What is Tatpurush Samas: A Guide to this Compound in Hindi Grammar

Tatpurush Samas (ततॠपॠरॠष समास) is one of the main types of compounds in Hindi grammar. It is a compound word where the second part (Uttar Pad) is the dominant or principal part, and the meaning of the entire compound is determined by this second part. The signifier of the case (vibhakti or karak chinh), such as ‘ka’, ‘ki’, ‘ke’, ‘mein’, ‘par’, ‘se’, is omitted between the two words when the compound is formed.

Understanding the Structure of Tatpurush Samas

A ‘Samas’ is the process of combining two or more words to form a new, single word. The resulting word is called a ‘Samasik Pad’. When you break down the compound word back into its original parts, it’s called ‘Samas Vigraha’.

In Tatpurush Samas:

• First Part (Purva Pad): This is the subordinate or secondary part.
• Second Part (Uttar Pad): This is the main or principal part.
• Karak Chinh (Case Signifier): The grammatical case ending that connects the two words is hidden or elided in the compound word.

Example:

• Samas Vigraha (Expanded Form): राजा का पॠतॠर (Raja ka putra) – Son of the king
• Samasik Pad (Compound Word): राजपॠतॠर (Rajputra) – Prince

Here, ‘putra’ (son) is the main word. The compound word ‘Rajputra’ refers to a son, specifically the king’s son. The case signifier ‘ka’ (of) is hidden.

Types of Tatpurush Samas (Based on Vibhakti)

Tatpurush Samas is further classified into six types based on the specific case signifier (vibhakti) of Sanskrit grammar that is omitted between the two words. The first case (Karta) and the last case (Sambodhan) do not form Tatpurush compounds.

Other Sub-types of Tatpurush Samas

Apart from the main six types, there are a few other sub-types, with ‘Nanj Tatpurush’ being the most important.

• Nanj Tatpurush: In this type, the first word is a negative prefix like ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘na’, or ‘gair’. It denotes negation or absence.
  • Example: Adharm (अधरॠम) -> Na dharm (न धरॠम) – Not righteousness.

Understanding Tatpurush Samas is fundamental to mastering Hindi grammar. It allows you to understand how new words are formed and to grasp the precise meaning of compound words used in literature and daily conversation. This is a very different kind of grammatical rule compared to something in English, but it is just as important for language proficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is Tatpurush Samas?

Tatpurush Samas is a type of Hindi compound word where the second part of the word is the most important, and the case marker (like ‘of’, ‘for’, ‘in’) that connects the two original words is hidden. For example, ‘rasoi-ghar’ (kitchen) is ‘rasoi ke liye ghar’ (a house for cooking).

What are the 6 types of Tatpurush Samas?

The six main types are named after the grammatical cases (karak) whose signifiers are omitted. They are: Karma (ko), Karan (se), Sampradan (ke liye), Apadan (se), Sambandh (ka, ki, ke), and Adhikaran (mein, par) Tatpurush.

Give an example of Sambandh Tatpurush Samas.

A classic example is ‘Gangajal’ (गंगाजल). When you expand it (Samas Vigraha), it becomes ‘Ganga ka jal’ (गंगा का जल), meaning ‘water of the Ganga’. The case signifier ‘ka’ (of) is hidden in the compound word.

What is Nanj Tatpurush?

Nanj Tatpurush is a sub-type of Tatpurush Samas where the first part of the compound is a negative prefix like ‘a’ or ‘an’. It shows absence or negation. For example, ‘Asambhav’ (असंà¤à¤µ) means ‘Na sambhav’ (न संà¤à¤µ), or ‘not possible’.

How do you identify Tatpurush Samas?

To identify it, you need to break the compound word (Samas Vigraha) into its two parts. If the second part is the main word and you can insert a case signifier (ka, ko, se, mein, etc.) between the two parts to make sense, then it is a Tatpurush Samas.