Maharashtra HSC Sanskrit (MSBSHSE) key terms

Prose. Any Sanskrit text written in continuous sentences rather than verse, including narrative passages, essays and dialogues from the prescribed textbook. Exam questions ask for meaning, characterisation, theme and sentence-level translation of such passages.

Poetry. Sanskrit verse composition, usually in a fixed metre with regular syllable counts per quarter. Prescribed poems are tested for central idea, figure of speech, metre and word-for-word meaning.

Metre of a Sanskrit verse, identified by the exact number and pattern of syllables in each quarter. Candidates must recognise common metres such as अनुष्टुभ् and वसन्ततिलका and name them when asked.

A group of three syllables used to scan Sanskrit metres, each syllable marked light (लघु) or heavy (गुरु). Eight possible gaṇas carry fixed names and are used to identify a verse's metre.

Light and heavy syllables. A short vowel followed by a single consonant is light; a long vowel, a nasalised vowel, or a vowel before a conjunct consonant is heavy. This distinction underlies all metrical analysis.

Poetic figure or ornament that beautifies verse, such as उपमा (simile), रूपक (metaphor) and अनुप्रास (alliteration). Questions ask candidates to identify the figure and justify it with the relevant words.

Simile. A comparison between two unlike things using words such as इव, वा or यथा, where the shared quality is stated. Recognising the comparator and the common property is essential for alaṅkāra questions.

Metaphor. An implied comparison in which the subject and the object are identified without a comparative word, as when a king is simply called a lion. Distinguished from उपमा by the absence of इव or यथा.

Alliteration. Repetition of the same consonant sound in close succession within a verse, producing musical effect. Candidates identify the repeated consonant and quote the words where it occurs.

Euphonic combination of sounds at the boundary of two words or morphemes. The syllabus covers vowel, consonant and visarga sandhis; questions require splitting a combined form into its original parts or joining two given forms.

Splitting a sandhi-bound form back into its constituent words, showing the original final and initial sounds. A standard examination exercise, usually presented as a table of combined form, split form and rule name.

The strengthened vowel grade in which अ or आ becomes आ, इ or ई becomes ऐ, उ or ऊ becomes औ, and ऋ becomes आर्. Vṛddhi sandhi produces these substitutions, for example एक + एक = एकैक.

The middle strengthened vowel grade: अ or आ becomes आ, इ or ई becomes ए, उ or ऊ becomes ओ, and ऋ becomes अर्. Common in guṇa sandhi such as नर + इन्द्र = नरेन्द्र.

Compound formation, in which two or more stems combine into a single word with one case ending. Candidates must split a compound, name its type and explain how the members relate.

A compound whose first member stands in a case relation to the second, and whose meaning lies in the final member, as राजपुत्र (king's son). Subtypes include षष्ठी, द्वितीया and others named for the case involved.

A compound that denotes something other than its members, usually a possessor of them, as दशरथः meaning one whose chariot is ten-horsed. The whole compound functions as an adjective agreeing with an outside noun.

A copulative compound joining members of equal status, the whole denoting the collection of them, as रामलक्ष्मणौ (Rama and Lakshmana). Often takes dual or plural ending according to the number of members.

A compound whose first member is an indeclinable such as उप or प्रति and which functions as an indeclinable, as उपगङ्गम् (near the Ganga). It takes no case ending change and is treated as an adverb.

The syntactic role a noun plays in relation to a verb, such as doer, object, instrument or recipient. Sanskrit recognises six kārakas, and case endings are assigned according to these roles rather than fixed prepositions.

A nominal case ending. Sanskrit has eight cases including the vocative, each with singular, dual and plural forms. Choosing the correct ending depends on the kāraka relation and the governing verb or preposition.

Grammatical number: singular (एकवचन), dual (द्विवचन) and plural (बहुवचन). Sanskrit uses the dual for exactly two items, so candidates must check the number of referents before selecting an ending.

A verbal root from which verb forms and derived nouns are built, listed with a class number and transitive or intransitive marking. Knowing the root helps candidates form tenses, participles and causative verbs correctly.

A tense or mood category of the Sanskrit verb, named by the letter ल with a marker, such as लट् present, लङ् imperfect, लृट् future and लोट् imperative. Each lakāra has its own set of personal endings.

Active construction, in which the verb agrees with the doer and the object stands in the accusative, as रामः फलं खादति. Contrasted with passive and impersonal constructions where the doer takes the instrumental.

Passive construction, in which the object becomes the grammatical subject and the verb agrees with it, while the agent takes the instrumental case, as रामेण फलं खाद्यते. Frequently tested in transformation exercises.

A word derived from a verbal root by adding a kṛt suffix, producing nouns and adjectives such as पाठक (reader) or गमन (going). Questions ask candidates to identify the root and suffix behind a given form.

A suffix added to a noun or adjective stem to form a new word, often expressing possession, relation or abstraction, as विद्वत्ता from विद्वस्. Candidates split the base and suffix and give the resulting meaning.

A suffix attached to a root or stem to build a new word form. Recognising whether a suffix is kṛt or taddhita determines how the derived word is analysed and translated in grammar questions.

Translation. The paper requires rendering Sanskrit prose and verse into Marathi or English and turning Marathi sentences into Sanskrit. Accuracy of tense, case and idiom matters more than literal word order.

An unseen prose passage, not from the prescribed textbook, followed by comprehension questions. Candidates answer in Sanskrit or the target language, testing independent reading rather than memorised text.

Letter writing in Sanskrit, usually a personal or application letter in the prescribed format with place, date, salutation, body and closing. Marks are given for correct case endings and appropriate set phrases.

A short composition or essay on a familiar topic such as मम प्रियः गुरुः or पर्यावरणरक्षणम्. Candidates are expected to write connected Sanskrit sentences with a clear introduction, body and conclusion.

A memorable Sanskrit saying or proverb, often quoted to open an essay or support an argument. Knowing a handful of well-known sūktis with their meanings strengthens creative and composition answers.

Oral work assessed internally, including recitation of prescribed verses, reading aloud and simple spoken Sanskrit. Marks are recorded by the school and contribute to the internal assessment component of the examination.

A project submitted as part of internal assessment, such as a collection of subhashitas, a sandhi chart or a poster in Sanskrit. It is graded on content accuracy, presentation and originality of work.

Word meaning. Listing the meaning of difficult words from a prescribed passage is a routine question type, and precise meanings also underpin translation and comprehension answers.

Summary or gist of a passage. Candidates condense a prescribed prose piece or verse into a few connected sentences, showing they have grasped the central idea rather than isolated words.