2.3.45
नक्षत्रे च लुपि
Operational rule vidhi
When an affix declaring the time of an Asterism is elided by लुप् -- लुबविशेषे (4.2.4), the 7th and the 3rd case-affixes are used after the word, whose affix is also elided.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Right context नक्षत्रे saptamī · ekavacanaIndeclinable च avyayaRight context saptamī · ekavacana
- 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").
- Indeclinable An avyaya such as च "and", वा "optionally", न "not".
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Full reading
नक्षत्रे च
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
When an affix declaring the time of an Asterism is elided by लुप् -- लुबविशेषे 4.2.4, the 7th and the 3rd case-affixes are used after the word, whose affix is also elided.
Ex. पुष्येण पुष्ये वा पायसमश्नीयात् 'when the moon is in the Asterism of Pushya, let him drink milk.' See Rules 4.2.4 and 4.2.5. So also मघाभिः पललौदनं मघासु पललौदनम्. But not so here पंचालेषु वसति 'he lives in Panchala'. Here the country is meant, and not a star, though here also there is elision of the Taddhita affix.
Why do we say 'lup elision'? Observe मघासु ग्रहः 'the planet in the Magha.' Here there is no elision. But why not in अद्यपुष्यः, अद्यकृत्तिका. Because they do not denote location, which is understood. It is when location is expressed by such words that we may use the third case-affix in the alternative.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.