What Is Samas?
Samas is the joining of two or more related words into one compound word. The words that join are the component words, the joined word is the compound and the phrase that explains its meaning is called the byasbakya. For example, rajputro is the compound and Rajar putro (the king's son) is its byasbakya.
The Six Main Types
Dwandwa. Both parts are equally important and the linking word "and" is dropped. Examples: ma-baba (mother and father), bhai-bon (brother and sister), ay-byay (income and expense).
Karmadharay. An adjective-noun relation where the last word is the main one. Example: nilakash (the sky that is blue), mahajon (the person who is great). It has three sub-types. Upoman karmadharay has a shared quality, as in tusharshubhro (white like snow). Upomito karmadharay has no shared quality, as in norosingho (a man like a lion). Rupok karmadharay treats one thing as another, as in mukhchondro (the moon that is the face).
Tatpurush. The case ending of the first word disappears and the last word is the main one. Examples: rajputro (the king's son, genitive), sharahoto (struck by an arrow, instrumental), bhoymukto (free from fear, ablative), griho-bash (living in a house, locative). Nogno tatpurush gives a negative sense, as in anachar (not conduct). Uppod tatpurush is formed with a verb-derived word, as in joldo (giver of water).
Bahubrihi. No word is the main one and a third meaning emerges. Examples: dashanon (one who has ten faces, meaning Ravana), pitambar (one who wears yellow cloth, meaning Krishna), nilkontho (one who has a blue throat, meaning Shiva).
Dwigu. The first word is a number and the compound gives a collective sense. Examples: tribhuban (a collection of three worlds), panchbati (a collection of five banyan trees), saptaho (a collection of seven days).
Abyayibhab. The first word is an indeclinable and the whole compound behaves like an indeclinable. Examples: protidin (every day), ajibon (for a whole lifetime), jothashadhyo (as far as possible).
Shortcut
Read the clue words in the byasbakya. "And" means dwandwa. "That is" means karmadharay. "Whose" means bahubrihi. A numeral with "collection" means dwigu. An indeclinable first word means abyayibhab. The genitive "of" means genitive tatpurush.
Worked Examples
Example 1: What is the samas of 'nilpodmo' (blue lotus)?
Solution: Byasbakya: the lotus that is blue. The clue word 'that is' shows karmadharay samas.
Example 2: What is the samas of 'jothashokti' (as far as possible)?
Solution: The first word 'jotha' is an indeclinable, so it is abyayibhab.
Example 3: What is the samas of 'hat-pa' (hands and feet)?
Solution: Hand and foot, with 'and' dropped and both parts equal: dwandwa.
Quick Check
Question 1: Which samas has a numeral as its first word?
Answer: Dwigu.
Question 2: Which samas gives a third meaning beyond the two parts?
Answer: Bahubrihi.
Question 3: What is the byasbakya of 'rajputro'?
Answer: Rajar putro, so it is genitive tatpurush.
Question 4: Which samas has an indeclinable as its first word?
Answer: Abyayibhab.