5.3.78
बह्वचो मनुष्यनाम्नष्ठज्वा
Operational rule vidhi
The affix ठच् is optionally added to a word of more than two syllables being the name of a human being, as an expression of compassion or of courtesy joined with compassion.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Left context बह्वचः pañcamī · ekavacanaLeft context मनुष्यनाम्नः pañcamī · ekavacanaSubstitute / term ठच् prathamā · ekavacanaIndeclinable वा avyaya
- Left context Pañcamī (5th case): "after X", the operation applies to what follows (1.1.67 तस्मादित्युत्तरस्य). Also used for limits and sources.
- Substitute / term Prathamā (1st case): in operational rules, the substitute or the thing introduced; in definitions, the term or its referent.
- Indeclinable An avyaya such as च "and", वा "optionally", न "not".
Dotted words are technical terms. Hover or tap one to see its card.
Full reading
बह्वचः मनुष्यनाम्नः ठच् वा
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The affix ठच् is optionally added to a word of more than two syllables being the name of a human being, as an expression of compassion or of courtesy joined with compassion.
In the alternative we have कन् also. As अनुकम्पितो देवदत्तः = देविकः (देवदत्त + इक = देव + इक) 5.3.83. When कन् is added there is no shortening of the base, as देवदत्तकः ॥ Similarly यज्ञिकः or यज्ञदत्तकः ॥
Why do we say बह्वचः 'after a polysyllable?' Observe दत्तकः, गुप्तकः ॥ Why do we say 'being a Man-name'? Observe मद्रबाहुकः, भद्रबाहुकः which are epithets and not Proper Nouns (मद्रौ बाहू यस्य); or these are names of quadrupeds.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.