8.4.35
षात् पदान्तात्
Operational rule vidhi
After a ष् final in a पद , the न् is not changed to ण.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Left context षात् pañcamī · ekavacanaLeft context पदान्तात् pañcamī · ekavacana
- Left context Pañcamī (5th case): "after X", the operation applies to what follows (1.1.67 तस्मादित्युत्तरस्य). Also used for limits and sources.
Full reading
षात् पदान्तात्
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
After a ष् final in a पद , the न् is not changed to ण।
Thus निष्पानम्, दुष्पानम्; the visarga is changed to ष् here by 8.3.41. The rule 8.4.29 is debarred. सर्पिष्पानम् (is a genitive compound contra 2.2.14). So also यजुष्पानम् 2.1.32. The ष is in these two by 8.3.45, and 8.4.10 is debarred.
Why do we say "षात् after a ष्?" Observe निर्णयः ॥
Why do we say पदान्तात् 'final in a Pada'? Observe कुष्णाति, पुष्णाति ॥ The word पदान्त is equivalent to पदे अन्त or Locative Tatpurusha; and does not mean final of a Pada. Therefore the rule does not apply here. सुसर्पिष्केण (instrumental singular) सुयजुष्केण ॥ Here the क is added by 5.4.154. शोभनं सर्पिरस्य = सुसर्पिष्क (a Bahuvrihi). The ष is by 8.3.39. Before the affix क, the word सुसर्पिस् is a Pada (1.4. 17), and thus स् (ष्) is final of a Pada: but it is not final of a preceding member followed by another Pada. The rule, in fact, applies to compounds, the ष् being final in the first term.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.