Bahuvrīhi Samāsa — The Exocentric Compound
बहुव्रीहि समास — अन्य विशेषण
"One Who Has Much Rice" — Describes Something Else Entirely · Class 8
Key Points to Remember
- ▸Bahuvrīhi = "having much rice" — the compound describes someone OUTSIDE the compound
- ▸Test: if the compound refers to itself → Karmadhāraya; if it refers to someone else → Bahuvrīhi
- ▸Nīlakaṇṭha (blue-throat = Śiva), Cakrapāṇi (discus-hand = Viṣṇu) = famous Bahuvrīhi names
- ▸Vigraha uses "yasya saḥ" (he whose...) or "yasyāḥ sā" (she whose...)
Grammar Explained
Bahuvrīhi Samāsa (literally "much-rice") describes a third person/thing, not the members themselves. "Bahuvrīhi" = one who has much rice = a wealthy farmer. The compound is an adjective describing someone outside the compound.
The compound describes a THIRD entity
A + B → one who has AB / whose AB is like this
पीतम् अम्बरम् यस्य सः → पीताम्बरः
pītam ambaram yasya saḥ → pītāmbaraḥ
he whose garment is yellow → Viṣṇu (pīta = yellow; ambara = garment; but it REFERS TO Viṣṇu, not the garment)
चक्रम् पाणौ यस्य सः → चक्रपाणिः
cakram pāṇau yasya saḥ → cakrapāṇiḥ
he who has a discus in hand → Viṣṇu (refers to Viṣṇu, not the discus)
प्रिया पत्नी यस्य सः → प्रियपत्नीकः
priyā patnī yasya saḥ → priyapatnīkaḥ
he who has a beloved wife
नीलम् कण्ठम् यस्य सः → नीलकण्ठः
nīlam kaṇṭham yasya saḥ → nīlakaṇṭhaḥ
he whose throat is blue → Śiva (refers to Śiva, not the throat)
Exercises (2)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Analyse Bahuvrīhi compounds
1. "नीलकण्ठः" refers to whom? What is its vigraha?
Show answer
Refers to Śiva. Vigraha: नीलम् कण्ठम् यस्य सः (he whose throat is blue — Śiva drank poison turning his throat blue)
2. "चक्रपाणिः" refers to whom?
Show answer
Refers to Viṣṇu — "he who has a discus (cakra) in his hand (pāṇi)"
3. How does Bahuvrīhi differ from Karmadhāraya? Use "पीताम्बर" as example.
Show answer
In Karmadhāraya, pītāmbara = yellow garment (the compound IS the thing). In Bahuvrīhi, pītāmbara = one whose garment is yellow = Viṣṇu (the compound DESCRIBES someone else)
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Identify the compound
1. "Nīlakaṇṭha" (blue-throated, = Śiva) is which samāsa?
Show answer
Bahuvrīhi
2. In Bahuvrīhi, the compound always:
Show answer
describes a third entity
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