Dvandva Samāsa — The Copulative Compound
द्वन्द्व समास — "और" का समास
"A and B" — Two Equal Members Joined · NCERT Class 7-8
Key Points to Remember
- ▸Dvandva = pair; joins words connected by "and" (ca → ca elided in compound)
- ▸Two members → dual ending; three or more → plural ending
- ▸Rāmalakṣmaṇau = Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa (most famous Dvandva in literature)
- ▸Sukhaduḥkhe = happiness and sorrow — Bhagavad Gita uses this Dvandva
Grammar Explained
Dvandva Samāsa (द्वन्द्व समास) joins two or more nouns connected by "and" (ca). The compound takes the gender/number of the combined items. "Dvandva" means "pair" — like two hands, two sides.
Itaretara Dvandva (each member retains meaning)
A + B (connected by "and") → AB (plural, both meanings retained)
रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च → रामलक्ष्मणौ
rāmaś ca lakṣmaṇaś ca → rāmalakṣmaṇau
Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa → "Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa" (dual, because 2 persons)
सीता च लक्ष्मीश्च → सीतालक्ष्म्यौ
sītā ca lakṣmīś ca → sītālakṣmyau
Sītā and Lakṣmī (dual feminine)
देवाश्च मनुष्याश्च → देवमनुष्याः
devāś ca manuṣyāś ca → devamanuṣyāḥ
Gods and humans (plural)
सुखम् च दुःखम् च → सुखदुःखे
sukham ca duḥkham ca → sukhaduḥkhe
Happiness and sorrow (dual neuter — two things)
Samāhāra Dvandva (collective meaning)
A + B → AB (singular neuter — treated as a collective group)
नासिका च मुखम् च → नासिकामुखम्
nāsikā ca mukham ca → nāsikāmukham
Nose and mouth → "facial organs" (collective neuter singular)
Exercises (2)
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Form the Dvandva compound
1. पिता च माता च = ? (father and mother)
Show answer
पितामातरौ (pitāmātarau) or मातापितरौ (mātāpitarau) — dual, "parents"
2. सुखम् च दुःखम् च = ?
Show answer
सुखदुःखे (sukhaduḥkhe) — dual neuter "pleasure and pain"
3. Vigraha of "रामलक्ष्मणौ": _______ च _______ च
Show answer
रामः च लक्ष्मणः च
Exercise 2: Multiple Choice
Identify the compound type
1. "Sukhaduḥkhe" (happiness and sorrow) is which type of samāsa?
Show answer
Dvandva
2. In Dvandva, the number of the compound is:
Show answer
matches the combined count of members
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