5.4.118
अञ्नासिकायाः संज्ञायां नसं चास्थूलात्
Operational rule vidhi
The affix अच् is added to the word नासिका final in a बहुव्रीहि समास when it expresses a name whereby नस् is substituted for नासिका , but not so when the word स्थूल precedes the word नासिका.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Substitute / term अ prathamā · ekavacanaTarget नासिकायाः ṣaṣṭhī · ekavacanaRight context संज्ञायाम् saptamī · ekavacanaSubstitute / term नसम् prathamā · ekavacanaIndeclinable च avyayaLeft context अस्थूलात् pañcamī · ekavacana
- Substitute / term Prathamā (1st case): in operational rules, the substitute or the thing introduced; in definitions, the term or its referent.
- Target Ṣaṣṭhī (6th case): names what gets replaced, "in place of X" (1.1.49 षष्ठी स्थानेयोगा).
- 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".
- Left context Pañcamī (5th case): "after X", the operation applies to what follows (1.1.67 तस्मादित्युत्तरस्य). Also used for limits and sources.
Dotted words are technical terms. Hover or tap one to see its card.
Pink letters are it-markers (anubandhas), tags dropped by 1.3.9. Hover or tap one for the rule that marks it, or try the it-letter finder.
Full reading
अच् नासिकायाः संज्ञायाम् नसम् च अस्थूलात्
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
नासिकायाः → अच् नसम् / अस्थूलात् संज्ञायाम्
Replace nāsikāyāḥ with ac nasam when it comes after asthūlāt when saṃjñāyām follows. Inherited words (anuvṛtti) may add further conditions.
Commentary
The affix अच् is added to the word नासिका final in a बहुव्रीहि समास when it expresses a name whereby नस् is substituted for नासिका , but not so when the word स्थूल precedes the word नासिका।
Thus द्रुरिव नासिकाऽस्य = द्रुणसः, वाद्ध्रीणसः ॥ The न is changed to ण by 8.4.3 so also गोनसः ॥ Why do we say "when it is a Name"? Observe तुंगनासिकः ॥ Why do we say "not after स्थूल?" Observe स्थूलनासिको वराह ॥
Vart:- After the words खुर and खर, for नासिका is substituted मस् but no affix is added : as, खुरणाः, खरणाः ॥ In the alternative, the affix अच् is added, as खुरणसः, खरणसः ॥
Ishti:- The forms शितिनाः, अर्चनाः and अहिनाः are valid in the Revelation (the Vedas).
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.