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Class 7, 8Medium📐 grammarNCERT · CBSE

Imperative — Loṭ Lakāra (Command Form)

आज्ञार्थ — लोट् लकार (आदेश)

How to Give Commands in Sanskrit · "Satyam Vada" · NCERT Class 7-8

Key Points to Remember

Grammar Explained

Root: √gam + √paṭh + √vadImperative forms (commands) of three common verbsImperative (Loṭ Lakāra)

The Loṭ Lakāra (imperative) is used to give commands ("Go!", "Read!", "Speak!"). The 2nd person forms are most common. Singular: -a | Dual: -tam | Plural: -ta

PersonSingularDualPlural
√gam — Go!गच्छ (gaccha)गच्छतम् (gacchatam)गच्छत (gacchata)
√paṭh — Read!पठ (paṭha)पठतम् (paṭhatam)पठत (paṭhata)
√vad — Speak!वद (vada)वदतम् (vadatam)वदत (vadata)

Example Sentences

सत्यम् वद। धर्मम् चर।

Satyam vada. Dharmam cara.

Speak the truth. Walk in dharma. (Taittirīya Upanishad 1.11.1 — the key "graduation address" of ancient India)

हे छात्र! अत्र आगच्छ। पठ।

He chātra! atra āgaccha. Paṭha.

O student! Come here. Read.

हे राम! वनम् गच्छ।

He Rāma! vanam gaccha.

O Rāma! Go to the forest.

Exercises (2)

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Write the imperative form

1. "Read!" (singular, √paṭh):

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पठ (paṭha)

2. "Go!" (singular, √gam):

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गच्छ (gaccha)

3. "Speak the truth!" (singular, √vad + satyam):

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सत्यम् वद (satyam vada)

4. "Read (all of you)!" (plural, √paṭh):

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पठत (paṭhata)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Identify the form

1. "वद" (vada — speak!) is in which lakāra?

A. Laṭ (present)B. Loṭ (imperative)C. Laṅ (past)D. Vidhiliṅ (potential)
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Loṭ (imperative)

2. "Satyam vada dharmam cara" is the graduation instruction from which text?

A. Bhagavad GitaB. ManusmṛtiC. Taittirīya Upanishad 1.11.1D. Rāmāyaṇa
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Taittirīya Upanishad 1.11.1

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