हलादिः शेषः

As जग्लौ, मम्लौ, पपाच, पपाठ, आट, आटतुः, आटुः ॥ This rule ordains the retention of the initial consonant, if any, and elision of the non-initials in the reduplicate. If the root begins with a vowel as अट्, there being no initial consonant, in अट् अट्, the ट् will be elided of course. The word हलादिः should not be construed as a Genitive Tatpurusha 'first among the consonants', for then in अक्ष् + लिट् = अक्ष् अक्ष्, the ष् only would be elided, and क् retained.

The word शेषः or शिष्यते here means अवस्थाप्यते 'is retained'. The word हलादिः is not a compound. For had it been a compound, then if it is a Karmadharaya, the word आदिः should stand first ; if it be a Genitive compound then the first among compound consonants would be retained and we could not get the form आनक्ष from अक्ष. The word abhyasa is to be taken in the sense of jati or kind, i.e. in the jati which is collectively called abhyasa, the consonant that stands first in respect to abhyasa, is retained, and not the consonant standing in any other portion of it. So that all consonants, where ever they may be situated in the body of an abhyasa, whether in the beginning or middle or end, are dropped, except one with which the abhyasa begins. Thus if the abhyasa begins with a simple consonant, it is retained; if it begins with a conjunct consonant, the first is only retained; and if the consonant or consonants are not in the beginning they are all dropped.

Others say, the word शेषः here means \retention along with the cessation of others\. Therefore, though literally the word शेषः or retention appears to be the principal word in this sutra, yet as a matter of fact, it is secondary, because the injunction is not with regard to retention, but with regard to cessation. The rule is not \Retain the first consonant\; but \Drop every consonant but the first, is there be a first consonant\. Or the sutras 59 and 60, may be combined and read thus : ह्रस्वोऽहल् \The abhyasa becomes short and also without consonant\. आदिशेषः \The first consonant is retained\. Or the sutras may be divided thus :-

(1) 'A short vowel is substituted in the abhyasa'.

(2) 'The consonants of abhyasa are all elided'.

(3) The first is retained.

The sutras 59 and 60 must be joined by sandhi \ह्रस्वोऽहलादिशेषः\, and then we shall be able to read an elided अ between ह्रस्वः and हल्, as if it was a compound of ह्रस्व and अहल् ॥,