Wilson Philological Lectures on Sanskrit and the Derived Languages c6.46.2

c6.46.2

Thus instead of अश्वमारुक्षत् a man may say अश्वमारूढः, of सोऽवोचत्, उक्तं तेन, of अयं मांसं भक्षयति, मांसभक्षकोयम्, of मालामग्रथ्नात्, मालां ग्रथितवान् &c. In the same way a verb may be divided into a noun or adjective denoting the special action it involves, and a verb signifying action generally, as पचति, may be analysed into पाकं करोति or पक्कं करोति and पच्यते into पक्को भवति. The later Sanskrit and the modern Vernaculars are full of such formations. The case forms may also be similarly analysed into attributive expressions; as राज्ञः पुरुषः into राजसम्बन्धी पुरुषः or रामेण कृतः कटः into रामकर्तृकः कटः. The mode of thought which gives birth to such forms of expression leads also to a freer use of compound nouns by means of which a whole sentence may be compressed into a small attribute. In argumentation the ablative of an abstract noun saves a long periphrasis. This may be considered a petrified form of speech, and as distinguished from the verbal style it may be called the nominal style. In the earliest literature of Sanskrit the fluent or verbal style prevailed. Since this rarely admits of attributive or nominal expressions, the sentences are short, and the construction easy. Thus, in such books as the Aitareya and Śatapatha Brâhmaṇas, we find short sentences, and abundance of verbal forms.