Source: Hart, pp. 180-181, Whitney §1053ff.
This form is relatively common in classical Sanskrit. It refers to verbs created from nouns. If the noun is N, then the meaning of its denominative is one of the following:
- be like N
- act as N
- play the part of N
- regard or treat as N
- cause to be N
- make into N
- use N
- make application of N
- desire / wish for / crave N
In general the denominative is formed by adding –य्– to the noun stem and then declining the resulting stem like a thematic verb. Thus, the noun अमित्रम् (literally “non-friend” or “enemy”) forms the denominative अमित्रयति or “he plays the enemy.” A few stems may be changed: final –अ is usually unchanged but may change into –आ or –ई before the –य्-. Final –आ is generally unchanged. Final –इ, –ई, –उ, and –ऊ rarely form denominatives. When they do, the vowel is always –ई and –ऊ respectively, or more rarely –अ. Final –ऋ is changed to –री before the –य्-. Most consonant stems are unchanged before the –य्– but –अन् may change to –अ-, –आ-, or –ई– before the –य्-, and –इन् may change to –ई-.
In classical Sanskrit, any noun or adjective stem may be combined with कृ or भू to form a verb. In these cases, the –आ and –ई of the noun stem become –ई. With कृ the meaning is “to make N” while with भू it is “to become N.” This form is not commonly made with consonant stems though occasionally –अन् and –अस् are changed to –ई to make this form. Examples are:
- स्तम्भिभू – “to become a post (स्तम्भ)”
- सुरभीकृ – “to make fragrant (सुरभि)”
- आत्मीकृ – “to make into oneself (आत्मन्)”