Dvanda Samāsa or Copulative Compounds
Dvanda Samāsa or Copulative Compounds¶
“twin compounds” or “copulative compounds”
Kaccāyana 329. nāmānaṃ samuccayo dvando.
This is the easiest type of compound, where two or more nouns, adjectives or adverbs are joined by ca and become one word.
noun + noun: ajā ca eḷakā ca > ajeḷakā (goats and sheep)
adjective + adjective: kalyāṇa ca pāpaka ca > kalyāṇapāpaka (good and evil)
adverb + adverb: punaṃ ca punaṃ ca > punappunaṃ (again and again)
There are two types of copulative compounds
asamāhāra-dvanda-samāsa¶
(not taken together twin compound)
Some dvanda-samāsa occur in the plural, are taken individually, generally when they refer to living beings.
devamanussehi “with gods and with men”
samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṃ “of ascetics and of priests”
the first member is in the dictionary form (vocative singular) and the compound takes the gender and declension of the last member.
| devamanussā | devā ca manussā ca | gods and men |
| ajeḷakā | ajā ca eḷakā ca | goats and sheep |
| kukkuṭasūkarā | kukkuṭā ca sūkarā ca | chickens and pigs |
| mittāmaccā | mittā ca amaccā ca | friends and colleagues |
| ñātimittā | ñātayo ca mittā ca | family and friends |
| ñātisālohitā | ñātayo ca sālohitā ca | family and blood-relatives |
| soṇasiṅgālā | soṇā ca siṅgālā ca | dogs and jackals |
samāhāra-dvanda-samāsa¶
(collective twin compound)
dvanda-samāsa often occurs in the neuter singular and the members are taken collectively.
tiṇa + kaṭṭha + sākhā + palāsa > tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṃ
“grass, timber, branches, and leaves”
| ahorattaṃ | day and night |
| anayabyasanaṃ | misfortune and disaster |
| bhattavetanaṃ | food and wages |
| dukkhadomanassaṃ | pain and stress |
| hirottappaṃ | shame and fear |
| jarāmaraṇaṃ | old age and death |
| jātarūparajataṃ | gold and silver |
| kesamassuṃ | hair and beard |
| kuddālapiṭakaṃ | hoe and basket |
| maṃsalohitaṃ | flesh and blood |
| naccagītaṃ | dancing and singing |
| nāmagottaṃ | name and clan |
| nāmarūpaṃ | name and form |
| ñāṇadassanaṃ | knowledge and vision |
| pītisukhaṃ | joy and happiness |
| sākhāpalāsaṃ | branches and leaves |
| sayanāsanaṃ | bed and seat |
| senāsanaṃ | bedding and seating |
| sīlabbataṃ | rites and rituals |
| surāmerayaṃ | wine and spirits |
| thīnamiddhaṃ | dullness and drowsiness |
| tiṇakaṭṭhasākhāpalāsaṃ | grass, timber, branches and leaves |
| uddhaccakukkuccaṃ | restlessness and remorse |
| vijjācaraṇaṃ | understanding and conduct |
Other than those in masculine plural and neuter singular, dvandasamāsa occur in the gender of the last word in the compound.
lābho + sakkāro > masc. lābhasakkāro “gain and honour”
nindā + pasaṃsā > fem. nindāpasaṃsā “blame and praise”
If they are adjectives, they behave normally and take the case of the noun they qualify.
kaṇhasukkāni rūpāni “dark and bright forms”
kalyāṇapāpakānaṃ kammānaṃ “of good and bad deeds”
Dvandasamāsa also includes numerals like
aṭṭha + dasa > aṭṭhārasa “18” eight and ten
catu + āsīti > caturāsīti “84” four and eighty
cha + tiṃsā > chattiṃsā “36” six and thirty