8.1.42
पुरा च परीप्सायाम्
Operational rule vidhi
The finite verb optionally retains its accent in connection with पुरा when it means 'haste' (i.e. when पुरा means 'before').
Word by word (padaccheda)
Indeclinable पुरा avyayaIndeclinable च avyayaRight context परीप्सायाम् saptamī · ekavacana
- Indeclinable An avyaya such as च "and", वा "optionally", न "not".
- 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").
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Full reading
पुरा च परीप्सायाम्
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The finite verb optionally retains its accent in connection with पुरा when it means 'haste' (i.e. when पुरा means 'before').
The word परीप्सा means त्वरा or 'quick'. Thus अधीष्व माणवक पुरा विद्यो꣡तते विद्युत्, or पुरा स्तनयति स्तनयित्नु ॥ The word पुरा here expresses the future occurrence which is imminent or very near at hand. It is against the rule of Dharmasastras to study while it thunders or lightens.
Why do we say 'when meaning haste'? Observe नडेन स्म पुराधी॒य॒ते॒ ॥ Here the word पुरा expresses a past time; that is, it means "long ago". So also ऊर्णया स्म पुराधीयते ॥ See 3.2.118 and 3.2.122, for the employment of पुर in the Past Tense, and 3.3.4, for the Present.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.