6.3.26
देवताद्वन्द्वे च
Operational rule vidhi
The आनङ् is the substitute for the final of the first member in a द्वन्द समास of the names of the देवता-s.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Right context देवताद्वन्द्वे saptamī · ekavacanaIndeclinable च avyaya
- 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".
Full reading
देवताद्वन्द्वे च
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The आनङ् is the substitute for the final of the first member in a द्वन्द समास of the names of the देवता-s.
Thus इन्द्रावरुणौ, इन्द्रासोमौ, इन्द्राबृहस्पती, मित्रावरुणौ ॥ The repetition of the word Dvandva in this sutra, in spite of its anuvritti from the last, shows that the rule applies only to such Dvandvas which are generally found in the Vedas and are well-known. It does not apply to compounds like ब्रह्मप्रजापति, शिववैश्रवणौ ॥ In fact it applies to the Dvandva of those Devatas whose companionship is well-known.
Vart:- Prohibition must be stated with regard to वायु in both cases, whether first or last, as अग्निवायू or वाय्वग्नी ॥
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.