1.4.58
प्रादयः
Definition saṃjñā निपातसंज्ञा
The words included in the प्रादिगण are called निपात when used in a sense that does not denote an object.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Term / subject प्र- आदयः prathamā · bahuvacana
- Term / subject Prathamā (1st case): the term being defined, or the subject of the statement.
Full reading
प्र-
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The words प्र etc. are called निपात when not signifying substances.
The following is the list of प्रादयः or 'prepositions:' प्र, परा, अव, सम्, अनु, अव, निस्, दुस्, वि, आङ्, नि, अधि, अपि, अति, सु, उत्, अभि, प्रति, परि, उप ॥
The making of this a distinct aphorism, when it could well have been included in the last, is for the sake of giving the Pra &c., words two names, namely, those of Nipatas, as well as upasargas under certain circumstances, i.e., when they are in composition with verbs. Not so however the cha &c., words. They never get the designation of upasargas.
When these words signifying substances they are not Nipatas. As परा जयति सेना the excellent army conquers. Here the word परा is not a Nipata.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.