Lesson 25 ---- उपसर्ग Read Only Series. | Lesson Index

Lesson 25. उपसर्गः

Read Only Series.

उपसर्ग s are prefixes. They are added to the beginning of a root word and affect the roots and their meanings in several ways. They are extremely popular in Sanskrit and you will find them invited to join a root word at the drop of a hat.

There are 22 उपसर्ग s in Sanskrit. The technical term for them is "प्रादि" (Why "प्रादि"? Because the first उपसर्ग in this list of 22 is, प्र | Therefore, प्र+ आदि = प्रादि)
Their functions could be any of the following.
1.     To change the meaning of the root.
        गम् गच्छति   to go ;      आ + गम् = आगच्छति to come.
2.     To support or substantiate a particular meaning.
        रुह् रोहति = to climb up. आ + रोहति = आरोहति to climb up.
3.     To emphasize the original meaning.
        धाव् धावति to run प्र + धाव् = प्रधावति to run fast.

Two lovely verses expound the उपसर्गः ...
1. धात्वर्थं बाधते कश्चित् कश्चित्तमनुवर्तते |
तमेव विशिनष्ट्यन्यः उपसर्गगतिस्त्रिधा ||
Some prefixes change the meaning of a root (धात्वर्थं बाधते); some reinforce or even enhance the same (अनुवर्तते); while others follow the original meanings (विशिनष्टि). These are the functions of उपसर्ग-s.
2. उपसर्गेण धात्वर्थो बलादन्यत्र नीयते |
प्रहाराहारसंहारविहारपरिहारवत् ||
उपसर्ग changes the meaning of a root, for example हृ changes its meaning because of various उपसर्ग s. प्र + हृ = प्रहार to strike ; आ + हृ = आहार to eat; सम् + हृ = संहार to kill ; वि + हृ = विहार to walk for pleasure ; परि + हृ = परिहार to ward off.

• Some roots change their पद with the addition of certain उपसर्ग

उपसर्गः	Root	Original पदम्	Changed पदम्
सम् , अव, प्र, वि	स्था	P.P.तिष्ठति	becomes A.P. अवतिष्ठते
सम्	गम्	P.P. गच्छति	becomes A.P. समगच्छते
वि, परा	जि	P.P. जयति	becomes A.P. पराजयते
वि, आ, परि	रम्	A.P.रमते	becomes P.P. आरमति

Interesting fact: उपसर्ग-s are very generous. They give themselves away willingly. Two or more can be added quite happily to a root word. For example, सम् + अधि + गम् = समधिगच्छति = to go towards together; to go completely over; surpass.

The list of उपसर्ग s

Now, let's go through the list of उपसर्ग s and see what those उपसर्ग s mean. Note how sometimes the same उपसर्ग can convey two completely separate and different ideas. ( We are getting better at sighing longer drawn out sighs, aren't we!)

1. प्र = more, forward (काशः = light. प्रकाशः = bright/more light.) or भू भवति with प्र would read: वर्षासु अनेके जीवाः प्रभवन्ति |
2. परा = down, backward (भू भवति = is. पराभवति = to disappear/to defeat.) विद्वान् मूढं पराभवति |
3. अप = near, to ; away, separation (सृ सरति =to move. अपसरति = to move away from) हृ हरति can be used as रावणः सीताम् अपहरति |
4. सम् = together, very much. (अन्त = to end. समन्त =having the ends together; neighbouring.) सहपाठिनः सङ्गच्छति |
5. अनु = behind (अनुगच्छति = to follow.) जनाः नेतारम् अनुगच्छन्ति |
6. अव = down (रुह् रोहति = to climb up. अवरोहति = to come down.)
त्वं गुरुं कथम् अवमन्यसे ? देशस्य रक्षायै महापुरुषाः अवतरन्ति |
7. निस् = out, far away, without (त्यज् त्यजति = to let go. निस्त्यजति = to expel) निस्संशयं सः आगमिष्यति |
8. निर् = out (ईक्ष =to see. निरीक्षते = to observe) सः गृहात् निर्गच्छति |
9. दुस् = bad; wicked. तस्य वचनं दुःसहम् आसीत् |
10.दुर् = difficult. (लभ् = to obtain दुर्लभ = difficult to obtain.) अहं दुर्गमं वनं न गच्छामि |

11.वि = contrary, particular.( स्मृ स्मरति = to remember. विस्मरति = to forget)
रामः राजमणिः सदा विजयते | विश्रामः कुत्र कर्तव्यः | श्रम = effort वि+श्रम = rest
12.आ = to, from, upto, backwards. (आगच्छति to come) आबालवृद्धाः तत्र आगच्छन् | कः अत्र आगच्छति ?
13.नि = in, more. (सृ सरति = move / flow. निःसरति = to disappear.) वृक्षेभ्यः पत्राणि निपतन्ति |
14.अधि = above (वस् = to stay. अधिवसति = to sit upon, to perch.) वृद्धः खट्वाम् अध्यास्ते | मालाकारः वृक्षम् अधिरोहति |
15.अति = beyond. (धाव् धावति = to run. अतिधावति = to rush) स भूमिं विश्वतो वृत्त्वा अत्यतिष्ठत् दशाङ्गुलम्   (अति + अतिष्ठत् ) |
16.अपि = also, to cover.(सृ सरति = to move / flow. अपिसरति = to flow over.) वर्षाकाले नदी तटे अपिसरति |
17.सु = good (शील = character. सुशील = good character) माता सुपचति |
18.अभि = towards (क्रन्द् क्रन्दति = to cry. अभिक्रन्दति = to shout at.) सः वनम् अभिगच्छति |
19. प्रति = towards, against. (वद् वदति = to speak. प्रतिवदति = to answer back.)
     सीता गीता च विद्यालयं प्रति गच्छतः |
20.परि = around. (भ्रम् भ्रमति to wander. परिभ्रमति = to circumambulate)
     पापं परित्यज्य | आचार्यः शिष्यं परीक्षते |
21.उप = near, to. (नेत्रम् = eye. उपनेत्रम् = spectacles) सर्वे मन्दिरम् उपगच्छन्ति|
22.उद् = up. (भू भवति = is. उद्भवति = to emerge.) बीजं भूमेः उद्गच्छति |

And thus do we conclude today's lesson. The Read Only Series will not be accompanied by exercises. No excuses then....there's enough time for revising work done so far.
Till next week. when we see the pronouns... यद् and किम् in lesson 26 .... untill then, happy studying!

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