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Class 7, 8Medium📐 grammarNCERT · CBSE

Karmadhāraya Samāsa — Adjective-Noun Compound

कर्मधारय समास — विशेषण-विशेष्य

Both Members Have the Same Case (Prathamā) · NCERT Class 7-8

Key Points to Remember

Grammar Explained

Karmadhāraya is a subtype of Tatpuruṣa where both members are in Prathamā (Nominative) — one is an adjective and the other is a noun. The two members share the same referent. "Karma" here means same case (not action), and "dhāraya" means bearing/holding.

Adjective + Noun

adj (Prat.) + noun (Prat.) → compound

नीलम् + उत्पलम् → नीलोत्पलम्

nīlam + utpalam → nīlotpalam

blue + lotus = blue lotus

महत् + पुरुषः → महापुरुषः

mahat + puruṣaḥ → mahāpuruṣaḥ

great + person = great person

पीत् + अम्बरम् → पीताम्बरम्

pīta + ambaram → pītāmbaram

yellow + garment = yellow-clad (name of Viṣṇu who wears yellow)

Noun + Noun (in apposition)

Both nouns refer to the same thing

राजा + ऋषिः → राजर्षिः

rājā + ṛṣiḥ → rājarṣiḥ

king + sage = king-sage (a royal sage, like Janaka)

आचार्यः + देवः → आचार्यदेवः

ācāryaḥ + devaḥ → ācāryadevo

teacher as god (from "mātṛdevo bhava, pitṛdevo bhava, ācāryadevo bhava")

Exercises (2)

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Form Karmadhāraya compounds

1. "great + sage" = महत् + ऋषिः → ?

Show answer

महर्षिः (maharṣiḥ) — great sage (note the Guṇa sandhi ā+ṛ→ar)

2. Vigraha of "पीताम्बरम्": _______ + _______

Show answer

पीतम् अम्बरम् (yellow garment) — name of Viṣṇu

3. "Rājarṣi" means:

Show answer

King-sage — a king who attained the wisdom of a ṛṣi (e.g., King Janaka)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Identify the compound type

1. "Mahāpuruṣa" (great person) is which samāsa?

A. DvandvaB. TatpuruṣaC. KarmadhārayaD. Bahuvrīhi
Show answer

Karmadhāraya

2. In Karmadhāraya, the two members are in:

A. different casesB. the same case (Prathamā)C. ṢaṣṭhīD. Dvitīyā
Show answer

the same case (Prathamā)

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