Exploring Traditional Pali Grammar 4
Kaccaayana sutta 6

We're now more than halfway through the first section (ka.n.da) of
the Sandhikappa of the Kaccaayana. This sutta defines the consonants,
and anticipates another coming sandhi-rule in its 'payoga' section.

The coming suttas ( Kc 7-11) will show a bit more variety, after this
run of somewhat repetitive suttas.

Text:

sesaa byañjanaa /6/

.thapetvaa a.t.tha sare sesaa akkharaa ka-kaaraadayo niggahiitantaa
byañjanaa naama honti / ta.m yathaa ka kha ga gha ^na ca cha ja jha
ña .ta .tha .da .dha .na ta tha da dha na pa pha ba bha ma ya ra la
va sa ha .la a.m iti byañjanaa naama honti / byañjana iccanena
kvattho / saraa pakati byañjane //

Translation:

The remaining (ones) are consonants /6/

Apart from the eight vowels, the remaining syllables from ka to
niggahita are called consonants. As follows: ka kha ga gha ^na ca cha
ja jha ña .ta .tha .da .dha .na ta tha da dha na pa pha ba bha ma ya
ra la va sa ha .la a.m are called consonants. What is the point (of
defining the term) 'consonant'? (Because of rules such as) "vowels
are unchanged before a consonant". (sutta 23)

[end of translation]

Words:

.thapetvaa: 'having set aside', 'apart from'. absolutive from
.thapeti: set up, place, set aside.
niggahiita: the letter .m This word is hard to translate.
pakati: original, natural (skt. prak.rti)
byañjana / vyañjana: here 'consonant', also: attribute, distinctive mark, sign
sesa: remaining

Notes:

.thapetvaa a.t.tha sare: here 'sare' is in the accusative plural.
Literally 'having set aside the eight vowels'. Notice how the use of
'sesaa' in the sutta proper, makes this rule dependant on Kc 4,
though you can't know that for sure unless you are familiar with the
vutti.

'from ka to niggahita': translated loosely for idiomatic clarity.
Literally 'with the letter ka as its beginning, with niggahita as its
end'. Thanks Bhante Dhammanando, for suggesting that I attempt
clearer translations of this Pali usage.

byañjana iccanena kvattho: Here's how I'm reading it to translate
"What is the point (of defining the term) 'consonant'?" > byañjana
iti anena ko attho > "'consonant' with this, what
point/purpose/benefit/gain (attha)?" I'm assuming an idiom as
follows: ko attho X, where X is put in the instrumental, and which
means 'what is the purpose/point of X'. I take it that the vutti is
here justifying the definitions, by showing that the terms will be
needed in the coming rules.

saraa pakati byañjane: this is a reference to Kc 23, and is an
example of a rule employing this newly defined term 'byañjana'. The
word 'pakati' is expanded in the vutti to Kc 23 to the plural
compound 'pakatiruupaa' {having (their) original forms}, making it
congruent with the plural 'saraa'.