After learning "I called Ram" (object), Priya thinks in "I bought a book for Ram" too, "Ram" is…
After learning "I called Ram" (object), Priya thinks in "I bought a book for Ram" too, "Ram" is the same direct target (object) of the action. Her friend says the relationship is different here. Who is right?
Who do you think is right? Pick one.
The answer: Her friend is right, "Ram" is who the buying is done for
Why
Priya remembered Kartik's correct answer and reasonably tried finding the same relationship here — but 'बुलाना' (calling) and buying something for someone are different kinds of actions. In 'मैंने राम को बुलाया', the calling happened directly TO Ram (Ram is the object). But in 'मैंने राम के लिए किताब ख़रीदी', the actual action (buying) happened to the 'किताब', not to Ram — Ram is only the person the action was done FOR, benefiting from it. This relationship is called संप्रदान कारक (sampradan karak), different from कर्म कारक (karma karak) — कर्म is what the action is done TO; संप्रदान is who the action is done FOR. Test it: for 'किताब ख़रीदी', ask what was bought — the book (कर्म); ask for whom — Ram (संप्रदान). Her friend is right: here 'राम' is the beneficiary of the action (संप्रदान कारक), not the direct object — 'को'/'के लिए' can mark several different relationships depending on the sentence.
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