बहुलं छन्दसि

घस्तान्नूनम् । सग्धिश्चने । (Yajur Veda Vaj S.XVIII. 9). Sometimes it does not take place; as आतामद्य मध्यतो भेद उद्भृतम्

The word बहुलं is used in this sutra and the word अन्यतरस्याम् in the next. There is evidently difference between the senses of these words; otherwise Panini would not have employed them in such juxtaposition, had they been synonymous. For then the anuvritti of बहुलं in the next sutra would have been sufficient. The following verse indicates that difference.

क्वचित् प्रवृत्तिः क्वचिदप्रवृत्तिः, क्वचिदविभाषा क्वचिदन्यदेव ।
विधेर्विधानं बहुधा समीक्ष्य, चातुर्विध बाहुलकं वदन्ति ॥

'Sometimes they are, where there is no express rule for their application; sometimes they are not applied, in spite of an express rule for their application; sometimes they are optionally employed or not, and sometimes there is some other result, licence permitted by the rule.' Thus in घस्ताम् there is not elision of the penultimate.,