'Niravasita' (Panini 2.4.10)

Summary

M. Srimannarayana Murti analyses Panini’s grammatical rule 2.4.10, which prescribes a singular case ending for samahara dvandva compounds denoting ‘unexpelled’ (aniravasita) sudras. He explains dvandva compound types: itaretara‑yoga dvandvas signify unity in diversity, whereas samahara dvandvas aggregate individuals and thus take a singular affix. Panini’s rule illustrates that by the seventh century BCE sudras were divided into unexpelled and expelled groups; unexpelled sudras remained integrated in Aryan society. Murti explores the sole counter‑example and reviews interpretations by grammarians, noting that Patanjali defined unexpelled sudras as those allowed within Aryavarta, bounded by classical geography. The article examines examples of samahara compounds naming occupational groups and interprets how linguistic rules reflect social stratification and historical context.