Verb conjugation

Verb roots are classified into 10 classes ( गण ), each class requiring certain changes in the verb root before the verbal base is formed. These 10 classes are divided into two broad Groups, with the simpler Group containing classes 1, 4, 6, and 10, and the other Group containing the remaining classes 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9. However, each verb root may belong to multiple classes (with different semantics). The verb transformation is also dependent on the Strong /Weak marking of each conjugation 'cell'. A conjugation 'cell' is a Person+Number combination, for e.g., 'II-Person/ Dual'. It is important to note that some conjugations also consider the initial letter of the termination that will be attached in the conjugation (for e.g, whether the termination is vowel-initial).

Strong/ Weak distinction:

Each conjugation 'cell' is defined as Strong/ Weak for each Tense/ Mood, defined separately for Parasmaipada and Atmanepada. The following table highlights all the Strong conjugations in green; all other conjugation cells are considered Weak (NOTE: This is only true of Active Voice constructions; Passive Voice constructions are considered Weak everywhere).

Hence, the conjugation of each Tense/ Mood must check the following:

• identify the Tense/ Mood (certain conjugations are applicable only in specified semantic contexts, such as 'unwitnessed past')
• identify the conjugation 'cell' (Person+Number of the conjugation) based on the context
• whether the verb root is Parasmaipada/ Atmanepada (i.e. whether the fruit of the action is for others/ self)
• whether an upasarga is prefixed to the verb root (special rules may apply for some upasarga+verb root combinations)
• which verb class (1-10) the verb root belongs to (a verb root may be a member of multiple classes based on its semantic-context)
• identify the Group (1, 2)
• identify the termination for the specific Tense/ Mood (and note the initial letter of the termination)
• whether the conjugation 'cell' is Strong or Weak (there may be special rules for certain terminations in some classes)
• whether special rules of reduplication are applicable for the class or Tense/ Mood
• whether an augment is to be prefixed to the verb root (for e.g., in Imperfect, Conditional, Aorist, etc.)
• if multiple upasargas are present, check their relative ordering (some orderings are prohibited)
• whether the verb root is defined as 'seT', 'aniT', or 'veT' (important for certain conjugations and affixes)
• whether the verb is transitive or intransitive (for e.g., impersonal passives are formed from intransitives)

The above complexity is compounded by a variety of specific exclusion and inclusion rules for each conjugation. Further, some conjugations also allow optional forms for some conjugation 'cells'. The reader must also be aware of sandhi rules when the termination is attached to the verbal base (for e.g., when the termination 'ti' is attached to the verbal base 'doh', the result is 'dogdhi'). In addition, the sandhi rules for the attachment of the augment 'a' (for e.g. in Imperfect), prefixed before the verb root but after the 'upasarga' (if present), needs special care in some cases (for e.g., verb roots beginning with vowels). Finally, there are special rules for some verb roots that have specified semantics (or that have a specific upasarga prefixed).

From the preceding discussion, it will have become abundantly clear to the reader that verb conjugation is a non-trivial exercise in Sanskrit. A fair understanding of the above is necessary in order to parse/ comprehend a complex Sanskrit text such as the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.