Composition

The essentials

रचना (composition) asks you to produce correct Sanskrit. It usually includes a पत्रलेखनम् (letter) with blanks to fill from a word box, वाक्यरचना or picture description from given words, completing a dialogue or story, and अनुवादः (translation) of simple sentences from Hindi or English into Sanskrit.

Key points

• Letter opening: the place (परीक्षाभवनम्) and date (दिनाङ्कः) at the top.
• सम्बोधन (address): to a father — पूज्याः पितृचरणाः; to a friend — प्रिय मित्र; to a principal — सेवायाम्, श्रीमन्तः प्रधानाचार्यमहोदयाः.
• अभिवादन: सादरं प्रणामाः (to elders), सप्रेम नमो नमः or सस्नेहं नमस्ते (to friends).
• Common body phrases: अत्र कुशलं तत्रास्तु (all is well here, hope the same there); मम परीक्षा समाप्ता.
• Closing: भवदीयः (yours, m.) / भवदीया (f.); आज्ञाकारी पुत्रः; तव प्रियसखा.
• Translation rules: the verb agrees with the subject in पुरुष and वचन (अहं पठामि, आवां पठावः, वयं पठामः); भवान्/भवती takes a प्रथमपुरुष verb (भवान् कुत्र गच्छति?).
• Use the right case: "with" → सह + तृतीया; "for" → चतुर्थी; "from" → पञ्चमी; "in" → सप्तमी.
• Choose the lakara by time: today/now → लट्; yesterday → लङ्; tomorrow → लृट्; order → लोट्; advice → विधिलिङ्.

Exam tips

• Underline the subject in the given sentence first, then fix the verb ending.
• In the letter, fill blanks only from the word box, and check gender and number.

Common mistakes

• Using a मध्यमपुरुष verb with भवान् (भवान् गच्छसि ✗); भवान् always takes प्रथमपुरुष.