Lesson 19

19.1. The Relative Clause

Schema:

Relative pronoun -- relative clause containing the noun to which the relative clause refers -- (demonstrative pronoun) -- main clause

The relative clause can also appear after the main clause, but it cannot be inserted into the main clause.

The relative pronoun and the word it refers to, which — in contrast to German — stands within the relative clause, are in the case that the relative clause syntactically requires. The demonstrative pronoun is in the case that the main clause syntactically requires.

Examples:

Note: In relative clauses of general validity, the optative is often used instead of the indicative. Many of our examples would therefore preferably be in the optative.

1. The agent (कर्तृ) of the sentence is specified further by a relative clause:

यो नरः पुण्यं करोति स स्वर्गं गच्छति = यो नरः पुण्यं करोति तेन स्वर्गं गम्यते = येन नरेण पुण्यम् क्रियते तेन स्वर्गं गम्यते etc. = "A man who does meritorious deeds goes to heaven."

2. The direct object (कर्म) of the main clause is specified further by the relative clause:

यो ब्राह्मणो देवान्यजते तं देवा रक्षन्ति = "The gods protect a Brāhmaṇa who sacrifices to them as the officiating priest."

3. The specification of a noun in the main clause stands in the relative clause:

ये नराः पापं कुर्वन्ति तेषां पुत्रा धनं न लभन्ते = "Sons of men who do evil receive no wealth."

4. The relative pronoun and the correlative are in the genitive (षष्ठी):

यस्य नरस्य पुत्राः पापं कुर्वन्ति स न सुखवान् = "The man is not happy whose sons do evil."

5. The relative pronoun and the correlative are in the instrumental (तृतीया):

येन शत्रुणा ग्रामो जितस्तं द्विषन्ति = "They hate the enemy who has conquered / captured their village."

6. The relative pronoun and the correlative are in the accusative (द्वितीया):

यं नरं देवी रक्षति स सुखमाप्नोति = "A man whom the goddess protects attains happiness."

19.2. The relative pronoun = व्यपेक्षकसर्वनाम n.

यद् "who, which" is declined like तद्, but with regular sandhi.

	Masculine पुंस्	Neuter नपुंसक	Feminine स्त्री
Singular एकवचन	1. Nominative प्रथमा	yas यस्	yad यद्	yā या
	2. Accusative द्वितीया	yam यम्	yad यद्	yām याम्
	3. Instrumental तृतीया	yena येन	yena येन	yayā यया
	6. Genitive षष्ठी	yasya यस्य	yasya यस्य	yasyās यस्यास्
Plural बहुवचन	1. Nominative प्रथमा	ye ये	yāni यानि	yās यास्
	2. Accusative द्वितीया	yān यान्	yāni यानि	yās यास्
	3. Instrumental तृतीया	yais यैस्	yais यैस्	yābhis याभिस्
	6. Genitive षष्ठी	yeṣām येषाम्	yeṣām येषाम्	yāsām यासाम्

As the first member of compounds, the stem यद् appears (observing Sandhi rules).

19.3. Vocabulary List

अर्थ m.: purpose, goal, meaning (of a word), wealth, property, assets. अर्थम् (Acc.), अर्थेन (Instr.) with Genitive or as the second member of a Tatpuruṣa compound: for the sake of ..., in order to.

अर्थ is one of the three aims of life (पुरुषार्थ), as described in secular and religious literature:

धर्म m.: attainment of merit through doing what is right, or at least avoiding evil that would result from not following Dharma.

अर्थ m.: purposeful behavior, attainment of prosperity.

काम m.: sensual pleasure, especially in the sexual realm.

Fig.: कामः
Illustration of the कामसूत्र
(Image source: Details)

स्था 1 P तिष्ठति Pass. स्थीयते PPP. स्थित : to stand, remain, stay, be located. (Traditionally classified in the 1st conjugation class, although it is actually a reduplicating thematic present class, like पा 1 पिबति)

स्था + उप 1 U उपतिष्ठति : to step forward, to stand before someone in a respectful posture.

स्था + प्र 1 Ā प्रतिष्ठते : to set out, to depart.

from स्था :

स्थान n.: place, (right) location, position.

स्थिति f.: staying, steadfastness, persistence.

गर्भ m.: womb, lap, interior, embryo / fetus. At the end of a Bahuvrīhi compound often: "interior", e.g.,

धनगर्भ 3: "whose interior is money = in which money resides"

गर्भगृह n.: the innermost sanctum of a Hindu temple, which contains the most important image of the deity (for the structure of Hindu temples see: Volwahsen, A.: India : Buildings of Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. -- Munich, 1968)

Fig.: गर्भगृहम्
Badami (ಬದಾಮಿ)
(Image source: Details)

वारिद m.: water-bearer = rain cloud

Fig.: वारिदः
Goa (गोंय)
(Image source: Details)

वा 2 P वाति Pass. वायते PPP. वान / वात : to blow

from this:

वात m.: wind

वह् 1 U वहति Pass. उह्यते PPP ऊढ : to lead, to drive (trans.)

छत्त्र n.: sunshade, umbrella

Fig.: छत्त्रम्
"Onappottan (ഓണപ്പൊട്ടന്‍), in traditional costume is a custom in sourthern parts of Kerala. Onappottan visists houses during the onam and gives blessings. Off late onappottan has become a rare sight, confined to villages."
(Image source: Details)

पण्डित m.: scholar, sage ; 3: clever, knowledgeable (in)

Fig.: पण्डितः जवाहरलाल नेहरू १९५९
(Image source: Details)

सेव् 1 Ā सेवते Pass. सेव्यते PPP सेवित : to reside with, to inhabit (Acc., Loc.) ; to visit, to go to (Acc.) ; to serve, to tend, to worship ; to practice, to use ; to accompany, to have sexual intercourse

नि Prefix: down, into

सेव् + नि 1 Ā निषेवते : to dwell with, inhabit, visit

अमुत्र : there, in the hereafter

इह : here, in this world

विद् 6 U विन्दति Pass. विद्यते PPP विन्न / वित्त : to find

भार्या f.: to be preserved = wife

प्रिय 3: dear, pleasant

मित्र n. (!): friend

बान्धव m.: relative

हि : for, indeed (must never stand at the beginning of a sentence)

19.4. Exercise

Translate into Sanskrit:

1. The Vaiśya woman, whose son has died, weeps.

2. Rāma sacrifices to the deity who protects him.

3. The poet praises the Kṣatriya, whose wealth he desires.

4. Fire burns the house of the man who does not honor Agni with a sacrifice.

5. The tiger-like man slays the Kṣatriya warriors who have defeated Rāma (Passive).

19.5. सुभाषितानि

Translate:

येन येन च वातेन वारिदो वारि मुञ्चति । तेन तेन च वातेन छत्रं वहति पण्डितः ॥१॥

Explanation: वारि Nom., Acc. sg. to वारि n.: water

यो धर्ममर्थं कामं च यथाकालं निषेवते । धर्मार्थकामसंयोगं सो ऽमुत्रेह च विन्दति ॥२॥

Explanation: यथाकालम् Avyayībhāva compound: at the right time; always, whenever the right moment is present.

सा भार्या या प्रियं ब्रूते स पुत्रो यस्तु जीवति । स जीवति गुणो यस्य धर्मो यस्य स जीवति ॥३॥ यस्यार्थास्तस्य मित्राणि यस्यार्थास्तस्य बान्धवाः । यस्यार्थाः स पुमांल्लोके यस्यार्थाः स हि पण्डितः ॥४॥

Explanation: पुमान् Nom. sg. of पुंस् "man" ; लोके Loc. sg. of लोक m.: in the ...