405. mā.

mā is the proper negation to be used with the imperative and its concurrent idioms; in other terms it expresses prohibition, or in a wider sense the desire to keep off. Examples of its employment with imperative, optative, aorist without augment have been given 353 and 354. A strong prohibition is not rarely expressed by the sole mā or by maivam (not so) with ellipsis of the verb; mā tāvat signifies reprobation, as Mâlav. I, p. 3.

With imperative mā is also used, if the imperative expresses doubt or uncertainty. Mhbh. 14, 6, 8 gaccha vā mā vā (you are free to go or not [as you like]). In the same meaning also with liṅ, as Panc, I, 225 viṣaṃ bhavatu mā bhūyāt (there may be poison or not). Moreover mā with liṅ may express solicitude. Mṛcch. III, p. 124 aye cirayati maitreyaḥ / mā nāma vaiklavyādakāryaṃ kuryāt (Maitreya tarries long, in his distress I hope he will do nothing unbecoming). As to mā with the future in epic poetry and in the prâkṛts, see 353R. 4.

Rem. 1. When subjoined to some chief sentence, mā admits of being translated by »lest,” as Mhbh. 5, 37, 45 mā vanaṃ cchinddhi savyāghraṃ mā vyāghrā nīnaśanvanāt (do not destroy the forest with tigers, lest the tigers should disappear from the forest), cp. ibid. 1, 30, 15 quoted 353 R. 4. (*1). In other terms, mā with liṅ, aorist or future may be synonymous with yathā na or yena na. — In epic poetry na with optative is also used = »lest;” instances are not rare. Mhbh. 1, 154, 35 śīghraṃ gacchāma bhadraṃ te na no vidyāt suyodhanaḥ (let us go instantaneously, lest Duryodhana should know of us), ibid. 1, 56, 23 tat te dadyāṃ varaṃ vipra na nivartetkraturmam, R. 2, 63, 43 taṃ prasādaya na tvāṃ śapet, Nala. 14, 14 etc. (*2).

Rem. 2. na, not mā, is the negation to be used with the potential mood, in hypothetical sentences, in general precepts and with the liṅ taught 343 e.). (*3). Nala. 13, 42 Damayantî says the conditions upon which she will be a maid-servant: ucchiṣṭaṃ naiva bhuñjīyāṃ na kuryāṃ pādadhāvanam / na cāhaṃ puruṣān anyān prabhāṣeyam, here na, not mā, is in its place.

(*1)
Panc. 325 mā = »lest” is construed with a present: drāgācchāmi mā kaścin mamāpy anartho bhavati. Instead of bhavati one would rather expect bhavet.

(*2)
Sometimes na is construed so even with the future in -syati. Mhbh. 1, 146, 30 bhaimaṃ ca bilamadyaiva karavāma susaṃvṛtam / … na nas tatra hutāśaḥ saṃpradhakṣyati.

(*3)
mā… yadi = »if not” I have met with Mâlat. IX, p. 160: akariṣyad asau pāpam atiniṣkaruṇaiva sā / mābhaviṣyam ayaṃ tatra yadi tatparipatthinī. But mābha- may be a false reading instead of nābha-.

405. mā

māはIpv.と、それと同じはたらきをするものに用いられる固有の否定辞である；言い換えると、これは禁止を、あるいはより広い意味で「…させないことの願望」（the desire to keep off）を表す。Ipv.・Opt.・オーグメント無しのaor.を伴うmāの用例は353と354で扱った。強い禁止が単なるmāや、動詞の省略を伴うmaivam（そのようにするべからず）は稀でない；mā tāvatはMâlav. I, p. 3のように非難を表す。

Ipv.が疑いや不確実さを表す場合、Ipv.を伴ってmāが用いられる。
Mhbh. 14, 6, 8 gaccha vā mā vā (you are free to go or not [as you like])

同じ意味でOpt.（liṅ）を伴うこともある。
Panc, I, 225 viṣaṃ bhavatu mā bhūyāt (there may be poison or not)

さらに、Opt.（liṅ）を伴うmāは憂慮を表しうる。
Mṛcch. III, p. 124 aye cirayati maitreyaḥ / mā nāma vaiklavyādakāryaṃ kuryāt (Maitreya tarries long, in his distress I hope he will do nothing unbecoming)

Fut.を伴うmāは叙事詩とプラークリットで用いられる。353-補足4をみよ。

【補足1】
主文に従属する場合、māは「…するといけないから」（lest）で翻訳されることを許す。
Mhbh. 5, 37, 45 mā vanaṃ cchinddhi savyāghraṃ mā vyāghrā nīnaśanvanāt (do not destroy the forest with tigers, lest the tigers should disappear from the forest)

353-補足4に引用されているibid. 1, 30, 15も参照せよ（*1）。言い換えると、Opt.（liṅ）・aor.・Fut.を伴うmāは、yathā naやyena naと同義でありうる。—叙事詩において、Opt.を伴うnaも「…するといけないから」（lest）として用いられる。用例は稀でない。
Mhbh. 1, 154, 35 śīghraṃ gacchāma bhadraṃ te na no vidyāt suyodhanaḥ (let us go instantaneously, lest Duryodhana should know of us)
ibid. 1, 56, 23 tat te dadyāṃ varaṃ vipra na nivartetkraturmam
R. 2, 63, 43 taṃ prasādaya na tvāṃ śapet

他にはNala. 14, 14等（*2）。

【補足2】
māではなくnaが、仮定文において、訓示一般や343-eに述べたOpt.（liṅ）〔の用法＝総称的意味をもつ関係文〕で、可能法（potential mood）を伴って用いられる（*3）。
Nala. 13, 42 Damayantî says the conditions upon which she will be a maid-servant: ucchiṣṭaṃ naiva bhuñjīyāṃ na kuryāṃ pādadhāvanam / na cāhaṃ puruṣān anyān prabhāṣeyam

（*1）
Panc. 325 drāgācchāmi mā kaścin mamāpy anartho bhavati

ここで「…するといけないから」（lest）のmāは現在時制に係っている。〔本来であれば〕bhavatiよりbhavetが望まれる。

（*2）
naは単純未来-syatiに係ることさえある。
Mhbh. 1, 146, 30 bhaimaṃ ca bilamadyaiva karavāma susaṃvṛtam / … na nas tatra hutāśaḥ saṃpradhakṣyati

（*3）
mā… yadi（＝「もし…でなければ」）は以下の例がある：
Mâlat. IX, p. 160 akariṣyad asau pāpam atiniṣkaruṇaiva sā / mābhaviṣyam ayaṃ tatra yadi tatparipatthinī

が、mābha-はnābha-の誤読であろう。