समास (Samas) literally means "संक्षिप्त" — to make brief. When two or more words combine, drop the connecting grammatical particles (कारक चिह्न / विभक्ति), and form a single compact word, that process is called Samas. The resulting compound word is called a "सामासिक शब्द" or "समस्त-पद". The reverse — breaking the compound back into its components with the connecting particles restored — is called "सामासिक विग्रह" or simply "विग्रह".
Here is a simple analogy. In speech, you say "देश का प्रेम" (four syllables of meaning plus the linking word "का"). Samas drops "का" and gives you "देशप्रेम" — same meaning, more compact. This compression is why compound words dominate written Hindi, Sanskrit-origin formal vocabulary, and — relevantly — UP Police exam question papers.
The exam never asks you to define Samas from scratch. It always asks one of three things:
To answer all three, you need a reliable internal procedure — not a memorised list of examples, but a decision logic that you can apply to any word in 20-30 seconds. That is exactly what this chapter builds.
There are six main types: तत्पुरुष, द्वन्द्व, बहुव्रीहि, अव्ययीभाव, कर्मधारय, और द्विगु. Karmadharaya and Dvigu are often treated as sub-types of Tatpurusha in older classifications — the exam uses both framings, so know both.
The second word (उत्तरपद) is the head — it carries the main meaning. The first word (पूर्वपद) qualifies or relates to it through a hidden case marker (कारक).
The sub-types are named by which case marker was dropped:
| Sub-type | Hidden कारक | Marker dropped | Example | विग्रह | |---|---|---|---|---| | कर्म तत्पुरुष | को | second object | ग्रामगत | ग्राम को गत | | करण तत्पुरुष | से / द्वारा | instrument | रक्तरंजित | रक्त से रंजित | | संप्रदान तत्पुरुष | के लिए | purpose | यज्ञशाला | यज्ञ के लिए शाला | | अपादान तत्पुरुष | से (separation) | separation | देशनिकाला | देश से निकाला | | संबंध तत्पुरुष | का / के / की | possession | देशप्रेम | देश का प्रेम | | अधिकरण तत्पुरुष | में / पर | location | जलसमाधि | जल में समाधि |
Key rule: In Tatpurusha, one of the six case markers is hidden in the compound. If you can restore a कारक and the second word is the main noun/verb-derived word, it is Tatpurusha.
Also note: "गगनचुंबी" — गगन + चुंबी. चुंबी = one who kisses/touches. The full form is "गगन को चुंबने वाला" (कर्म तत्पुरुष). The उत्तरपद "चुंबी" is dominant.
A special case of Tatpurusha where the first word is either a विशेषण (adjective) qualifying the second, or a उपमा (simile) linking both.
Two signatures:
The exam directly tested this: "देहलता – लता रूपी देह" is WRONG. The correct विग्रह is "देह रूपी लता". The body is being compared to a creeper (लता), not the other way around.
The पूर्वपद is always a number (संख्यावाचक शब्द). The compound refers to a collection or group.
The विग्रह always ends with "का समूह" or "प्रकार की" to show the collective meaning.
Both words are equally important — neither dominates the other. The connector "और / एवं / तथा / या" is dropped.
Identification shortcut: if you can restore "और" between both components and both retain full meaning, it is Dvandva.
Look — this is the one that trips people. Neither word is the main meaning. The compound describes a third entity not mentioned in the word itself.
The विग्रह of Bahuvrihi always ends with "जिसके / जिसका / जिसने / वह" pointing to the third person/thing.
Contrast: "पीताम्बर" as Karmadharaya = पीत (yellow) + अम्बर (cloth) = yellow cloth. As Bahuvrihi = पीत है अम्बर जिसका (वह — Krishna). The same compound can technically be both — the exam usually gives context.
The पूर्वपद is an अव्यय (indeclinable / adverb prefix) — usually a Sanskrit prefix like यथा, प्रति, आ, अनु, भर, उप. The entire compound becomes an adverb.
The entire word becomes indeclinable — it functions as an adverb. That is the test.
For Karmadharaya simile compounds, always remember: the पूर्वपद is the reference point and the उत्तरपद is what it is compared to.
पूर्वपद + रूपी + उत्तरपद
So: देहलता → देह (पूर्वपद) रूपी लता (उत्तरपद). The body is like a creeper. Never reverse this.
When you do the विग्रह and it naturally ends with "जिसका / जिसके / जिसने / वह" pointing to something outside the two words — stop, it is Bahuvrihi. This works 100% of the time.
Example: पीताम्बर → "पीत है अम्बर जिसका" — that "जिसका" points to Krishna (a third entity). Bahuvrihi confirmed. Standard approach of memorising examples: 60+ seconds of recall. This test: under 10 seconds on any new word.
If the first word (पूर्वपद) is a number — एक, दो, तीन, चार, पाँच, सात, नौ, दस, शत, etc. — the Samas is Dvigu. No exceptions. Do not even consider other types.
त्रिभुज, सप्तर्षि, नवरत्न, चतुर्वेद, शताब्दी — all Dvigu.
Standard method: read through all options and reason each one out — 40 seconds. This shortcut: 5 seconds.
For any unknown compound, try inserting each of the six case markers between the two parts:
को → कर्म, से → करण (instrument) or अपादान (separation), के लिए → संप्रदान, का/के/की → संबंध, में/पर → अधिकरण.
If any one fits naturally, it is Tatpurusha. The sub-type is whichever marker fits.
Example: जलसमाधि → "जल में समाधि" → "में" fits → अधिकरण तत्पुरुष.
This eliminates the need to memorise sub-type names separately. You derive them on the spot. Standard recall: 30+ seconds. This method: 15 seconds.
Avyayibhav almost always begins with one of these prefixes: यथा, प्रति, आ, अनु, उप, भर, हर, बे, ला, ना. If you see any of these at the start of the compound, high probability it is Avyayibhav. Confirm by checking: does the full compound work as an adverb? If yes, confirmed.
यथासंभव, प्रतिक्षण, आमरण, अनुरूप — all start with these markers, all Avyayibhav.
Standard method: check definition and examples — 40 seconds. Prefix scan: 5 seconds.
Both Karmadharaya and Tatpurusha have the second word dominant. But:
Test: can you insert "रूपी" or "जो है" between the parts naturally? If yes, Karmadharaya. If a case marker fits instead, Tatpurusha.
महाकवि → "महान जो कवि है" → no case marker → Karmadharaya. रक्तरंजित → "रक्त से रंजित" → "से" fits → Tatpurusha.
This two-question test takes under 15 seconds versus 45 seconds of deliberation.
In the exam hall, apply this decision tree in order — stop as soon as you hit a match:
Step 1 — Number पूर्वपद? Yes → Dvigu. Done.
Step 2 — Avyay prefix (यथा/प्रति/आ/अनु/भर/हर)? Yes → Avyayibhav. Done.
Step 3 — Both parts equally weighted, restore "और" naturally? Yes → Dvandva. Done.
Step 4 — Does विग्रह end with "जिसका/जिसके/वह" pointing to a third entity? Yes → Bahuvrihi. Done.
Step 5 — Can you insert "रूपी" or "जो है" (adjective relation) without any case marker? Yes → Karmadharaya. Done.
Step 6 — Can you restore any one of the six case markers (को/से/के लिए/का/में)? Yes → Tatpurusha (name the sub-type by which marker fits). Done.
Run through all six steps. In 90% of UP Police questions, you will stop at Step 1, 3, 4, or 6. Practice this order until it is automatic — target under 20 seconds per question.
Why this question: This tests whether you know the literal definition of Samas — a foundational question that sets up all type-identification questions.
Solving path: समास = संक्षिप्त (brief/compact). विस्तृत means expanded; विग्रह means expansion; विच्छेद means separation. Only "संक्षिप्त" correctly captures the compressing function of Samas. Eliminate the others in 5 seconds.
Why this question: This is the most common question type — identify the Samas type from the विग्रह.
Solving path: जलसमाधि → expand → "जल में समाधि". The word "में" is the अधिकरण कारक. Step 6 of the framework fires: Tatpurusha (अधिकरण तत्पुरुष). Eliminate Bahuvrihi (no "जिसका" ending), Dvandva (not "जल और समाधि"), Karmadharaya (no adjective/simile). Answer: तत्पुरुष समास.
Why this question: Tests संबंध तत्पुरुष — the most common Tatpurusha sub-type in exams.
Solving path: देशप्रेम → expand → "देश का प्रेम". The marker "का" signals संबंध कारक. Step 6 confirms Tatpurusha. No number prefix (not Dvigu), no "और" possible (not Dvandva), second word "प्रेम" is the head noun (not a description of a third entity, so not Bahuvrihi). Answer: तत्पुरुष समास.
Why this question: Tests whether you can identify Dvigu with a number prefix and choose the correct विग्रह format.
Solving path: त्रिमूर्ति — पूर्वपद is "त्रि" = three (a number). Step 1 fires: Dvigu. The विग्रह of Dvigu always expresses a group/collection: "तीन मूर्तियों का समूह". Option A (तीन माह) is a different word entirely; Option B (तीन देवियाँ) misidentifies the noun; Option C describes a person who knows three texts (Bahuvrihi structure). Only D is the correct Dvigu विग्रह.
Why this question: Tests the most common trap — reversing the comparison direction in Karmadharaya.
Solving path: The question asks which विग्रह is WRONG. Check each:
Answer: Option B (देहलता – लता रूपी देह) is the incorrect विग्रह.
Reversing Karmadharaya simile direction. "देहलता = लता रूपी देह" is wrong. Always write: पूर्वपद रूपी उत्तरपद. The पूर्वपद is the thing being compared; the उत्तरपद is what it is compared to.
Calling Dvigu a Dvandva. त्रिमूर्ति has three components — students default to "group means Dvandva". But Dvandva needs "और" between components of equal status. A number prefix always signals Dvigu, not Dvandva.
Missing Bahuvrihi by looking only at the words, not at what they point to. If the विग्रह naturally names a third entity not present in the word ("जिसका वह"), it is Bahuvrihi — even if it superficially resembles Karmadharaya.
Confusing करण and अपादान. Both use "से" in the विग्रह. करण "से" = by means of (रक्त से रंजित = stained by means of blood). अपादान "से" = separation from (देश से निकाला = expelled from the country). Context tells you which: instrument vs separation.
Treating any word starting with a number as Dvigu without checking. Occasionally a number-word compound is Bahuvrihi: "चतुर्भुज" can be Dvigu (a four-sided figure) or Bahuvrihi (Vishnu, the one with four arms). Look at whether the compound refers to the group itself or to an external entity.
Wrong विग्रह format for Dvigu. Do not write "तीन मूर्तियाँ" — that is just a noun phrase. The Dvigu विग्रह requires "का समूह" or "प्रकार की" to signal the collective: "तीन मूर्तियों का समूह".