कारकप्रकरणम्
Karak in Sanskrit
The six karakas — the roles a noun plays in an action — with Panini's definitions, the vibhakti each one takes, one sentence that uses all six, the special upapada rules, and practice questions.
Karak definition
कारकम् means "that which brings about the action" — क्रियाजनकं कारकम्. In a sentence, each noun plays a role in getting the verb's action done: someone does it, something is acted on, something is used, someone receives, something is moved away from, and somewhere it happens. Sanskrit grammar names these six roles the six karakas, and each role is shown by a particular vibhakti (case ending).
Karak is about the role; vibhakti is the ending that marks it. They usually match one-to-one, but not always — which is exactly why schools teach the special rules further down this page.
The 6 karakas with Panini's sutra and example
| Karak | Role | Panini's definition | Vibhakti | Example |
| कर्ता | Doer (agent) | स्वतन्त्रः कर्ता (1.4.54) | प्रथमा* | रामः पठति। |
| कर्म | Object | कर्तुरीप्सिततमं कर्म (1.4.49) | द्वितीया | रामः पुस्तकं पठति। |
| करणम् | Instrument | साधकतमं करणम् (1.4.42) | तृतीया | सः लेखन्या लिखति। |
| सम्प्रदानम् | Recipient | कर्मणा यमभिप्रैति स सम्प्रदानम् (1.4.32) | चतुर्थी | नृपः विप्राय धनं ददाति। |
| अपादानम् | Point of separation | ध्रुवमपायेऽपादानम् (1.4.24) | पञ्चमी | वृक्षात् पत्रं पतति। |
| अधिकरणम् | Location | आधारोऽधिकरणम् (1.4.45) | सप्तमी | बालकाः उद्याने क्रीडन्ति। |
* In an active sentence the कर्ता is in प्रथमा. In a passive sentence (कर्मवाच्य) it moves to तृतीया — रामेण पुस्तकं पठ्यते — and the object takes प्रथमा.
One sentence, all six karakas
रामः ग्रामात् आगत्य उद्याने हस्तेन बालकाय फलं ददाति।
- रामः — कर्ता (who gives) — प्रथमा
- फलम् — कर्म (what is given) — द्वितीया
- हस्तेन — करणम् (with what) — तृतीया
- बालकाय — सम्प्रदानम् (to whom) — चतुर्थी
- ग्रामात् — अपादानम् (from where) — पञ्चमी
- उद्याने — अधिकरणम् (where) — सप्तमी
"Having come from the village, Rama gives a fruit with his hand to a boy in the garden." Notice that the two missing vibhaktis, षष्ठी (relation, "of") and सम्बोधनम् (address), are not karakas: "Rama's book" does not take part in an action, it only shows a relationship.
Upapada vibhakti: special rules that override the karak
Certain words and verbs demand a fixed vibhakti regardless of role. These are among the most-asked exam questions.
| Word / verb | Vibhakti it takes | Example |
| नमः, स्वस्ति, स्वाहा, स्वधा | चतुर्थी | नमः शिवाय। गुरवे नमः। |
| सह, साकम्, सार्धम् | तृतीया | रामेण सह सीता वनम् अगच्छत्। |
| बहिः | पञ्चमी | ग्रामात् बहिः नदी अस्ति। |
| परितः, अभितः, उभयतः, सर्वतः | द्वितीया | ग्रामं परितः वृक्षाः सन्ति। |
| विना | द्वितीया / तृतीया / पञ्चमी | जलं (जलेन, जलात्) विना जीवनं नास्ति। |
| रुच् (to please) | चतुर्थी (who is pleased) | बालकाय मोदकं रोचते। |
| भी (to fear) | पञ्चमी (what is feared) | बालकः सिंहात् बिभेति। |
| अलम् (enough, stop) | तृतीया | अलं विवादेन। (Enough of arguing.) |
| Body-part defect (अङ्गविकारे) | तृतीया | सः नेत्रेण काणः अस्ति। |
| कुशल, निपुण (skilled in) | सप्तमी | सा सङ्गीते कुशला अस्ति। |
Practice: name the karak of the bold word
सीता कलमेन लिखति।
करणम् — तृतीया (the pen is the instrument)
छात्राः विद्यालयात् गृहं गच्छन्ति।
अपादानम् — पञ्चमी (moving away from school)
माता पुत्राय भोजनं यच्छति।
सम्प्रदानम् — चतुर्थी (the son receives)
मत्स्याः जले वसन्ति।
कर्ता — प्रथमा
मत्स्याः जले वसन्ति।
अधिकरणम् — सप्तमी
गोपालः गाः चारयति।
कर्म — द्वितीया (गोः, plural गाः)
हरये रोचते भक्तिः।
Upapada rule: रुच् takes चतुर्थी for the one who is pleased
Frequently asked questions
How many karakas are there in Sanskrit?
Six: कर्ता, कर्म, करणम्, सम्प्रदानम्, अपादानम् and अधिकरणम्. Sambandha (षष्ठी) and sambodhana are not counted as karakas because they do not take part in the action.
What is the difference between karak and vibhakti?
Karak is the role a word plays in the action (doer, object, instrument…); vibhakti is the case ending that marks it. They usually match, but upapada rules can assign a different vibhakti.
What is apadan karak? Give an example.
The fixed point from which something moves away — ध्रुवमपायेऽपादानम्. Example: वृक्षात् पत्रं पतति (a leaf falls from the tree). It takes पञ्चमी.
Which vibhakti is used with नमः?
चतुर्थी: नमः शिवाय, गुरवे नमः.