3.2.54
शक्तौ हस्तिकपाटयोः
Operational rule vidhi
The affix टक् comes after the verb हन् 'to kill' when the object is in composition with it as its object is हस्ति 'elephant' or कपाट 'gate' and when the sense indicated is that of power.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Right context शक्तौ saptamī · ekavacanaRight context हस्ति- कपाटयोः saptamī · dvivacana
- 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").
Dotted words are technical terms, dashed ones pratyāhāras (names for classes of sounds or affixes). Hover or tap one to see its card.
Full reading
शक्तौ हस्ति-
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The affix टक् comes after the verb हन् 'to kill' when the object is in composition with it as its object is हस्ति 'elephant' or कपाट 'gate' and when the sense indicated is that of power.
This sutra applies where the agent is a human being. As हस्तिनं हन्तुं शक्तः = हस्तिघ्नः मनुष्यः 'a man who is strong enough to kill an elephant'; so also कपाटघ्नः 'a burglar' (who is capable of breaking open the doors).
Why do we say 'where power is indicated'? Observe विषेण हस्तिनं हन्ति = हस्तिघातः 'who kills the elephant by poison'. Here the affix is अण्.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.