3.3.143 विभाषा कथमि लिङ् च

Word by word (padaccheda)

Substitute / term prathamā · ekavacanaRight context कथमि saptamī · ekavacanaSubstitute / term prathamā · ekavacanaIndeclinable च avyaya

Substitute / term Prathamā (1st case): in operational rules, the substitute or the thing introduced; in definitions, the term or its referent.
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

कथमि लिङ् च

Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.

Commentary

The affix लिङ् (Benedictive) as well as लट् (Present Tense) is optionally used after a root when the word कथम् is in construction with it and censure is implied.
The word 'censure' is understood, and by च we draw लट् from the previous sutra into this. By using the word 'optionally' in the aphorism, it is indicated that this rule does not exclude the application of the alternative tenses which would otherwise have been required by the time of the action. It is not total exclusion like the last. Thus कथं नाम तत्र भवान् वृषलं याजयेत् or याजयति or याजयिष्यति 'Indeed, how your honor can (or will) sacrifice for a Sudra'.

So also, कथं नाम तत्र भवान् वृषलं याजयिता, अयाजयत् or याजयाञ्चकार ।

Here there is an occasion for the application of the Potential mood (लिङ्); therefore when we intend to express non-completion of action in the past time, we can optionally employ the Conditional also (लृङ्). As कथं नाम तत्र भवान् वृषलम् अयाजयिष्यत् or याजयेत् 'Indeed, why did your honor (attempt to) sacrifice for that Sudra (in vain)'.

Under similar circumstances, in denoting future time, the Conditional (लृङ्) must invariably be employed 3.3.139; as, कथं धर्मम् अत्यजिष्यः 'why will you (attempt to) give up your duty'.

Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.