तत्सादृश्यमभावश्च तदन्यत्वं तदल्पता ।
अप्राशस्त्यं विरोधश्च नञर्थाः पट् प्रकीर्त्तिताः ।।
tat-sādṛśyam abhāvaś ca tad-anyatvaṁ tad-alpatā |
aprāśastyaṁ virodhaś ca nañ-arthāḥ ṣaṭ prakīrtitāḥ ||
(A prācīna kārikā; cited in the Amṛta-ṭīkā and Bāla-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā to Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa: 1730)
“(1) Similarity to it [i.e., the substantive to which nañ- is affixed] and (2) absence [of it], (3) difference from it, (4) smallness of it, (5) non-praiseworthiness [of it], and (6) opposition [to it] are the six stated meanings of nañ [i.e., the negative prefix].”
Commentary
Examples are as follows:
(1) Similarity (sādṛśya):
abrāhmaṇaḥ—one who is like a brāhmaṇa (but not actually a brāhmaṇa), that is, a kṣatriya or vaiśya, who resembles a brāhmaṇa in certain respects (such as wearing a sacred thread);
anikṣu—a plant that is like sugarcane (but is not), that is, Kans grass, which resembles sugarcane in certain respects.
(2) Absence (abhāva):
ajñāna—absence of knowledge, that is, ignorance.
apāpam—absence of sin;
akrodha—free from anger;
anaṅga—formless;
akaṇṭaka—thornless.
(3) Difference (anyatva):
anaśvaḥ—non-horse, that is, something that is not a horse;
amitra—non-friend, that is, an enemy.
(4) Smallness (alpatā):
anudarā—slender waist;
(5) Non-praiseworthiness (aprāśastya):
akāla—improper time;
akārya—improper act;
apaśu—a bad animal.
(6) Opposition (virodha):
adharma—contrary to dharma;
anīti—immoral;
asura—adversary of the suras.