Kerala SSLC Sanskrit Oriental key terms

The sound change that occurs when two words or morphemes meet at a boundary; Sanskrit writes the combined form, so learners must split it back correctly for analysis.

Vowel combination in which a or ā followed by i or ī gives e, by u or ū gives o, and by ṛ gives ar; also called guna substitution.

Combination where a or ā plus e or ai gives ai, and a or ā plus o or au gives au, with the stronger vriddhi vowel replacing both original sounds.

Rules governing final -ḥ when the next word begins with a vowel, consonant, or another visarga; changes include replacement by r, s, or o depending on position.

A compound in which two or more stems are joined into one word; the relationship between members is understood from context and case endings are dropped.

A compound whose last member is the head and whose earlier member stands in a case relation to it, as in rājaputra, 'king's son'.

A compound joining words that are coordinate, usually translatable with 'and'; the whole may take a dual or plural ending according to the number of members.

A compound that names something by a prominent possessor rather than directly; for example, 'having a white horse' denotes a person, not the horse itself.

A compound whose first member is an indeclinable and whose whole form functions as an indeclinable; it typically expresses manner, place, or time.

A case ending added to a nominal stem to show its grammatical relation; Sanskrit has eight cases including the vocative, each with singular, dual, and plural forms.

A set of tense-mood markers in Sanskrit verb conjugation; the ten lakaras include present (lat), perfect (lit), future (lut/lrt), imperative (lot), imperfect (lan), optative (vidhilin), and aorist (lun).

The set of middle-voice verb endings used when the subject is chiefly interested in the action or acts for himself; contrasted with parasmaipada endings.

The metrical system of Sanskrit verse; each metre is defined by syllable count per quarter, syllable weight pattern, and permitted substitutions at specified positions.

The common epic metre of four eight-syllable quarters, with a flexible pattern and a cadence in the second and fourth quarters; used in the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

A metre that mixes indravajra and upendravajra quarters, both of eleven syllables; the mixture gives variety while keeping a fixed syllabic length.

A fourteen-syllable-per-quarter metre with a fixed pattern of heavy and light syllables, often used for descriptive and ornamental verses in mahakavya.

A nineteen-syllable-per-quarter metre with a prescribed weight pattern; its long quarters suit grand descriptive and heroic verse.

A stanza of Sanskrit verse, especially the anushtubh four-quarter form; the term is used loosely for any verse quotation in commentaries and anthologies.

A figure in which one thing is compared to another of a different class using words such as iva, yatha, or sadrisha; the comparison highlights a shared quality.

A figure that identifies the subject directly with the image instead of comparing them, as when a king is called a lion; the metaphor is stated, not qualified by 'like'.

A figure in which the poet imagines or supposes something to be true, often introduced by words meaning 'as if' or 'perhaps', presenting fancy rather than fact.

Repetition of the same consonant sound, often in a series, to create musical effect; the repeated sound may occur at the beginning or inside adjacent words.

A pun in which one word or passage yields two or more meanings because the same sounds can be analysed in different ways; often used for double entendre.

A figure of hyperbolic statement in which something is described as far greater, smaller, or more wonderful than reality, to intensify the intended effect.

A figure in which a general truth or maxim is introduced to support a particular statement, linking the specific case to a wider principle.

Literary composition in verse or prose valued for aesthetic effect; Sanskrit poetics distinguishes major genres such as mahakavya, nataka, and champu.

The aesthetic flavour or emotional relish produced in a qualified reader by a well-developed bhava; classical theory names nine rasas including shringara, karuna, and vira.

A major dramatic form in Sanskrit, usually in five to ten acts, with a hero and heroine, comic and pathetic scenes, and a happy or heroic conclusion.

A class of traditional narrative texts covering creation, genealogy, cosmic cycles, and devotion; eighteen Mahapuranas are commonly listed, including Bhagavata and Vishnu.

Translation from one language to another, especially rendering Sanskrit into Malayalam or Malayalam into Sanskrit while preserving meaning and appropriate style.

The natural or prose order of words in a sentence; reordering a verse into anvaya helps identify cases, compounds, and syntactic relations before translation.

A sense-for-sense translation that conveys the intended meaning and tone rather than following word order literally; contrasted with literal word-for-word rendering.

A letter; in the exam, a formal or informal written communication with appropriate address, salutation, body, and closing, composed in simple Sanskrit.

An essay on a chosen topic, organised into introduction, developed body paragraphs, and conclusion, with coherent argument and suitable examples.

The introductory portion of an essay or composition that states the topic, sets context, and indicates the line of discussion to follow.

The surrounding text or situation that determines the meaning of a word or sentence; unseen-passage questions often ask for meaning in context.

A title or heading given to a passage, essay, or section; a good shirshaka captures the central idea briefly and accurately.

Prose composition, as opposed to verse; prescribed prose passages are read for narrative content, character, theme, and explanatory comment.

A narrative or story, often with a moral purpose; Sanskrit katha literature includes frame narratives, animal fables, and biographical tales.