Instrumental Case / तृतीया विभक्ति (tRRitiiya vibhakti): Instrumental Case or तृतीया विभक्ति (tRRitiiya vibhakti) of noun-form represents the instrumental form in a sentence. The answer that comes from the question "by what" or "with what" is the instrument in the sentense. The instrument is with what the subject or कर्ता (kartaa) is doing something. The instrument is independent of the number and gender of the subject or object.

Study the following sentences. These are in instrumental case.

In sentence 1 above, if we ask the question "what is the farmer is ploughing with?", the answer that comes is "with the plough". So, "plough" is the instrument in the sentence and the noun-form is in instrumentsl case or tRRitiiya vibhakti. Similarly in sentence 4, if we ask the question "what are you touching with?", the answer that comes is "with hand". In case of sentence 6, if we ask the question "what is the guest happy with?", the answer that comes is "with food". So, hand and food are in instrunmental case.

Grammatical Rule: The word expressing "by what" or "with what" pertaining to the verb will be in instrumental case.

Sentences 1 and 9 also follow this rule.



Besides the above rules there are some special rules where insrtumental case is used. Followings are the examples of these.

Grammatical Rule: If the indeclinables सह (saha), साकम् (saakam), सार्द्धं (saarddha.n), समं (sama.n) etc., meaning with or along with, are used then the words governed by these will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 7 - the word सह (saha) is used to express that the women played with the children. So, the word "children" is in instrumental case. Sentences 10 and 16 also follow this rule.



Grammatical Rule: If the words अन्तरेण (antareNa) or विना (vinaa) meaning without are used the words governed by it will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 17 - the word "effort" or श्रम (shrama) is in instrumental case as the word अन्तरेण (antareNa) is used to express that without effort knowledge can not be achieved. Sentences 18 and 19 also follow this rule.



Grammatical Rule: If any word expressing lameness in any organ or body part is used then the word representing the organ or body part will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 20 - the word "eyes" or अक्ष्णा (akshNaa) is in instrumental case as this is the organ that has the lameness. Sentences 21, 22 and 23 also follow this rule.



Grammatical Rule: The word expressing the nature or characteristics of someone or something will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 24 the word "nature" represents a characteristics of Rama. So, the word "nature" or स्वाभाव (svaabhava) is in instrumental case. Similarly in sentence 25 the word "speedily" is an attribute or characteristics of him running. Hence the word speedily or वेग (vega) is in instrumental case. In sentence 33 also the word caste or जाति (jaati) represents an attribute about me. So this word is in instrumental case. Sentences 24 to 34 follow this rule.



Grammatical Rule: If words like पूर्वः (puurvaH), परः (paraH), अवरः (avaraH) etc., are used to express a comparision in time then the word expressing the sense of time will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 35 the word "younger" or परः (paraH) is used to compare time or age, and "year" or वर्ष (varsHa) is the word expressing the sense of time. So, the word "year" is in instrumental case. Sentences 36 and 37 also follow this rule.



Grammatical Rule: The word expressing any mark of identification of a person will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 38 - sage is identified by "matted lock" or जटा (jaTaa). In other words "matted lock" is the identification symbol to identify a sage. So, the word "matted lock" is in instrumental case. Sentences 39 also follows this rule.



Grammatical Rule: The word expressing the cause of something will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 40 "cold" is the reason for which body shivers. So, the word "cold" or शीत (shiita) is in instrumental case. Similarly, in sentence 41 "sadness" is the reason for his broken heart. Hence the word दुःख (duHkha) is in instrumental case. Sentences 42, 43 and 44 also follow this rule.



Grammatical Rule: If words like अलम् (alam), किं (ki.n), प्रयोजनम् (prayojanam) etc., are used to express a "sense of need or necessity" then the word representing the thing which is needed will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 45 "study is what I have need for". So, the word study or पाठ (paaTha) is in instrumental case. Similarly in sentence 47 - "quarrelling is waste" also means there is no need or necessity of quarrelling. Hence the word quarrelling or विवाद (vivaada) is in instrumental case. Sentences 46 and 48 also follow this rule.



Grammatical Rule: If words like हीन (hiina), शून्य (shuunya), ऊनः etc., are used to mean lack of something of something, then the words governed by these will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 49 - there is a lack of "knowledge" or ज्ञान (dnyaana). Similarly in sentence 50 there is a lack of "wealth" or धन (dhana). So, thes words are in instrumental case. Sentence 51 also follows this rule.



Grammatical Rule: If the sentencec means achievement of some result after some time then the word expressing the time will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 52 the temple was built in a year. In other words the result was achieved in a year. The word "year" is expressing the time after which the result was achieved. So, the word "year" or वर्ष (varSha) is in instrumental case. Sentence 53 also follows this rule.



Grammatical Rule: The word expressing the value or cost of something will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 54 "five coins" express the cost or value of the book. So, it is in instrumental case. Similarly in sentence 55 "ten coins" is the cost of the toy. So, "ten coins" is in instrumental case.



Grammatical Rule: The word expressing the person to whom something is given to perform some imoral or indecent act will be in instrumental case and not in dative case.

In sentence 56 the lust person is giving money to the maid in return of an immoral. So, the word "maid" is in instrumental case instead of dative case.



Grammatical Rule: Word expressing the path that is followed will be in instrumental case.

In sentence 57 the word "rout" or मार्ग (maarga) is in instrumental case as it represents the path that is being followed or taken.

<< Prev -  Index -  Next >>