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Level 2
Dhatu — Verb Roots
The building blocks of all Sanskrit words
- A Dhatu (verb root) is the core unit from which Sanskrit words are formed.
- Almost all Sanskrit nouns, verbs, and adjectives can be traced back to a Dhatu.
- Panini listed about 2,000 Dhatus in his Dhatupatha (list of verb roots).
- Each Dhatu belongs to one of 10 Ganas (verb classes).
- Knowing key Dhatus unlocks the meaning of thousands of Sanskrit words.
- Example: the root 'bhū' (to be) gives: bhava, bhavati, bhāva, bhavana, prabhava, etc.
Key Verb Roots (Dhatu)
√भूbhū— to be / to become
भवति (bhavati) — becomesभाव (bhāva) — existenceभवन (bhavana) — abodeप्रभव (prabhava) — origin
√अस्as— to be / to exist
अस्ति (asti) — isसत् (sat) — being/truthअसत् (asat) — non-beingसत्य (satya) — truth
√गम्gam— to go
गच्छति (gacchati) — goesआगम (āgama) — scriptureगति (gati) — movementसंगम (saṃgama) — meeting
√कृkṛ— to do / to make
करोति (karoti) — doesकर्म (karma) — actionकृति (kṛti) — creationसंस्कार (saṃskāra) — refinement
√दृश्dṛś— to see
पश्यति (paśyati) — seesदर्शन (darśana) — vision/philosophyदृष्टि (dṛṣṭi) — sightद्रष्टृ (draṣṭṛ) — seer
√ज्ञाjñā— to know
जानाति (jānāti) — knowsज्ञान (jñāna) — knowledgeविज्ञान (vijñāna) — scienceअज्ञान (ajñāna) — ignorance
√वच्vac— to speak
वदति (vadati) — speaksवाच् (vāc) — speechवाक्य (vākya) — sentenceविवाद (vivāda) — debate
√श्रुśru— to hear
शृणोति (śṛṇoti) — hearsश्रुति (śruti) — Vedas (heard)श्रवण (śravaṇa) — hearingश्रोत्र (śrotra) — ear
√मन्man— to think
मन्यते (manyate) — thinksमन (mana) — mindमनु (manu) — first manमन्त्र (mantra) — sacred formula
√यज्yaj— to worship / sacrifice
यजति (yajati) — worshipsयज्ञ (yajña) — sacrificeयजुस् (yajus) — Yajurvedaदेव (deva) — deity (one who is worshipped)
√स्थाsthā— to stand / to stay
तिष्ठति (tiṣṭhati) — standsस्थान (sthāna) — placeस्थिर (sthira) — stableव्यवस्था (vyavasthā) — arrangement
√दाdā— to give
ददाति (dadāti) — givesदान (dāna) — giftदेय (deya) — to be givenदाता (dātā) — giver
√नम्nam— to bow / to salute
नमति (namati) — bowsनमस् (namas) — salutationनमस्ते (namaste) — greetingनमस्कार (namaskāra) — salutation
√विद्vid— to know / to find
वेत्ति (vetti) — knowsवेद (veda) — knowledge/scriptureविद्या (vidyā) — learningविद्वान् (vidvān) — scholar
√भज्bhaj— to share / to worship
भजति (bhajati) — worshipsभक्ति (bhakti) — devotionभज (bhaja) — worship!भजन (bhajana) — devotional song