Page:Sanskrit Grammar by Whitney p1.djvu/420



1070. This (though almost unknown in the Veda, and coming only gradually into use in the Brāhmaṇas) is a tense widely made and frequently used in the classical Sanskrit.

a. It is made by prefixing the accusative of a derivative noun-stem in आ (accented) to the perfect tense of an auxiliary verb: namely, of √कृ  make, more often of √अस्  be, and very rarely of √भू  be.

b. In the older language (see below, 1073 d), is almost the only auxiliary used in making this tense,  occurring very few times, and  never. Later, also, is quite rare (it is found nine times in MBh., six times in Rgh., and a few times elsewhere), but  gains very greatly in currency, having become the usual auxiliary, while  is only exceptional.

c. Somewhat similar formations with yet other auxiliaries are not absolutely unknown in the later language: thus, (MBh.),  (etc.)  (Vīracaritra),  (ib.).

1071. The periphrastic perfect occurs as follows:

a. It is the accepted perfect of the derivative conjugations: intensive, desiderative, causative, and denominative; the noun in आ being made from the present-stem which is the general basis of each conjugation: thus, from √बुध्, intensive बोबुधाम् , desiderative बुभुत्साम् , causative बोधयाम् ; denominative मन्त्रयाम्.

b. The formation from causative stems (including those denominatives which have assumed the aspect of causatives: 1056) is by far the most frequent. Only a few desideratives are quotable (1034 a), and of intensives only (1020 a; beside ).

c. Most roots beginning with a vowel in a heavy syllable (long by nature or long by position) make this perfect only, and not the simple one: thus, आसाम् from √आस्  sit, ईक्षाम्  from √ईक्ष्  see; उज्झाम्  from √उझ्  forsake; एधाम्  from √एध्  thrive (the only examples quotable).