[INDOLOGY] infinitive as the subject of a finite verb in Sanskrit

[Gaia Pintucci]

Dear list members,


Prof. Walter Slaje very kindly pointed at a different meaning of saṃ+bhū.
With his permission, I am sharing his message:


I think it is a passive-infinitive construction, with *saṃbhāvita* taking
> the position normally expressed by √*śak*, etc: ~ *śakyate bhavitum*, *śakyaṃ
> bhavitum* = "it is possible, it can be".
> *saṃ*-√*bhū* expresses possibility (like √*śak*), so *saṃbhāvita* as a
> participle may form part of a passive construction as well. Thus, *nirīkṣituṃ
> na sambhāvitaḥ* would mean "he cannot be seen," literally, „he is
> impossible to be seen“.


The improved translation would be something like: He could not even be
seen, forget about being made love to.

My question with regard to rantum as the subject of āstām is still open.

With best wishes,
Gaia Pintucci
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