The dual number is used in case we are dealing with two persons or things. It has always the same form for Nominative, Accusative and Vocative cases:
| m. | n. | |
| Nom.
Acc. Voc. |
devau | phale |
Also the verb has all three persons in dual:
1. vad+a+vah We (two) say
2. vad+a+thah You (two) say
3. vad+a+tah They (two) say
This is their gradual strengthening by adding the vowel -a in front of the vowel in question. The "normal grade" is the vowel itself, the first grade is called guna, the second grade is vrddhi.
| normal grade | a a | i i | u u | r | l |
| guna | a a | e/ay | o/av | ar | al |
| vrddhi | a | ai/ay | au/av | ar | al |
Some verbs conjugated in the I. class change the root vowel into the guna grade:
ni-, nayati (to lead), ji-, jayati (to win, to conquer), ruh-, rohati (to grow), dru-, dravati (to run), bhu-, bhavati (to be), vrs-, varsati (to rain, to shower).
But note some irregularities: guh-, guhati (to hide, to conceal), pa-, pibati (to drink), ghra-, jighrati (III. class, to smell).
If two identical vowels occur as word's final and word's initial (regardless if they are short or long) they combine into a long vowel: atra adya -> atradya (now here), sidami iha -> sidamiha (I sit here).
If these two vowels are different (regardless if they are short or long) change into these forms:
a + i -> e: adya iha -> adyeha (now here)
a + u -> o: tatha uktah -> tathoktah (so said)
a + r -> ar: tatra rksah -> tatrarksah (there is a bear)
a + e -> ai: adhuna eva -> adhunaiva (just now)
a + o -> atra owadhih -> atrausadhih (here is the medicine)
1. ksatriyannrpah sarvatra nayati |
2. gandhamiha jighravah |
3. meghah sada jalaj varsati |
4. atraiva vasavah |
5. jalaj pibantihawvah |
6. buddhah sadaivaj vadanti |
7. vrksah sarvatra na rohanti |
8. devau smaramah |
9. devavadya smaramah |
10. he nrpau jayathah |
11. kutra dravatha he balah |
12. iha phalani na bhavanti |
13. gramaj gajau balau nayatah |
14. dahasi he anala |
15. anilah sada na vahati |
16. ksiraj jalaj ca narah pibanti |
17. satyaj na vadathah |
18. satyamadya na vadatha |
19. balau phale khadatah |
20. atraiva gajah pibanti |
21. awvau kutra dravatah |
22. gajah ksatriyaj kva vahati |
23. atradhuna na sidavah |
1. Just today we both go to the city.
2. Where are both horses?
3. Just here are (two) horses.
4. To the forest run the (two) elephants.
5. The ruler conquers both fighters.
6. The Buddha speaks the truth.
7. Here stand (two) trees.
8. Where are you (two) going now?
9. Here we (two) do not live.
10. Where do you hide money?
11. Home (emphasized) go both boys.
12. They give money and gifts.
13. Where are you leading (those two) people?
khad-, khadati (I): to eat
guh-, guhati (I): to hide, to conceal
ghra-, jighrati (III): to smell
ji-, jayati (I): to win, to conquer
dah-, dahati (I): to burn
dru-, dravati (I): to run
ni-, nayati (I): to lead
pa-, pibati (I): to drink
bhu-, bhavati (I): to be, to become
vah-, vahati (I): to carry, to blow, to flow
ruh-, rohati (I): to grow
vrs-, varsati (I): to rain, to pour down, to shower
smr-, smarati (I): to remember
awva-, m.: horse
anala-, m.: fire
anila-, m.: wind
gandha-, m.: scent, fragrance
megha-, m.: cloud
vana-, n.: forest
vrksa-, m.: tree
satya-, n.: truth
iha, adv. here
sarvatra, adv.: everywhere
he, part.: oh!