सामर्थ्य

(To be revised) 

ज्ञापक or सामर्थ्य is one method of interpreting the अष्टाध्यायी. It is a guide to deciding the correctness of any issue. We make a particular assumption owing to a ज्ञापक ‘clue’ or सामर्थ्य ‘an otherwise redundant element’. If we do not make the assumption then either the rule or certain elements of it will be rendered redundant.

सामर्थ्य is quite often an important guiding principle for determining field of application of a rule as well as for determining अनुवृत्ति.

Here we discuss सामर्थ्य in the context of अनुवृत्ति.

When we consider अनुवृत्ति, we are always up against continuing or n ot continuing elements from prior rules. Here सामर्थ्य plays a non-trivial role. As soon as the continuation (or lack thereof) is assumed on grounds of सामर्थ्य, a rule or elements in that rule become purposeful.

Let us take the example of various प्रगृह्य rules to better understand how सामर्थ्य applies.

51 ईदूदेद् द्विवचनं प्रगृह्यम् 1.1.11
अनुवृत्तिः
52 अदसो मात् 1.1.12
अनुवृत्तिः ईदूदेद् प्रगृह्यम्
In rule 52, the word द्विवचनं is discontinued on the basis of सामर्थ्य. If the word द्विवचनं is continued, then the examples of rule 52 will be covered by rule 51 itself. This renders rule 52 superfluous.

Therefore for the discontinuation of द्विवचनं, no explicit principle is required. Common sense alone would be deemed sufficient.

55 निपात एकाजनाङ् 1.1.14
अनुवृत्तिः प्रगृह्यम्
56 ओत् 1.1.15
अनुवृत्तिः निपातः, प्रगृह्यम्

ओत् does not cancel निपातः but cancels the modifier एकाच् on the basis of सामर्थ्य. If the word एकाच् is continued, then the examples of rule 56 will be covered by the preceding rule itself viz., rule 55. Accordingly, सामर्थ्य decides the discontinuation of एकाच्.

57 सम्बुद्धौ शाकल्यस्येतावनार्षे 1.1.16
अनुवृत्तिः ओत्, प्रगृह्यम्

The item ओत् is continued but the item निपातः is discontinued. If the item निपातः is continued, the a separate phrasing of rule 57 would seem superfluous. All the examples of rule 57 would be taken care of by rule 56. (How?)