Page:Vedic Grammar.djvu/102

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92

I. Allgemeines und Sprache. 4. Vedic Grammar.

a. When the first member is a preposition, the accentuation is much the same as in possessives: either the first member is accented on its proper syllable, as abhi-dyii- 'directed to heaven'; or the last member on the final syllable, but only when it ends in the compositional suffix -a, or when as a simple word it is not accented on the final syllable; e.g. adhas-fad-d-%€ag under the feet', anu-kamd- 'according to wish' {kSma-). The accentuation of api-prana- (f. -f-) 'accompanying the breath' is quite exceptional.

90. A. Possessive compounds (Bahuvrlhis) normally accent the first member on the same syllable as the simple word, e. g. rdja-putra- 'having kings as sons' (but raja-putrd- 'son of a king'). Other examples are: dn-abhimlata-varna- 'whose colour is not dimmed', iddhdgni- 'whose fire is kindled', ind7'a-jyestha- 'having Indra as chief, indra-sakhi- 'having Indra as a friend', ghrtd-prstha- 'butter-backed', rid ad-vats a- 'having a bright calf, sahdsra-pad' 'thousand-footed" Similarly when the first member is a pre- position, an ordinary adverb, or sahd- and (chiefly in the later Vedas) sa- in the sense of 'accompanied by'; e.g. nir-hasta- (AV.) 'handless', prd-mahas- 'having pre-eminent might', vi-grTva- 'wrynecked', visvdto-mukha- 'facing in all directions', sahd-vatsa- 'accompanied by her calf, sd-kama- ('accompanied by' =) 'fulfilling desires' (VS.), sd-cetas- 'inteUigent' ^.

a. The original accent of the first member is sometimes changed, i. The adjective vuva- 'air always, and (owing to its influence) saiva- 'all' sometimes in the later Sam- hitas, shift their accent to the final syllable; e. g. visvd-pesas- 'having all adornment', sarvd-Janman-^ (AV.), sm-va-suddha-vala- (VS.) 'having a completely white tail', sarvayus- (VS.) 'having all life"*. — 2. Present participles in several instances shift the accent to their final syllable; e. g. krandad-isti- 'having roaring [irdndai-) speed'^ dravad-aiva- 'having swift {lirdvat-'f steeds'. Other participles with this shift of accent are ai-cdt- and bhaiiddl- 'shining', rapsdt- 'swelling', svandt- 'resounding'. — 3. There are also a few miscellaneous examples of shift of accent in the first member : abhisfi-dyumna- 'abounding in aid', jyott-ratha- 'whose car is light' (jyo/is-), dadrsand-pavi- 'whose felly is visible' [dddrsana-], avdkolba- (AV.) 'surrounded with Avaka plants' {dvakd-) cdiur-ahga- 'four- membered' [caii'ir-], khddi-hasta- 'having hands adorned with bracelets' [khadi-].

B. About one eighth of the total number of Bahuvrlhis accent the second member, and in the majority of instances on the final syllable.

a. This accentuation is common when the first member is a dissyllabic adjective ending in / or u. It is invariable in the RV. after the very frequent puru- 'much' and the less frequent krdhi'i- 'shortened', bahu- 'much', siti- 'white'; e. g. puru-putrd- 'having many sons', puru-vdra- 'having many treasures', krdhu-kdrna- 'having short ears', bahv-annd-^ 'having much food' {anna-), siti-pdd- 'white-footed'. Examples of this accentuation after other adjectives ending in i and u are: asu-hesas- 'having swift steeds', teru-ksdya- 'having a wide abode', rju-krdtu- 'whose works are right', tuvi-dyumnd- 'having great glory', trsu-cydvas- 'moving greedily', prthu-pdksas- 'broad-flanked', vibhu- krdtu- 'having great strength', vilu-pdni- 'strong-hoofed', hiri-siprd- 'golden- cheeked' ?. In the later Samhitas there is an increasing tendency to follow

1 When another adjective or an adverb precedes the first member, it has the accent ; e. g. eka-sUi-pad- (VS. TS.) 'having one foot white'; cp. Wackernagel 2', p. 291.

2 There are, however, a few exceptions in which the final member is accented, as vi-Hkhd- 'hairless' (but vi-Hkha- AV.), puro- rathd- 'whose car is foremost', sa-prdthas- 'ex- tensive', sdngd- (AV.) 'together with the limbs'.

3 This is the only example (occurring beside vihjd-janman-) of this shift of accent in

sdrva- in the AV., where sdrva- as first member is common.

4 sdrva- shows this shift of accent in the RV. in the adverb sarvd-ias 'from all sides' and in the derivative sarvd-tati- 'totality'.

5 Here the accent may be affected by that of the adverb dravdt 'swiftly'.

6 After iahu- the final syllable is always accented, even in the later Sainhitas.

' Both accentuations occur in prthti- iudhnd- and p^thit-budhna- 'broad-based'.