Page:Sanskrit Grammar by Whitney p1.djvu/306



776. The uses of the mode-forms of the present-system have been already briefly treated in the preceding chapter (572 ff.). The tense-uses of the two indicative tenses, present and imperfect, call here for only a word or two of explanation.

777. The present has, besides its strictly present use, the same subsidiary uses which belong in general to the tense: namely, the expression of habitual action, of future action, and of past action in lively narration.

a. Examples of future meaning are: (ÇB.) verily if these build this up, then they will straightway get the better of us;  (MBh.) Agni gave his own presence wherever the Nishadhan should desire;  (R.) ''welcome to thee; what shall I do for thee? ''

b. Examples of past meaning are: (RV.) the mother was over, the son under; there Dānu lies, like a cow with her calf;  (MBh.) some ridicule her, some revile her, some pitied her;  (H.) thereupon they all fall to reproaching him by whose advice they had alighted there.

778. In connection with certain particles, the present has rather more definitely the value of a past tense. Thus:

a. With formerly: thus,  (ÇB.) the seven sages, namely, are of old called the bears;  (MBh.) if you have never before given me even an atom.

b. With the asseverative particle : thus, (ÇB.) in truth, both gods and sages were wont to win by penance what was to be won;  (MBh.) ''then Nala, being possessed by Kali, was beaten in play. ''

c. No example of this last construction is found in either RV. or AV., or elsewhere in the metrical parts of the Veda. In the Brāhmaṇas, only habitual action is expressed by it. At all periods of the language, the use of with a verb as pure asseverative particle, with no effect on the tense-meaning, is very common; and the examples later are hardly to be distinguished from the present of lively narration — of which the whole construction is doubtless a form.

779. The imperfect has remained unchanged in value through the whole history of the language: it is the tense of narration; it expresses simple past time, without any other implication.

a. Compare what is said later (end of chap. X. and chap. XI.) as to the value of the older past tenses, the perfect and aorist.