8.4.8
वाहनमाहितात्
Operational rule vidhi
The न of वाहन is changed into ण , when the letter producing the change, occurs in the first member of a compound, denoting the thing carried.
Word by word (padaccheda)
Substitute / term वाहनम् prathamā · ekavacanaLeft context आहितात् pañcamī · ekavacana
- Substitute / term Prathamā (1st case): in operational rules, the substitute or the thing introduced; in definitions, the term or its referent.
- 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
वाहनम् आहितात्
Pāṇini leaves out words that carry over from earlier sūtras. Expand to see the rule as a reader actually understands it.
Commentary
The न of वाहन is changed into ण , when the letter producing the change, occurs in the first member of a compound, denoting the thing carried.
Thus इक्षुवाहणम् 'a sugar-cart'. शरवाहणम् "a reed-cart". दर्भवाहणम् 'a hay-cart'.
The thing which being placed on a cart is carried, is called आहित ॥
Why do we say "denoting the thing carried". Observe दाक्षिवाहणम् "a vehicle belonging to Dakshi".
The word वाहन is formed by adding ल्युट् to वह्, and lengthening of the penultimate is valid by the nipatana of this sutra.
Śrīśa Chandra Vasu, The Ashtadhyayi of Panini (1897), via ashtadhyayi.com.