4.4.83
विध्यत्यधनुषा
Operational rule vidhi
The affix यत् comes in the sense of 'what pierces it' after a word in the Accusative -2nd case in construction, provided that it is not a bow with which anything is pierced.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Verb विध्यति tiṅantaWith / by अ- धनुषा tṛtīyā · ekavacana
- Verb A finite verb form (tiṅanta).
- With / by Tṛtīyā (3rd case): accompaniment or means.
Dotted words are technical terms. Hover or tap one to see its card.
Full reading
विध्यति अ-
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The affix यत् comes in the sense of 'what pierces it' after a word in the Accusative -2nd case in construction, provided that it is not a bow with which anything is pierced.
Thus पादौ विध्यन्ति = पद्याः 6.3.53 शर्कराः, 'what pierce the feet' i.e. pebbles. ऊरव्याः कण्टकाः 'thorns' i. e. what pierce the thigh.
Why do we say "provided it is not a bow, अधनुषा"? Observe पादौ विध्यति धनुषा, no affix is added here. This exclusion of धनुष् indicates that the act of piercing must be such as not to be done by a bow &c. Therefore the affix does not apply to cases like these चौरं विध्यति, शत्रुंविध्यति ॥
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.