Locative and Genitive Absolute

Locative and Genitive Absolute

This is a special construction in which a noun or pronoun in the locative or genitive case is used with a participle in the same case as itself. It can be translated as "when", "while", "since", "as", etc. depending on the context.

Locative Absolute

When a noun or a pronoun in the locative case is used with a participle in the same case as itself, the construction is called Locative Absolute.

The subject of the sentence and the participle are in the locative case, often as a clause before the main sentence.

It can be translated as when, while, since, or as.

deve vassante (when the sky is raining)

asante hārake (when there is no carrier)

paṭiggahetvā tiyojanaparamaṃ sahatthā haritabbāni asante hārake. (VIN PAT NP 16)

Having accepted, it can be carried by oneself for three yojanas at the most, when there is no carrier.

Genitive Absolute

Like the Locative Absolute, the Genitive Absolute also can be translated as when, as, while, etc. Sometimes it also has the meaning of since, although, even if, despite, in spite of, notwithstanding

āturakāyassa me sato, cittaṃ anāturaṃ bhavissatī'ti SN22.1

Although I am sick in body, (my) mind will be healthy.