Redefining Gamlṛ: A Unified Semantic Model of the Paninian Root Gam

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Manoj Bhandari

Assistant Professor, Nepal Sanskrit University

Research Scholar

IIT(BHU)

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The Paninian Dhātupāṭha defines the root Gamlṛ (gam) as gati (motion). However, classical texts and modern scholars like Vāgīśa Śāstrī identify nearly thirty diverse meanings for this root, including physical movement, knowledge (jñāna), medical conditions (nāḍī-vraṇa), and death (maraṇa). This paper investigates whether these meanings are truly different or if they share a single underlying essence.

The study argues that these diverse meanings are not inherent to the root but are contextual. By applying the Paninian principle of Lāghava (parsimony), I demonstrate that the apparent multiplicity of meanings arises from suffixes (pratyayas) and prefixes (upasargas). For example, when gam refers to "understanding," it is simply a cognitive application of the same "motion" principle.

Drawing on examples from the Mahābhārata, Suśruta-saṃhitā, and Sanskrit poetry, the research concludes that Gamlṛ denotes one singular operation: the process of reaching a new connection or state (uttara-deśa-saṃyogānukūla-vyāpāra). This perspective simplifies our understanding of Paninian verbal semantics and shows that his system is a highly organized, scientific framework rather than just a list of vocabulary.

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