Lesson 106: The Prefix अ
Index · Lesson 105: Short Words in the Verse · Lesson 107: Having Left
अ in front of a noun makes the noun mean its opposite. Before a consonant the prefix is अ. Before a vowel it is अन्. The ending stays the ending of the noun. अ does not add a new case.
| Word | Like | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| अकर्म | कर्म | inaction. The subject has no म् and no visarga, like कर्म. The in-form is अकर्मणि. |
| अज्ञानम् | पुस्तकम् | not knowing. अज्ञान. |
| अनन्तः | छात्रः | endless. अन्त means “an end,” अन्त्य. अन् takes the vowel. |
| अशेषः | छात्रः | with nothing left over. शेषः means “a remainder,” बाँकी. The with-form अशेषेण means “without remainder.” |
| Sentence | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अज्ञानं दुःखम् अस्ति। | Not-knowing is pain. अज्ञानम् is written अज्ञानं before दुःखम्. दुःखम् keeps म् because अस्ति starts with a vowel. दुःखम् means “pain,” दुःख. It is like पुस्तकम्. |
| अनन्तः आत्मा अस्ति। | The self is endless. आत्मा follows राजा, from Lesson 67: The Self. |
| सङ्गः अकर्मणि मा अस्तु। | Let attachment not be in inaction. अस्तु means “let it be,” the command of अस्ति. |
Practice
- Say अज्ञानम् and अज्ञानं दुःखम् अस्ति।
- Say why the prefix on अनन्तः is अन् and not अ.
- Say the in-form of अकर्म.
Next
Lesson 107: Having Left is the absolutive of a verb that already has a prefix.