Arthashastra — Adhyakshaprachara, Sutra 18
Devanagari script
क्रियाविशेषकाः प्रादय उपसर्गाः ॥ कZ_०२.१०.१८ ॥
Transliteration
kriyāviśeṣakāḥ prādaya upasargāḥ
Translation
pra- などの前綴（upasarga）は、行為を特定し性質づける修飾要素である。
Word by Word
क्रियाविशेषकाः(words) that qualify/modify an action (i.e., adverbial qualifiers)
क्रियाविशेषकाः:
TypeAdjective (used substantively)
Rootविशेष (√शिष्/√शेष् in sense ‘to distinguish’, nominal base विशेष)
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः (क्रियायाः विशेषकाः = ‘qualifiers/modifiers of action’)
प्र‘pra-’ (forth, forward), representative of the group beginning with pra-
प्र:
TypeParticle/Prefix
Rootप्र (upasarga)
Formउपसर्ग; अव्यय; ‘प्र’ इत्यादि-गणस्य प्रतिनिधिः
आदयःand others; the rest (i.e., etc.)
आदयः:
TypeNoun (collective/marker)
Rootआदि
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; ‘आदि’ = ‘and others’; ‘प्र-आदयः’ = ‘pra- and the rest’
उपसर्गाःpreverbs/prefixes (verbal prefixes)
उपसर्गाः:
TypeNoun
Rootउपसर्ग
Formपुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate)
FAQs
They change operational meaning (e.g., ‘send’ vs ‘send forth/dispatch’), so precise prefixes reduce ambiguity in execution and liability.