6.1.61
ये च तद्धिते
Operational rule vidhi
There is the substitution of this stem शीर्षन् for शिरस् when a तद्धित-affix beginning with य follows.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Right context ये saptamī · ekavacanaIndeclinable च avyayaRight context saptamī · ekavacana
- 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".
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Full reading
ये च
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
There is the substitution of this stem शीर्षन् for शिरस् when a तद्धित-affix beginning with य follows.
The word शीर्षन् is understood here. This rule teaches substitution. The original for which this substitution comes is not given in the sutra, we must infer it. The appropriate original is शिरस् ॥ Thus शीर्षण्यो हि मुख्यो भवति, शीर्षण्यः स्वरः ॥ The affix यत् is here added by 4.3.55. The word शीर्षण् retains its original form before this affix यत्, the final अन् not being replaced by anything else 6.4.168. Why do we say when 'a Taddhita-affix follows'? Observe शिर इच्छति = शिरस्यति, here य is not a Taddhita affix, and so there is no substitution.
Vart:- The substitution is optional when meaning 'hair'. As शीर्षण्याः केशाः or शिरस्याः केशाः ॥
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.