8.4.22
हन्तेरत्पूर्वस्य
Operational rule vidhi
When the word हन् comes after an उपसर्ग containing a रेफ, the नकार of हन् is converted to णकार only if that नकार is preceded by an अकार, not otherwise.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Target हन्तेः ṣaṣṭhī · ekavacanaTarget अत्पूर्वस्य ṣaṣṭhī · ekavacana
- Target Ṣaṣṭhī (6th case): names what gets replaced, "in place of X" (1.1.49 षष्ठी स्थानेयोगा).
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Full reading
हन्तेः अत्पूर्वस्य
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The न , when preceded by अ , in the root हन् , is changed to ण , when the verb is preceded by a preposition competent to cause the change.
Thus प्रहण्यते, परिहण्यते, प्रहणनम्म् परिहणनम् ॥
Why do we say अत्पूर्वस्य 'when preceded by अ'? When अ is elided, the change does not take place. As प्रघ्नन्ति, परिघ्नन्ति 6.4.98, and 8.3.54.
Why do we say अत् "preceded by short अ"? Observe पर्यघानि and प्रघानि, the Aorist of हन् by the affix चिण् 3.1.60 प्रहन् + चिण् = प्रघन् + चिण् 8.3.54 = प्रघान् + चिण् 8.2.116 = प्रघानि 'he killed'. Here न being preceded by the long आ is not changed.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.