2.3.4
अन्तराऽन्तरेण युक्ते
Operational rule vidhi
A word joined with (or governed by) the word अन्तरा or अन्तरेण takes the second case-affix.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Indeclinable अन्तरा- अन्तरेण avyayaRight context युक्ते saptamī · ekavacana
- Indeclinable An avyaya such as च "and", वा "optionally", न "not".
- Right context Saptamī (7th case): "when X follows", the operation applies to what precedes (1.1.66 तस्मिन्निति निर्दिष्टे पूर्वस्य). Also a condition or domain ("in the sense of").
Full reading
अन्तरा-
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
A word joined with (or governed by) the word अन्तरा or अन्तरेण takes the second case-affix.
The anuvritti of dvitiya is understand here and not that of tritiya. Both these words antara and antarena are Nipatas. They govern the accusative. This debars the genitive case. The word antara means 'between' while antarena means 'besides that,' 'without,' 'exception,' 'with reference to' 'regarding.' As, अन्तरेण पुरुषकारं न किंचिल्लभ्यते nothing can be gained without exertion. अन्तरा or अन्तरेण त्वां च मां च कमंडलुः 'the bowl is between thee and me.' कोऽन्यस्त्वां मां अन्तरेण शक्तः प्रतिकर्तुम् 'who else but thee is able to retaliate.'
Why do we say 'when joined with ?' Observe अन्तरा तक्षशिलां च पाटलिपुत्रं स्रुघ्नस्य प्राकारः.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.