KARAKA PRAKARANAM

कारकप्रकरणम् (KĀRAKA PRAKARAṆAM)

• Sanskrit grammar (Vyākaraṇa) classifies words into different roles in a sentence.
• These roles are known as Kārakas. Panini’s Ashtadhyayi describes six main Kārakas, each denoting a specific syntactical relationship.
• These are essential in understanding the meaning and function of words in a sentence.

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1. कर्ता (Kartā) - The Doer / Agent

• The Kartā is the subject who performs the action intentionally.
• Sutra: कर्तुरिप्सिततमं कर्म ॥1.4.49॥

Example:

• रामः वनं गच्छति। (Rama goes to the forest.)

• गुरुः शिष्याय विद्यां ददाति। (The teacher gives knowledge to the student.)

2. कर्म (Karma) - The Object

• The Karma is the object upon which the action is performed.
• Sutra: कर्तुरीप्सिततमं कर्म ॥1.4.49॥

Example:

• सीता फलं खादति। (Sita eats a fruit.)

• राजा दानं ददाति। (The king gives a donation.)

3. करणम् (Karaṇam) - The Instrument / Means

• The Karaṇa is the means by which an action is performed.
• Sutra: हेतौ ॥2.3.18॥

Example:

• रामः खङ्गेन रावणं जघान। (Rama killed Ravana with a sword.)

• शिष्यः लेखनीना लिखति। (The student writes with a pen.)

4. सम्प्रदानम् (Sampradānam) - The Recipient / Beneficiary

• The Sampradāna indicates the recipient to whom something is given or for whom something is done.
• Sutra: सम्प्रदाने च ॥1.4.32॥

Example:

• गुरुः शिष्याय ज्ञानं ददाति। (The teacher gives knowledge to the student.)

• माता पुत्राय आशीर्वादं ददाति। (The mother gives blessings to her son.)

5. अपादानम् (Apādānam) - The Point of Separation / Source

• The Apādāna represents the source or point from which separation occurs.
• Sutra: अपादाने पञ्चमी ॥2.3.28॥

Example:

• गजः वनात् निर्गच्छति। (The elephant comes out of the forest.)

• विद्यार्थी गुरोः आश्रमात् आगच्छति। (The student comes from the teacher’s ashram.)

6. अधिकरणम् (Adhikaraṇam) - The Location / Base

• The Adhikaraṇa denotes the location, time, or situation in which an action takes place.
• Sutra: अधिकरणे सप्तमी ॥2.3.36॥

Example:

• गुरुकुले शिष्याः पठन्ति। (Students study in the Gurukula.)

• हस्ते कुङ्कुमं अस्ति। (There is kumkuma on the hand.)

7. सम्बन्धः (Sambandhaḥ) - The Relationship

• The Sambandha denotes a relation between two words in a sentence, often expressed by the षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive case).

Example:

• रामस्य धनुः। (Rama’s bow.)

• गुरोः ज्ञानम्। (The knowledge of the teacher.)

8. उपपदविभक्ति: (Upapadavibhaktiḥ) - Case Ending Due to an Adjunct Word

• This occurs when a word gets a specific case ending due to its connection with another word.

Example:

• गृहं गच्छतः। (One who goes to the house.)

• वनं प्रविशतः। (One who enters the forest.)

These Kārakas are fundamental in Sanskrit grammar as they define the roles of words in a sentence, making it syntactically clear and precise.