8.4.24
अन्तरदेशे
Operational rule vidhi
The नकार of हन् is converted to णकार when this word follows the word 'अन्तर्' and when this नकार is preceded by a ह्रस्व अकार. But this णत्व does not happen if the resultant word indicates the name of a place.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Indeclinable अन्तः avyayaRight context अदेशे 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").
Full reading
अन्तः अदेशे
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The न preceded by short अ of the root हन् is changed into ण , when the root follows the उपसर्ग - अन्तर and the word does not mean 'a country'.
Thus अन्तर्हण्यते and अन्तर्हणनं ॥
Why do we say "when not meaning a country अदेश?" Observe अन्तर्हननी देशः ॥
The phrase अत्पूर्वस्य "preceded by short अ" of sutra 22 ante, is to be read into this sutra also. Observe, अन्तर्घ्नन्ति ॥
Why do we say "short अ?" See, अन्तरघानि ॥ The word antar is an upasarga for the purposes of ण change, by the vartika under (l. 4.65); therefore, it would have caused the ण change by 8.4.22. The present sutra is made, to show that the change takes place only then, when it does not mean a country.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.