi, if those rules are applicable. Thus sútra 6.1.77 declares: 'instead of a letter denoted by the pratyahara इक् there is one denoted by the pratyahara यण् , in each instance, where one denoted by the pratyahara अच् immediately follows;' . as, दधि + अशान = दध्यशान. This substitution of य for इ will take place, whether the words are in construction or not, as तिष्ठतु दध्यशान त्वं शाकेन 'let the curd remain, eat thou with the vegetable curry'. So also तिष्ठतु कुमारीच्छत्रं हर देवदत्तात् 'let the girl be, take the umbrella from Devadatta'. Here the augment तुक् (त subsequently changed into च) comes between कुमारी and छत्र, though the two words are not connected in sense 6.1.76.,