Nouns with Irregular Declension
There are a few Pali nouns which do not follow any of the declension patterns we learnt so far. Some such nouns are as follows :
sā = dog,
puma = man,
yuva = young man,
brahma = Brahma God,
atta = oneself, soul;
rāja = king
Let us study declension of the nouns atta and rāja, which occur quite frequently in the Suttas, in their various declined forms.
Declension of masculine noun ‘atta’
atta = oneself / soul
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Paṭhamā | attā | attā, attāno |
| Dutiyā | attaṃ, attānaṃ | atte, attāno |
| Tatiyā | attena, attanā | attehi, attebhi, attanehi, attanebhi |
| Catutthī | attano, attassa | attānaṃ |
| Pañcamī | attanā, attasmā, attamhā | attehi, attebhi, attanehi, attanebhi |
| Chaṭṭhī | attano, attassa | attānaṃ |
| Sattamī | atte, attani, attasmiṃ, attamhi | attesu, attanesu |
| Ālapana | atta, attā | attā, attāno |
Declension of masculine noun ‘rāja’
rāja* = king
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Paṭhamā | rājā | rājā, rājāno |
| Dutiyā | rājaṃ, rājānaṃ | rājāno |
| Tatiyā | raññā, rājena, rājinā | rājehi, rājebhi, rājūhi, rājūbhi |
| Catutthī | rañño, raññassa, rājino, rājassa | raññaṃ, rājūnaṃ, rājānaṃ |
| Pañcamī | raññā, rājasmā, rājamhā | rājehi, rājebhi, rājūhi, rājūbhi |
| Chaṭṭhī | rañño, raññassa, rājino, rājassa | raññaṃ, rājūnaṃ, rājānaṃ |
| Sattamī | raññe, rājini, rājasmiṃ, rājamhi | rājūsu, rājesu |
| Ālapana | rāja, rājā | rāja, rājāno |
* In some grammar books the noun (stem) rāja is expressed as rājā or rājan.
Another important noun having an irregular declension is ‘mana’ (also written as mano or manas). In fact, quite a few nouns decline like ‘mana’ and this group of nouns is often called as the ‘mano group’.
Declension of neuter noun ‘mana’
mana = mind
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Paṭhamā | mano | manā, manāni |
| Dutiyā | manaṃ, mano | mane, manāni |
| Tatiyā | manasā, manena | manehi, manebhi |
| Catutthī | manaso, manassa | manānaṃ |
| Pañcamī | manasā, manasmā, manamhā | manehi, manebhi |
| Chaṭṭhī | manaso, manassa | manānaṃ |
| Sattamī | manasi, mane, manasmiṃ, manamhi | manesu |
| Ālapana | mana, manā | manāni |
Some other neuter nouns which decline like mana are :
teja = heat, fire, radiance;
ceta = thought, mind, heart;
tapa = torment, penance;
sira = head,
vaca = speech,
vaya = age