Sanskrit Grammar (व्याकरणम्)

About this unit

This unit covers the core rules of Sanskrit grammar (व्याकरणम्) studied in Classes 11 and 12: how sounds join (सन्धिः), how words combine into compounds (समासः), how suffixes build new words (प्रत्ययः), how cases show the role of a word in a sentence (कारकम्, उपपदविभक्तिः), how a sentence changes between active and passive voice (वाच्यम्), and the standard forms of nouns and verbs (शब्दरूपाणि, धातुरूपाणि). Grammar is the foundation for every other part of the paper, because you cannot read a passage, translate a sentence or understand a verse without it. The official syllabus PDF is a scanned document, so check it for the exact prescribed texts.

Key ideas

• सन्धिः: joining of sounds — स्वर (vowel), व्यञ्जन (consonant) and विसर्ग sandhi.
• समासः: shortening a phrase into one word; the six main types and their विग्रह (break-up).
• प्रत्ययः: कृत् suffixes added to roots (क्त्वा, ल्यप्, तुमुन्, क्त, शतृ) and तद्धित suffixes added to nouns (मतुप्, ठक्, त्व, तल्).
• कारकम्: the six case relations and the vibhakti each takes; उपपद words that demand a fixed case.
• वाच्यम्: कर्तृवाच्य, कर्मवाच्य and भाववाच्य.
• रूपाणि: noun and pronoun declensions and verb forms in लट्, लृट्, लङ्, लोट् and विधिलिङ्.

How to prepare

Memorise standard examples for each sandhi and samasa type, because questions usually ask you to join, split or name them. Learn the declension tables of राम, हरि, गुरु, लता, नदी, फल, पितृ, राजन् and the pronouns अस्मद्, युष्मद्, तद् by reciting them aloud. For verbs, master पठ् in five lakaras and then compare irregular roots. Practise converting sentences from active to passive voice daily.