3.3.2
भूतेऽपि दृश्यन्ते
Operational rule vidhi
The उणादि affixes are seen also attached with the force of the past time.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Right context भूते saptamī · ekavacanaIndeclinable अपि avyayaVerb दृश्यन्ते tiṅanta
- 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".
- Verb A finite verb form (tiṅanta).
Dotted words are technical terms. Hover or tap one to see its card.
Full reading
भूते अपि दृश्यन्ते
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The उणादि affixes are seen also attached with the force of the past time.
By the last sutra, it was taught that the Unadi affixes come with the force of the present time. The present aphorism teaches that they come with the force of the past also, not as a general rule, but in special cases. The force of the words 'are seen' being that no general rule can be laid down about it, but on finding that certain words have a past significance, we conclude that the affix in that particular case has the force of the past time.
Thus वृत् + मनिन् = वर्त्मन् 'a way, road' (that which has been established as a rule); चर् + मनिन् = चर्मन् 'skin' (that which is lived in); so also भस्मन् 'ashes' (that which has been reduced to ashes).
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.