indeclinable

 

    prepositions           2  classes  to be  distinguished

               adverbial   prepositions

                             local  sense      modifies     verb

               adnominal   prepositions     

                            not  compounded   with  verbs

                                  but  govern  cases  only

                            they  end  in  case  terminations  or  adverbial  suffixes

 

  adverbial  prepositions

                   of  the  22   used    ,   8   are  never  used  ad nominally

                                                       apa        away

                                                       ud          up  out

                                                       ni           down  into

                                                       nis          out

                                                       pa        away

                                                       pra          forth

                                                       vi             asunder     often  =    dis   away

                                                       sam         together                     

            3  others  employed  adnominally    are  restricted

                   in  their  adverbial  use  to  combination  with  particular  words

                                                      accha       towards

                                                      tiras          across  

                                                      puras        before

             other  11          are  used    adverbially   and   adnominally

                                                 ati         beyond

                                                      adhi     upon

                                                      anu      after

                                                      antar    within

                                                      api        on

                                                      abhi      against

                                                      ava       down

                                                      ā            near

                                                      upa       up to

                                                      pari       around

                                                      prati      towards

 

           when  combined  with  verbs

                       they  are  not  compounded  in  main  clause

                                    usually  immediately  preceding  verb

                                    but    also  separated

                                             ā   tvā   viśantu     

                                                   may  they  enter   you

                                   occasionally   follows  verb

                                             indro   gā   avṛṇot   apa

                                                   Indra   disclosed  the  cows

                                   sometimes   2   prepositions   with  verb

                                   sometimes  the  verb  like    as   to be    is  missing

                                            ā   tū   nas   indra

                                                   hither  pray (come)  to  us ,  Indra

                                   sometimes  prep.  appears  without  verb  in  one  clause

                                                                                 but  with  it  in  other  clause

                                                  pari  mām ,  pari   me  prajām,

                                                         protect  me ,  protect  my  projeny

                                                  pari  nas  pāhi  yad  dhanam

                                                         protect  what  wealth ( is )  ours

                                   verb  usually  comes  at  end  of  sentence

                                                                     prep.   usually  comes  after  object

                                                                     usually  follows   noun  governed  by  verb

                                  primarily  used to define  the local direction

                                                                   expressed  by  verb ,  which governs a case

                                  there  is  uncertainty     if   prep.  governs    verb  or  noun

                                                       dāśvāmsam   upa   gacchatam

                                                                 do  you 2  go-to  the  pious  man

                                                               or

                                                                 do you 2  go    to-the  pious  man

                                when  used  ad nominally   preposition

                                          defines  local  meaning  of the  case

                                                   not  govern  the  case

                                                          except  perhaps   ā  up to    puras   before

                                                                  connected  with  the  ablative

 

        14   genuine  prepositions  used  adnominally

                                         almost  always  stick  to       accusative , ablative ,  locative

                       6       accusative  only

                                   accha       towards

                                   ati             beyond

                                   anu           after

                                   abhi          against

                                   prati          towards

                                   tiras          across

                    1       locative  only

                           api             on

             1      ablative   only

                                  ava            away

              remaining  6     accusative  and  one  or  both  of   abl.  loc.

                                    pari       takes    abl.   also

                                    upa                    loc.  also

              both   abl.   loc.

                                adhi          upon

                                antar         within

                                ā

                                puras        before

 

   accha      towards

              with   verbs  of  motion   and  of  speaking

              direction   (  all the  way ) to

              used  ad nominally        same  meaning

              accusative

                         pra   yātana   sakhīmr   acchā

                               proceed  hither to you  friends

                         upa  prāgāt  ….  acchā   pitaram   mātaram  ca

                                he  has  come  forward hither to his father and mother

                         kam  acchā   yuñjāthe  ratham

                                to (go to)  whom do you 2  yoke your car ?

                         acchā  ca  tvā enā  namasā  vadāmasi

                               and to you we speak with this devotion

                         preyam  agād  dhiṣaṇā  barhir  accha

                               this bowl has come forward hither to the litter

 

  ati          beyond

            with   verbs  of  motion                 beyond ,  over ,  through

            some  confusion      as  to     verb   or  noun

                    less  confusion  with  these  accussatives

                                 śatam   dāsām   ati   srajaḥ

                                      a  hundred  slaves  ( beyond )    in  addition  to  garlands

                                 purvīr   ati   kṣapaḥ 

                                     through  many nights

                                 kad  asya  ati   vratam  cakṛmā

                                     what  have  we  done ( beyond - )  contrary to his ordinance

                                 yas  devas  martyām  ati

                                       the god who (is)  beyond  mortals

 

  adhi           upon

               adverb

                       adhi  gam      come  upon         then  find out ,  learn

              adnominal

                        locative

                                 but  some  uncertainty  if  it  belongs  to  noun  or  verb

                                       nākasya   pṛṣṭhe   adhi  tiṣṭhati

                                              he  stands upon the ridge of the firmament

                       refering  to  a  person        beside    with -  wielding  sway  over

                             yat  nāsatyā,  parāvati  yat    sthas  adhi  turvase

                                     when O Nāsatyas,  you  are at a distance or with Turvaśa

                      sometimes   from  locative extended  to  ablative           from  upon

                              ataḥ  ā  gahi  divas     rocanāt   adhi

                                     thence  come,  or  from the bright realm of heaven

                     sometimes   simple  ablative

                             hdayāt   adhi

                                    from the heart

                             puruṣāt   adhi

                                    from  Puruṣa

                    sometimes   extended  sense

                             yam  … kaṇva   īdha   ṛtāt   adhi

                                     whom  Kaṇva  kindled (proceeding  from -) 

                                                                                   in acordance with sacred  order

                             mā   paṇir  bhūs   asmat  adhi

                                     be not  miser   with regard to us     root  ao.   imper.

                  sometimes  accusative     on  or  over   extending to actions

                           pṛthu   pratīkam   adhi  edhe  agni

                                   Agni  has been kindled  over the broad surface     idh  c7

 

  anu             after

             adverb     after

                         anu  i   go after  follow      along     through

             adnominal       accusative  only            after , along , throughout

                      pa  me  yanti  dhītayas  gāvas  na  gavyūtīr  anu

                            my thoughts go abroad like cows(seeking after pastures)

                      upa  pra  yanti  dhītayaḥ  ṛtasya  pathyā  anu

                             forth go my thoughts along the paths of  order

                    yat  pañca  māniṣām  anu  nṛmṇam

                            the might which(exists) throughout  the 5 peoples

                      pṛthivīm  anu

                           throughout the earth

                      vanaspatīmr  anu

                            in all trees

                      pradiṣas  anu  

                           throughout the regions

          sequence  in time           after    or    (with plurals)  throughout

                         pūrvām   anu  prayatim

                               after the first  presentment

                         anu  dyūn

                                throughout the days      day after day

           conformity       after  -  in  accordance with

                        svam  anu  vratam

                               according to his own ordinance

                       amtān  anu

                               after the manner of immortals

                       anu  joṣam

                               for  ( to suit)  you  enjoyment

 

   antar        between

              adverb            between      within      into

                       antas  car

                             move between  or  within

                      anta   paś 

                             look  into

                      antar    

                             go between   separate

                      antar-vidvān 

                             knowing ( the difference)  between       distinguishing

        adnominal                 much  more  used  to  adverb

                                         with  locative         within      amoung

                           anta   samudre

                                within  the  ocean

                           apsu antar

                                within the waters

                           antar  deveṣu

                                amoung the gods

                          garbhe  anta

                               within  the womb

                          māttamāsu  anta

                                in the best of mothers

             from  locative  extends  to  a  few  ablatives          from within

                           antar   aśmanaḥ

                                   from within the rock

                           eṣā   yayau  paramāt  anta  adreḥ

                                   it  has  come from the highest stone

            from  locative   extends   to  some   accusatives  

                                                    between   (expressing  both  motion and rest)

                                                    usually  with  dual  types

                            mahān  sadhasthe  dhruva  ā  niṣattas  antar  dyā

                                     the great one who has sat down

                                         in the firm seat between toe two worlds

                          indra   it  somapā   ekaḥ…..

                          antar  devān  martyāms  ca

                                        indra  is  the one Soma-drinker

                                           ( between)  among  the  gods and mortals

 

 api                          upon

                adverb      into

                                  api  gam 

                                        go  into  enter

                       on  over  up

                                  api  dhā  

                                        put  upon   close  up

                                 api  nah 

                                        tie  up

                                 api-ripta

                                        smeared  over   =    blind

          adnominal      rare        locative  only            on

                        ayam ,  agne,  tve  api  yam  yajñam  cakṛmā  vayam

                                this (is),  O Agni,  the sacrifice which we have offered  on  you

 

 abhi        towards      with  verbs  of  motion

            adverb

                                  abhi   dru

                                        run towards

                     makes  verbs of  action  transitive

                                    krand  roar    abhi  krand    roar at

                     with  bhū                 sense   of  superiority

                                   abhi  bhū  

                                         overcome

           adnominal              accusative  only          to

                                ud  īrṣva   nāri abhi  jīvalokam

                                          arise,  O woman,  to the world of the living

            sense  of  over  ( implying dominion )

                                   viśvā   yas  carṣaṇīr  abhi

                                          who (is)  over   all  men

 

 ava             down

             adverb                    down

                                    ava   gam

                                         come  down

                         extended  sense  of       away    off

                                   ava  sṛj

                                        discharge

            adnominal          very  rare      with  ablative     down  from            

                                 vṛṣṭim   ava   diva   invatam

                                       send  rain  down  from  heaven     inv   c1   go

                                 ye  te  panthānas  ava  diva

                                       which (are)  your  paths  down  from  the  sky

 

 ā           near

         adverb                   expressing   either  physical  or  mental  motion

                                             near    hither   towards     to   upon

                                     ā   aj

                                         drive  hither

                                     ā  krand

                                          cry  to

                                     ā  dhī

                                           think  upon      attend  to

                       when  used  with  verbs  expressing   rest  or  occurrence       in    at

                                     ā   kṣi

                                          dwell  in

                                     ā  jan

                                          be  born  at        a place

          adnominal       regularly  follows  the  case              locative      on   in  at  to

                                     upastha  ā

                                          on  the  lap

                                    dadhu  ṭvā   bhgavas   mānuṣeṣu   ā

                                          the  Bhṛgus  brought   you  to  men

                          from  locative   extended  to  ablative          from  on

                                 parvatāt   ā

                                     from (on)  the  mountain

                        also       away  from

                               yas  cit  dhi  tvā  bahubhyas  ā  sutāvām  āvivāsati

                                                                                                  c2/4   blow      desiderative      

                            who  entices you away from many (others)  with his  Soma draught

                      sometimes  extended  to  express  preference

                                yas  te  sakhibhyas  ā  varam

                                     who is a boon to you (in distinction) from  friends

                                     who  is  better  to  you  then  friends

                      before  ablative      up to

                              yatī   giribhyas  ā   samudrāt

                                    going from the mountains up to the sea

                             ā  nimrucaḥ

                                    till  sunset

                    extended  to   accusative    to  upon

                                                               expresses  goal  of  verbs  of  motion

                               antar  īyase …  yuṣmāms  ca  devān  viśa  ā  ca   martān

                                       you  go  mediating  to you,  the gods,

                                            and to the people, the mortals

                              māta   sīdatām   barhir  ā

                                      let  the 2 mothers  seat  themselves upon the litter

                              ehi  ā  naḥ

                                      come hither to us

                              devānām  vakṣi  priyam  ā  sadhastham

                                      bring (it) to the dear abode of the gods     vah  c2

                     in closer  connexion with  nouns

                                                               expresses  purpose  in the phrase

                               joṣam  ā

                                      for  enjoyment

                              varam  ā

                                      for  pleasure

 

  upa                    up to

                adverb                      akin  to       abhi      and     ā       near to

                                      upa  gam

                                           go near to

                            close  contiguity  often  coupled  with  subordination , inferiority

                                    upa  sad

                                             sit  down  close to  approach  reverentially

                                       upa  ās

                                             sit  under   adore

               adnominal                            usually  accusative       to

                                       ā  yāhi …  upa  brahmāṇi  vāghataḥ

                                             come to the prayers of the worshipper

                               before        the locative           beside       upon       at

                                       yā   upa   sūre

                                              who  (are) beside the sun

                                       upa  dyavi 

                                               (upon)    up to the sky ( from below)

                                       upa  jman  upa  vetase  ava  tara

                                                descend upon the earth,  upon the reed

 

 tiras     across

            adverb             aside                    only  with      dhā  put       bhū  be

                               tiras  dhā

                                    put  aside  conceal

                               tiras  bhū  

                                    disappear

                               ajakāvam  tiras  dadhe

                                     I  put away the scorpion

                               mā  tiras  bhūt

                                     may it not disappear

          adnominal                 across       over       through       past

                                                                                          usually  with  accusative

                                ā  ye  tanvanti  raśmibhis  tira  samudram

                                       who  spread with their rays across the ocean

                                nayanti  duritā   tira

                                       they  lead him through(so as to escape) dangers

                                tiras  viśvām   arcatas  yāhi  arvān

                                       come hither past (leaving behind)  all singers

                       sometimes  means            contrary  to

                                devānām   cit  tiras  vaśam

                                       even against the will of the gods

                                yas  nas    tiraś  cittāni   jighāmsati

                                     who desires to slay us contrary to expectations ( unawares )

                                yas  nas    tira  satyāni ..  jighāmsāt

                                     who may desire to slay us  contrary to oaths

 

 pari           around

               adverb       around

                                        pari  i

                                             go around

                              completely

                                        pari  vid

                                              know  fully

              adnominal             starts  from  the  accusative  ,  immediately  preceeding  acc.

                                           around       about

                                           confusion          verb  or  noun

                                   pari  dyām  anyat   īyate

                                         the other (wheel)  goes around the sky

                      extends to ablative         from around

                                         divas  pari

                                               from the sky (which is)  around

                                         tamasas   pari

                                               from the surrounding darkness

                              original meaning disappears, leaving  ablative  sense  from

                                        tvam  adbhyas  tvam  aśmanas  pari … jāyase

                                              you are born from the waters , from th rock

 

 puras                before

               adverb        combines  with       kṛ  and  dhā            in  front

                          indra  kṛṇotu   prasave  ratham  pura

                                  may  Indra  place (our) car  in front in the enterprise

                            indram  viśve  devāsas   dadhire  pura

                                   the  all-gods  placed  Indra  in the  forefront

              adnominal                 before  

                       accusative

                              asadan  mātaram  pura

                                    he  has sat down before his mother

                      ablative

                              na  gardabham   puras  aśvāt   nayanti

                                     the  do not place the ass before the horse

                      locative

                              ya  sñjaye  puras … samidhyate

                                    who is kindled  before  Sṛñjaya

 

 prati             against

             adverb                         towards      against

                             prati  i

                                   go towards       against

                             prati 

                                   counterfeit    imitate

                  equality

                            prati   as

                                  be a match  for

                           indra  nakiṣ  ṭvā   prati  asti  eṣām ,

                                 O Indra,  none of them is equal to you

                               viśvā   jātāni  abhi  asti  tāni

                                     you  are  superior  to all these  beings

                     verb    as    often  omitted        used  like  adj.

                             indram  na  mahnā   pṛthivi  cana  prati

                                    not even the earth (is) equal  to  Indra in greatness

                    back

                           prati  ūh

                                 thrust  back

                           prati  brū

                                 reply

          adnominal               accusative  only       with  verbs  of  motion

                                                              or  of  calling  it  means        towards   to

                                         confusion            verb or noun

                                 prati  tvam  cārum  adhvaram  gopīthāya  pra  hūyase

                                        you are summoned to the beloved sacrifice to drink the milk

                    verbs  of  protecting              against    from

                                agne  rakṣā  ṇas   amhasaḥ ,  prati  ṣma  deva,  rīṣataḥ

                                         O Agni,  protect us from distress,  against injurers,  O god 

                    sometimes    over against  ,  opposite

                                abodhi  agni  ..  prati ..  āyatīm  uṣāsam

                                        Agni  has awakened in face of the coming Dawn

                   conformity

                                prati  varam

                                        according to desire

 

Adnominal  prepositions

                 never compounded  with  verbs

                 governs  oblique  cases              except  dative

                 confusion                                    verb  or  noun

                 some  govern                              inst.        gen.

 

 adhas            below

                  acc.                    below

                            tisra  pṛthivīr   adhas   astu

                                   may he be below the 3  earths

                  abl.                    below

                         adha    pado

                                   below (my)  feet

                           ye  te  panthā   adhas  diva

                                   your  paths which are below the skys

                          adhas  te  aśmanas   manyum  upāsyāmasi  yas  guru

                                  we  cast  your  fury  under a stone that (is) heavy

 

 antarā                        between                  accusative        

                        antarā   dampatī

                               between  husband and wife

                        antarā   dyāvāpṛthivī

                               between  heaven  and  earth

 

abhitas           around                  adverb           with  accusative

                     saras  na   pūrṇam   abhitas   vadantaḥ

                             talking  as  round  a  brimful  lake

                    ye  devā   rāṣṭrabhtas  abhitas  yanti  sūryam

                             the  kingdom-bearing gods who go around the sun

 

 avas                           down  from    

                     ablative

                               ava   sūryasya   brhata   purīṣāt

                                       down from  the  vast  misty  region of the sun

                     instrumental

                              avas   divā   patayantam   patamgam

                                        a bird flying down from heaven

 

  upari               above   above   beyond

                accusative

                        tisra   pṛthivīr   upari

                             above the thtee  earths

                 instrumental

                        bhūmyā   upari

                              beyond  the  earth

 

 ṛte                      without

                  ablative                       before  and  after    ablative

                              na   ṛte   tvat   kriyate   kim   cana

                                     without  you  nothing is done

                              yebhyas   na  rte   pavate   dhāma   kim   cana

                                     without whom  no  dwelling  is  purified

 

 paras                             beyond

            accusative

                    ati  sūryam   para   śakunā   iva   paptima

                           we have flown away like birtds beyond the sun

                      nahi  devas  na  martyas  mahas  tava  kratum  para

                         for  neither god nor mortal (goes) beyond the moght of you  the great

           instrumental

                           paras   mātrayā

                                   beyond  measure

                       over

                            yas  te   amśur   avaś  ca  ya   para   srucā

                                    your  juice which (fell) down from and over the  ladle

                       without

                              paras   māyābhis

                                     without  wiles

              locative

                              ye  trimśati   trayas   paras   devāsas  barhir  āsadan

                                       the gods who,  3 in excess of 30,

                                            have seated themselves  upon the litter

               ablative                        beyond      far  from      away  from

                             paras  diva

                                     beyond the sky

                             asmāt   para

                                     far  from  him

                              tvat   para

                                     apart  from  you

                              paras   mūjavatas   atīhi

                                      go away beyond (mount) Mūjavat

 

 purastād                               in front of

                     genitive                 adverb           before       in  front of

                            samiddhasya   purastāt

                                  in front of the kindled  one

                            vājaḥ   purastāt   uta  madhyatas  naḥ

                                  strength be before us and in the midst of us

 

 purā                                       before ( time )

                                                            before  or  after  the  ablative

                            purā   nu   jarasaḥ

                                  before  old  age

                            purā   krūrasya   vispaḥ

                                  before the departure of the cruel   (foe)

                    sometimes  exclution        without       except         in preference to

                            purā   sambādhāt   abhi  ā   vavṛtsva

                                    turn to us before  distress

                            purā  mat

                                   except  me

 

 sa           with              in association with ,  beside,  at,  in

                                                                                before  and  after  locative

                          indra   id  dharyoḥ   sa

                                Indra  with his 2  bays

                         mādayasva  sute   sa

                                 rejoice at the pressed  libation

                         namucāv   āsure   sa

                                along with the demoniac  Namuci

 

 saha                                 with

                                                            before  and  after  instrumental

                            saha   ṣibhiḥ

                                  together  with  the  seers

                            jarāyuṇā  saha

                                  with the afterbirth

                           saha  patyā 

                                  with  (my) husband

                           manasā  saha

                                  together with divine mind

 

   smat                       with

                    adverbial                     together                      at the same time

                    also  with  instrumental    with

                             smat  sūribhiḥ

                                    together with the princes