The eight cases

Cases Meaning

Nominative

"It names"; in short, when the noun (or adjective) is declined in this

Case, is just named and it occupies the subject position in the

sentence. For example: "man eats".

Accusative

It adds "to/toward"; that is, when the noun (or adjective) is declined

in this Case occupies the place of Direct Object. For example: "they

eat man".

Instrumental

It adds "by/through/by means of/with"; that is, when the noun (or

adjective) is declined in this Case appears as an "instrument" of the

verb. For example: "they grow by man"

Dative

It adds "to/for"; that is, when the noun (or adjective) is declined in

this Case occupies the place of Indirect Object. For example: "we

give food to man". In this case "man" is the Indirect Object, and

"food" is the Direct Object of the verb.

Ablative

It adds "from/because of/due to"; that is, when the noun (or

adjective) is declined in this Case indicates an origin or else an

instrument. For example: "they come from man", or else, "from

man everything is generated".

GenitiveIt adds "of"; that is, when the noun (or adjective) is declined in this

Case gives a sense of belonging to. For example: "the cat of man".

Locative

It adds "in/on"; that is, when the noun (or adjective) is declined in

this Case gives a sense of location. For example: "virtues live in

man".

Vocative

It adds "oh!/eh!/hey!"; that is, when the noun (or adjective) is

declined in this Case gives a sense of invocation or calling. For

example: "Oh man, wake up!", and also "hey man, come closer!"

The simple chart of terminations for masculine nouns ending in "a"

is as follows:

Terminations for nouns ending in "a" vowel

Cases Singular Dual Plural

Nominative aḥ au āḥ

Accusative am au ān

Instrumental ena ābhyām aiḥ

Dative āya ābhyām ebhyaḥ

Ablative āt ābhyām ebhyaḥ

Genitive asya ayoḥ ānām

Locative e ayoḥ eṣu

Vocative a au āḥ

Let us see an actual example now, by using the word "Śiva"

("Auspicious"; an epithet of the Supreme Being)

Declining a word ending in "a" vowel

Cases Singular Dual Plural

Nominative śivaḥ śivau śivāḥ

Accusative śivam śivau śivān

Instrumental śivena śivābhyām śivaiḥ

Dative śivāya śivābhyām śivebhyaḥ

Ablative śivāt śivābhyām śivebhyaḥ

Genitive śivasya śivayoḥ śivānām

Locative śive śivayoḥ śiveṣu

Vocative śiva śivau śivāḥ

Declining a word ending in "a" vowel

Cases Singular Dual Plural

And now, just in case you have gotten lost among so many words, I

am placing one more chart with the possible translations of all these

declensions for the noun "Śiva".

Translation

Cases Singular Dual Plural

Nominative the Auspicious One the two Auspiciousthe Auspicious (3 or

more)

Accusativeto the Auspicious

Oneto the two Auspicious

to the Auspicious (3 or

more)

Instrumental

by/through/by means

of/with the

Auspicious One

by/through/by means

of/with the two

Auspicious

by/through/by means

of/with the Auspicious

(3 or more)

Dativeto/for the Auspicious

One

to/for the two

Auspicious

to/for the Auspicious (3

or more)

Ablative

from/because of/due

to the Auspicious

One

from/because of/due

to the two Auspicious

from/because of/due to

the Auspicious (3 or

more)

Genitiveof the Auspicious

Oneof the two Auspicious

of the Auspicious (3 or

more)

Locativein/on the Auspicious

One

in/on the two

Auspicious

in/on the Auspicious (3

or more)

Vocative

Oh Auspicious

One!/eh, Auspicious

One!

Oh two

Auspicious!/eh, two

Auspicious!

Oh Auspicious (3 or

more)!/eh, Auspicious

(3 or more)!