Action prefixes

An action base can combine with twenty-one prefixes and some seven adverbs to form compound
bases expressing a more specific action.1 These are, with the general additional meaning each
confers on an action base, as follows, with karmapravacanãyas meanings in the section from
pàõinisåtram 1.4.83 onwards as indicated for each prefix:

ati Ý beyond (1.4.95 : overstepping, exceeding or excellence)

adhi Ý upon, over (1.4.93 : when meaningless ; 1.4.97 : master, lord, ruler))
anu Ý after (1.4.84 : indicating a causal characteristic; 1.4.85 : value of tçtãyà; 1.4.86 : denoting
ßinferiorû ; 1.4.90 : when used to indicate characteristic, statement of fact, division or distributive
function)
antar Ý between
apa Ý away (1.4.88 : in the sense of exclusion)
api Ý proximate, unto, close upon, on (1.4.96 : paucity of a substance, possibility or assumption,
permission to do as one likes, censure, aggregation)
abhi Ý to, towards, into, over, upon, around (1.4.91 : when used to indicate characteristic,
statement of fact, division or distributive function)
ava Ý off, away, down, down from
à(ï) Ý near, near to, towards, change of direction of certain actions of giving or moving (ï is a
paninian coding not seen in the final form) (1.4.89 : when used to show a limit)
ut Ý up, upwards, upon, on, over, above (often t → d by saüdhis)2
upa Ý towards, near to, by the side of, with (1.4.87 : denoting superior or inferior)
dus Ý bad, difficult, hard
ni Ý down, in, into
nis (niþ, nir, ni÷, niù or nã) Ý prefixial and adverbial senses (including a privitive sense) such as:
out, forth, away, out of, away from, without, destitute of, thoroughly, entirely, very
parà Ý away, forth, off
pari Ý round about, around, fully, completely (1.4.88 : in the sense of exclusion ; 1.4.90 : when
used to indicate characteristic, statement of fact, division or distributive function ; 1.4.93 : when
meaningless))
pra Ý forward, onward, forth, fore
prati Ý back to, in reversed direction, towards, against (in both senses) (1.4.90 : when used to
indicate characteristic, statement of fact, division or distributive function ; 1.4.92 : representative
or exchange). Alone it can also mean ßopposite toû or ßin reference toû
vi Ý apart, asunder, away, out, expressing diversity
sam Ý along, with, together, expressing unity or unifying influence
su Ý good, excellent (1.4.94 : excellence or praiseworthiness)

The adverbs are:

tiras Ý across, aside (usually with kç, dhà or bhå)

puras Ý in front (usually with kç and dhà)
àvis Ý openly (usually with kç, as or bhå)
alamÝ enough (usually with kç)
÷rad Ý old word meaning heart combines with dhà Ý ÷raddhà (placed in the heart Ý faith)
namas Ý obeisance (usually with kç or i)
asta Ý home (usually with kç or i)

1
See also the use of affix cvi for forms such as ÷uklãkçtam.
2
Also beware of ut before hç and dhç as the result in both cases is uddhç whilst the meaning is different and can only
be understood from the context.

1
Multiple prefixes can be used for a single action base producing a more complex meaning. In the
following example upa adds emphasis to sam: upa-sam-gacchati = He goes to meet (somebody)
or it could mean "approach in order to assemble" or "go in order to meet" but both of these
translations are quite long and it can better to use a shorter expression, even if that shorter
expression is less accurate. The prefix that sits closest to the action base tends to have the most
influence so that upasam gacchati and samupagacchati (You approach together (with someone
else)) have different meanings.

According to Whitney, combinations of two prefixes are usual, three less so and more than three
rare. Their order is in general determined only by the requirements of the meaning, each added
prefix bringing a further modification to the combination before which it is set, but à is extremely
rare in front of the others.

Examples:

sam-pad togetherÝfall = succeed

abhi-[sam-pad] towardsÝsucceed = become similar to

abhi-pad towardsÝmove = approach, take possession of

vy-[abhi-pad] apartÝenchant = sin against

pra-ãkùṣ forwardÝsee = look at

abhi-[pra-ãkù] towardsÝlook at = perceive

sam-[pra-ãkù] togetherÝlook at = observe carefully, consider well, reflect on

abhi-[sam-[pra-ãkù]] towardsÝobserve carefully = examine in detail, consider in detail

ud-i upÝgo = go up

abhy-[ud-i] towardsÝgo up = rise over

abhi-i towardsÝgo = approach

ud-[abhi-i] upÝapproach = rise over

Rare examples of initial à :

à-vi-han = to hew at

à-prati-ni-vçt = to cease completely