5.4.84
द्विस्तावा त्रिस्तावा वेदिः
Operational rule vidhi
The words 1. द्विस्तावा and 2.त्रिस्तावा are irregularly formed meaning a वेदि 'altar'.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Substitute / term द्विस्तावा prathamā · ekavacanaSubstitute / term त्रिस्तावा prathamā · ekavacanaSubstitute / term वेदिः prathamā · ekavacana
- Substitute / term Prathamā (1st case): in operational rules, the substitute or the thing introduced; in definitions, the term or its referent.
Dotted words are technical terms. Hover or tap one to see its card.
Full reading
द्विस्तावा त्रिस्तावा वेदिः
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The words 1. द्विस्तावा and 2.त्रिस्तावा are irregularly formed meaning a वेदि 'altar'.
The affix अच् is added and the final syllable i. e. टि is elided. Thus द्विस्तावा वेदिः "an altar twice as big as an ordinary one". त्रिस्तावा वेदिः "thrice as big as an altar". The words are compounds of द्विः and त्रिः plus तावत् meaning "as much". Why do we say "when applied to an altar"? Observe द्विस्तावती रज्जुः, त्रिस्तावती रज्जुः ॥
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.