Conjunctive Particles - कर्मोपसंग्रहार्थ निपात - Part 2

The conjunctive particles as given in Nirukta, Chapter 1, Section 5 - 7 are continued here:

9.      ‘शश्वत्’ (śaśvat) has the sense of uncertainty (विचिकित्सार्थ) in classical Sanskrit (भाषा). It is used as an interrogation in the sentence “शश्वदेवम्” (was it ever so?), and it is used as an interrogation but not to oneself in the sentence “एवं शश्वत्” (was it ever so, pray?)

10.  ‘नूनं’ (nūnam) - in classical Sanskrit (भाषा), it has the sense of uncertainty (विचिकित्सार्थ) and in Vedic Sanskrit (अन्वध्यायं), it has both the sense of uncertainty and an expletive (पदपूरणः).

Example:

"अगस्त्य इन्द्राय हविर्निरुप्य मरुद्भ्यः सम्प्रदित्सांचकार I स इंद्र एत्य परिदेवयांचक्रे

न नूनमस्ति नो श्व: कस्तद्वेद यदद्भुतम् । अन्यस्य चित्तमभि संचरेण्यमुताधीतं विनश्यति" (Rig Veda - 1.170.1)

(Agastya, having assigned an oblation to Indra, desired to offered it to the Maruts. Indra, having presented himself, said, ”It is neither in the present time nor the future. Who has been able to know that which is the most wonderful? On one’s mind, it is active but when it is approached by thought it is lost.) (The translation given by Mr. Sarup for this hymn is different.)

 

(Now the roots of some of the words used in above phrase are explained)

It is not today (अद्य) (i.e. not in the present time) nor indeed tomorrow (श्वः) (i.e. in future).

The word ‘अद्य’ (adya) means ‘on this day’ - अद्यास्मिन द्यवि

The word ‘द्युह’ (dyuh) is a synonym of ‘day’ because it is bright – द्योतत इति सतः 

The word for ‘tomorrow’ is ‘श्वः’ (śvaḥ) – the time that is yet to come - श्व उपाशंसनीयः कालः

The word for ‘past’ is ‘ह्यः’ (hyaḥ) – the time that has expired - ह्यो हीनः कालः

‘अद्भुतम्’ (adbhutam) is the word for wonderful, so called because it is unprecedented - इदमपीतरदद्भुतमभूतमिव

The word for ‘other’ (anya) is अन्य, so called because it is yet to be brought to notice -  अन्यो नानेयः

The word for ‘mind’ is ‘चित्त’ (citta), so called because it enables one to know - चित्तं चेतते:

 

In following example, ‘नूनं’ is used as an expletive:

"नूनं सा ते परति वरं जरित्रे दुहीयदिन्द्र दक्षिणा मघोनी |
शिक्षा सतोत्र्भ्यो माति धग भगो नो बर्हद वदेम व स ||" (Rig Veda – 2.11.21)

(Now let that wealthy cow of thine, O Indra, yield in return a boon to him who lauds thee. Give to thy praisers: let not fortune fail us. Loud may we speak, with brave men, in the assembly.)

(Now the roots of some of the words used in above phrase are explained)

The word for ‘boon’ is ‘वर’ (vara), so called because it is to be chosen -  वरो वारयितव्यो भवति

The word ‘जरिता’ (jaritā) means one who sings praises - जरिता गरिता

 The word ‘मघम’ (maghama) is a synonym of wealth, derived from the root ‘मंह्’ meaning ‘to give’ - मंहतेर्दानकर्मणः (This derivation seems doubtful to me. Mr. Sarup has cited Patanjali)

‘दक्षिणा’ (dakṣiṇā) means ‘fee’. It has the sense of  'causing to accomplish' from ‘दक्ष’ (dakṣa) –  the fee to the priest causes the ritual to be accomplished - दक्षिणा दक्षते समर्थयतिकर्मणः

With reference to direction, it means the right hand – दिग्घस्तप्रक्रितिर्दाक्षिणो हस्तः

‘दक्षिण’ (dakṣiṇa) means 'right' - it has the sense of 'working well' from ‘दक्ष’ - दक्षतेरुत्साहकर्मणः or from the root ‘दाश्’ meaning ‘to give’ – दाशतेर्वा स्याद दानकर्मणः

The word ‘हस्त’ (hasta) means ‘hand’ and it is derived from the root ‘हन्’ which means ‘to strike’ as a hand is used to strike – हस्तो हन्ते:

The word ‘भग‘ (bhaga) means ‘good fortune’ from ‘भज्‘ - भगो भजते:

The word ‘बृहत्‘ (bṛhat) means ‘big’ or ‘great’ as it grows all around - बृहदिति महतो नामधेयम् परिवृहलं भवति

‘वीर’ (vīra) means a ‘hero’, called so because he disperses the enemies - वीरो वीरयत्यमित्रान् or it may be derived from the root ‘वी’ (vī) meaning 'to go’ or from the root  ‘वीर‘  (vīra) which means ‘powerful' - वेतेर्वा स्याद्गतिकर्मणः वीरयतेर्वा