In this article, we will explore the usage of active and passive voices in Sanskrit, also known as ‘कर्तरि-प्रयोगः’ and ‘कर्मणि-प्रयोगः’ respectively. While English and many other languages primarily employ the active voice for conversation, passive voices are often frowned upon. However, the beauty of Sanskrit lies in its adept utilization of the passive voice, which is abundantly present in its literature and contributes to the language’s elegance.

Let’s consider examples of active and passive voices in English:

Rama is reading a book – Active
A book is being read by Rama – Passive

Now, how do we express these in Sanskrit?

रामः पुस्तकं पठति। -> कर्तरि (Active)
रामेण पुस्तकं पठ्यते। -> कर्मणि (Passive)

Let’s dissect this concept further. Just as we learned voices in English grammar instinctively, let’s approach Sanskrit in the same way.

Note the cases(vibhaktiH) used with active and passive voices in the above screenshot. This is crucial. In active voice, the subject is in the nominative case (prathama-vibhaktiH) and the object in the accusative case (dvitiyA-vibhaktiH). In passive voice, the subject is in the instrumental case (tṛtiyā-vibhaktiH) and the object is in the nominative case (prathama-vibhaktiH). This primary distinction is essential to remember.

Regarding verbs, passive verbs are different and usually end with ‘यते’ similar to the ‘atmanepadi’ form. Therefore, in passive forms, you will notice words ending with ‘यते,’ such as पठ्यते, लिख्यते, दृश्यते, खाद्यते, and more. Simple, right? However, dhatus like पा, दा become पीयते, दीयते :) As homework, explore the karmani forms for the verbs कृ and क्रीञ्!

कर्तरि-प्रयोगे क्रिया कर्तारमन्वेति। In ‘कर्तरि-प्रयोगः’ (active voice), the verb’s form is determined by the subject/doer. If the subject is in singular, the verb will be singular; if the subject is in the first person, the verb will also be in the first person. The same principle applies to plural subjects.

कर्मणि-प्रयोगे क्रिया कर्मान्वेति। In ‘कर्मणि-प्रयोगः’ (passive voice), the verb’s form is influenced by the object. If the object is plural, the verb will also be plural; if the object is in the first person, the verb will adjust accordingly. This may appear strange, so let’s examine an example.

रामः मां पश्यति। -> कर्तरि-प्रयोगः (Translation – Rama sees me)
रामेण अहं दृश्ये। -> कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (Translation – I am being seen by Rama) here, the object ‘कर्म’ is in the first person (उत्तमपुरुषः), resulting in the verb’s change. This distinction is vital, so make sure to take note!

The relationship between voice, subject, and object is important . As the topic gets deeper and the post longer, let’s pause here. For practice, construct simple sentences in कर्तरि and convert them to कर्मणि.

Feel free to leave a comment or reach out to me if you have any questions. Happy reading!