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SANSKRIT GRAMMAR :
ITS TRADITION
(15)
1. INTRODUCTION :
has been recognised as the most important amongst the six Vedangas,
so its origin can easily be traced back to the Vedic period. The tradition
Pre-Paninian
» section. The Grammatical works of Panini
* and of others
related with his work ‘AstadhvavT of that age are discussed in the
••
Papinian Section. And the rest, which composed after Paiiini and
flourished even after the existence of the most systematic and scientific
Post-Paninian Section.
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X-PRE-PANINIAN SYSTEMS OF SANSKRIT GRAMMAR &
GRAMMARIANS :
(A) BRAHMA:
brhaspatij^ndraya,
indro bharadv§j§ya,
bharadvaja
J rsibhyah.’
J m
i
(B1 BRHASPATI:
(17)
Brhaspati (about 4000 B.C.) is the next elucidator of Sanskrit grammar
He was the son of Aiigira. Brhaspati, who was a family priest of Devas,
As we get
pratipadoktanam sabdanam
sabdaparayanam provaca.’
i i
Mahesvara or Siva (about 4000 B.C.) was a great ascetic.
His father was Prajapati Kasyapa and Surabhi was his mother.
i
Siva married the daughter of Daksaprajapati. He was the founder of
the six parts of the Veda. In support of this argument a line from the
yaduddhrtam,
vyakaranarnrtam .’'
(D )IN D R A :
F N :(1 ) y e n a k s a r a s a m a m n a y a m a d h ig a m y a
m a h e s v a r a t;
k r ts n a m v y a k a r a n a m p r o k ta m t a s m a i
p a n in a y e n a m a h .'
(19)
mythology, the Aindra-Vyakarana is considered as the oldest grammar.
Though the book was destroyed long ago, yet fortunately, two SQtras of
and the Aindra-Vvakarana is less than these two. The grammar of Panini
above grammars.
(20 )
As we get in the verse
tadardhakumbhoddharanam brhaspatau;
(E) BHARADVAJA ;
Though his books are not available today, yet according to RK Tantra.
(F) VAYU :
‘vag va aindravayavah’.
(21 )
The Vavu Pur§na is an evidence that he had great command
over the Sanskrit grammar. Vayu was the father of Hanuman^, who
|/C
work Kasika.
( 22)
(H) G A R G Y A :
(iii) ‘nodattasvaritodayamagirgyakasyapa-gllavanam’ -
(Ast.- 8/4/67)
(I) G A L A V A :
(23)
(i) ‘iko hrasvo’nyo
(iv) ‘nodattasvaritodayamagargya
of Gargya.
(J) B H A G U R l:
grammarian. Panini has not described the views of Bhaguri in his book 0
Astadhvavl Bhaguri elucided Dhatuoatha. related to grammar.
(K) B H A R A D V A JA :
(24 )
1900 B.C. His views have been illustrated twice in the ancient books
as follows
(L) MADHYANDINI:
have written a Sanskrit grammar. But we do^iot find his name in the ^
M ) PAUSKARASADI:
\ / ............ ..... ."T-|P ................ ■'.....
great grammarian. Panini has not written anything about him and about
his grammar. Pau§kara was the short name of Pauskarasadi, who lived
(25 )
(N1 CAKRAVARMANA:
PSnini and Apisali because these two authors have quoted the views
(Ast 6/1/130)
(01 CARAYANA:
(P) KASAKRTSNA:
*
Though in Panini's list of grammarians we do not find his name, still the
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p re se n t g ra m m a ria n s co m m u n ity h as re g a rd e d him as a top
grammarian. Even Vopadeva has admitted the fact that the respected
‘Sabda-Kalpa’,
(Q ) S A N T A N U :
/
The great grammarian Santanu (about 1700 B.C.) explained
the Sanskrit gram m ar in verse. He was the first elucidator of the ‘phit-
_ t_ _
sutra’. Santanu w as the father of BhTsmapitamaha.
(R) S A K A L Y A :
t t
Sakalya (about 1675 B.C.) was the son of Sakala. Panini
/ _ __
has mentioned the opinion of Sakalya four times in his b ookAstadhvavi.
(27 )
(iii) ‘sarvatra sakalyasya’ (Ast. 8/4/51)
(S) APISALl:
01 KASYAPA:
(2 8 )
OJ) SAKATAYANA:
*
' /
It is obvious that super grammarian Sakatayana wrote an
that there were the description of common Sanskrit words and also
(V) GAUTAMA:
(29)
quoted in many old books like Mahabhasva. Taittirfya-Pratisakhva.
Maitravamva-Pratisakhva etc.
(W) SPHOTAYANA:
sutra :
(X) V Y A D I:
Vyadi (about 1550 B.C.) was the son of Vyada and his
of Sanskrit literature and grammar. It is clear from the old books that
Vyadi had written a book of Sanskrit grammar. But we donot find his
(Y) S E N A K A :
(3 0 )
Only Panini has quoted the opinion of Senaka on one occasion in his
AstadhvavP as follows
•♦
(Z) S A U N A K I:
/ /
Saunaki (about 1425 B.C.) was the son of Saunaka, who
_ /
was a great devotee of Brahma. According to Sanskrit scholars Saunaki
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3. PAN INI AN SYSTEM OF SANSKRIT GRAMMAR :
(d) Salanki
clear that Panini was born between 2900 BC and 300 BC.
comprised of
m i$ k :
into four Padas or sections. Panini has written about four thousand
(B ) KATYAYANA'S V A R T T IK A S :
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(C) FA T A N JA LFS M A H A B H A S Y A : (11 to 200 BC)
hence aptly called 'Kk&nT or ‘Akara’. The work is spread over such a
given at various academ ies all over the country and incorporated the
gist of those studies given in the form ofW rttikas at the various places,
with Panini, appeared before him and sounded his drum for 14 times
/ _ /
(c) Sabdanusasana (e) Vrtti sutra.
‘sabdanusasana’.
Panini's grammar.
( 35 )
Actually, AstadhftvavF is not ‘Krta’ work of Panini. It is his
‘prokta’ work.
(e) Krta.
the help of other works existing in the society for a long time, are called
jfij He doe^fiot become the author of all the matters written and mentioned
therein. He simply purifies the old themes and places them in a
‘Prokta’ by way of writing two different sutras which are given below
(36 )
(a) ‘tenaproktam’ (Ast. 4/3/101)
grammar must have been to supply, for the benefit of members of his
the Chinese pilgrim, tells us that Jayaditya died about 660 A.D.;
and from this we may guess about the date of the Kasika.
(37 )
The Kasika is a running commentary on Panini's AstadhvavT
and its merit consists in the lucid manner in which it has explained the
stitras of Panini, clearly indicating all the Anuvrttis and giving numerous
which we could not possibly have obtained from any other sources.
by Haradatta.
is marking the end of the second period in the history of the Ptninian
school. His work has been commented upon by Nagojibhatta, the author
(38)
(D) THE R U PAM ALA:
Prakrivakaumudr
(R BHATTOJI'S SIDDHANTA-KAUMUPF:
was the son of Laksmidhara and the brother of Rangoji Diksita. Bhattoji
✓
was the pupil of Sesha-Krsna and his date must be about 1630 A.D.
( 39 )
Praudha-Manoram§.
.......... '9 .................... .... ..... . Besides shorter works such as commentaries on
AstadhvaVT sim ilar in plan to the Kasika. The most famous commentary
which is very useful for those who want to have mastery on Sanskrit
grammar.
/
(G) There are about a dozen works on Vyakarapa-Sastra
(40 )
(4} POST-PAN1N1AN SYSTEM OF SANSKRIT G RAM M AR :
grammar have been playing a significant and vital role in teaching the
(A) KATANTRA-VYAKARANA:
daring task of challenging the traditional and the most authentic system
41
( )
The Katantra-V vakarana upto the Akhyiata section is
(Eight hundred fifty five) sutras only. The total number of the sutras of
this grammar are 1686 (One thousand six hundred eighty six). How the
For the sake of facility, the whole text has classified into
(d) Krt-prakarana.
Vvakarana, its author deserves honour for showing new lines of studing
(B) CANDRA-VYAKARANA:
(42 )
CandragomTas one of the eight important grammarians whose systems
from that of Paninian system. There are six chapters in the Candra-
chapters donot deal with the rules of Vedic grammar and accentuation.
With the composition of this new Vyakarana he not only benefited his
(C) JAINENDRA-VYAKARANA:
(43 )
Jainas. Panini, Katyayana, CandragomTand Sarvavarma are the writers
from whose work, Devanandf drew material without acknowledging
anywhere in the Jainendra-Vvakarana. The Jainendra-Vvakarana
* %
(D) SAKATAYANA-VYAKARANA:
3236 (Three thousand two hundred thirty six) Sutras divided into four
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Adhyayas. Each Adhyaya is further sub-divided into four padas.
/
Sakatayana based his vyakarana upon the AstadhvavT and improved it
in the light of the other systems of grammar to cover the changes which
came into the language after the composition of AstadhvavT: But, this
* •
(E) SARASVATl-KANTHABHARANA:
with the grammar of Vedic language and the accents. After Panini,
Bhoja was perhaps the first grammarian who paid his attention towards
these portions and included them in his system. But at present, this
Adhyaya was agin sub-divided into four padas. The whole system
contained 5502 (Five thousand five hundred two) Sutras. The
Haima-Vvakarana in spite of its comprehensiveness and the most
coveted by the Jainas could not stand in the competition of the Paninian
system and consequently became unpopular among the Sanskrit
scholars.
(G) MUGHABODHA-VYAKARANA:
(46)
commentaries were written on it from the time of its composition up to
sphere of its circulation has been limited only to Bengal and Assam.
(H) SARASVATA-VYAKARANA :
to the AstadhSvavFof
w* J J
Panini.
* We see that in the Sarasvata-Vvakarana.
very popular and is still studied in some parts of India, especially the
(47)
m ----------:-----------------------------------*----
SAMKS1PTASARA-VYAKARANA:
like the Katantra and the Candra. Inspite of the existence and popularity
/ /
of the Saivas of central part of India. Kramadisvara was a resident of
P u rv a g ra m a and he w a s th e e ld e s t son o f C a k ra p a n i. T he
Prakrit language only. The total number of Sutras dealing with Sanskrit
grammar is 3859 (Three thousand eight hundred fifty nine) and the 8th
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(J) SUPADMA-VYAKARANA :
Supadma-Vvakarana
0
is divided into 5 Chapters and each chapter is
again sub-divided into 4 padas, where there are total 2800 (Two
(K) PRAYOGARATNAMALA-VYAKARANA:
Pravoqaratnamala-Vvakarana. written by
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(L) LATER SECTARIAN SYSTEMS OF SANSKRIT GRAMMAR :
Harinamamrta. There are two works going by this name. The one by
(1484-1527 A.D.) and the ohter by JivagosvamT, which varies only slightly
/
There are existence of similar sectarian works of the Saiva
(vii) Jnamrta
*
Kasisvara
f
(viii) Pada-Candrika Sesa-Krsna
m ** m
(xiii) Pradiba-Vvakarana
•
Kasinltha.
etc.
♦♦♦
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