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A few nuances of samskrit used in Vaidika bhasha (वैदिकभाषा) and Laukika bhasha (लौकिकभाषा) such as differences in syllables, words, meanings, sentences and thoughts worthy of note are placed in the reader's perspective.
A few nuances of samskrit used in Vaidika bhasha (वैदिकभाषा) and Laukika bhasha (लौकिकभाषा) such as differences in syllables, words, meanings, sentences and thoughts worthy of note are placed in the reader's perspective.
== वैदिकभाषायाः सूक्ष्मप्रभेदाः ॥ Nuances of Vaidika bhasha ==
== Vedic Language - A Few Nuances ==
We bring forth in the following section the subtle differences in Vedic Language (वैदिकभाषा) with examples, far different from the present day language, and the associated interesting points that are raised.
We bring forth in the following section the subtle differences in Vedic Language (वैदिकभाषा) with examples, far different from the present day language, and the associated interesting points that are raised.
=== अक्षरम् || Akshara (Alphabet) ===
=== अक्षरम् || Akshara (Alphabet) ===
There are rks with a single akshara as a complete word:<blockquote>ऊ॒र्ध्व ऊ॒ षु णो॑ अध्वरस्य होत॒रग्ने॒ तिष्ठ॑ दे॒वता॑ता॒ यजी॑यान् । (Rig. Veda. 4.6.1)</blockquote><blockquote>ūrdhva ū ṣu ṇo adhvarasya hotar agne tiṣṭha devatātā yajīyān |</blockquote>One cannot understand the rk mantra context without knowing the meaning of words comprising of single akshara which is a unique feature of the Rigveda.
There are rks with a single akshara as a complete word:<blockquote>ऊ॒र्ध्व ऊ॒ षु णो॑ अध्वरस्य होत॒रग्ने॒ तिष्ठ॑ दे॒वता॑ता॒ यजी॑यान् । (Rig. Veda. 4.6.1)</blockquote><blockquote>ūrdhva ū ṣu ṇo adhvarasya hotar agne tiṣṭha devatātā yajīyān |</blockquote>One cannot understand the rk mantra context without knowing the meaning of words comprising of single akshara which is a unique feature of the Rigveda.
=== अर्थः || Artha (Meaning) ===
=== अर्थः || Artha (Meaning) ===
Apart from the unique words seen in vedic texts, some words such as those given below are seen both in Vedic and Classical texts but with different meanings.<ref>Aryamantavya Article : [http://aryamantavya.in/from-vedic-to-classical-sanskrit-development-or-decay/ From Vedic to Classical Sanskrit] (Development or Decay)</ref>
Apart from the unique words seen in vedic texts, some words such as those given below are seen both in Vedic and Classical texts but with different meanings.<ref name=":5">Aryamantavya Article : [http://aryamantavya.in/from-vedic-to-classical-sanskrit-development-or-decay/ From Vedic to Classical Sanskrit] (Development or Decay)</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Word
!Word
=== विचारः || Vichara (Thought) ===
=== विचारः || Vichara (Thought) ===
* अ॒ग्निम॒भिप॑वते | agnimabhipavate | अ॒ग्निम॒भिसंप॑वते | agnimabhisaṁpavate | (Tait. Brah. 2.3.9)
* अ॒ग्निम॒भिप॑वते | agnimabhipavate | अ॒ग्निम॒भिसंप॑वते | agnimabhisaṁpavate | (Tait. Brah. 2.3.9)
Is there any significant difference in the above two statements? Does a mantra need repetition to just add an adverb, saṁ (सम्) (Upasarga) to the verb ‘pavate (पवते)’, when latter sentence alone could have done the job, particularly when we know Veda uses minimum words with maximum efficiency?
Is there any significant difference in the above two statements? Does a mantra need repetition to just add an adverb, sam (सम्) (Upasarga) to the verb ‘pavate (पवते)’, when latter sentence alone could have done the job, particularly when we know Veda uses minimum words with maximum efficiency?
* म॒नो॑ गायत्रि॒यै | गा॒य॒त्री त्रिष्टुभे॑ | त्रि॒ष्टुब्जग॑त्यै | जग॑त्यनु॒ष्टुभे॑ | manō gāyatriyai | gāyatrī triṣṭubhē | triṣṭubjagatyai | jagatyanuṣṭubhē | (Tait. Brah. 3.7.6)
* म॒नो॑ गायत्रि॒यै | गा॒य॒त्री त्रिष्टुभे॑ | त्रि॒ष्टुब्जग॑त्यै | जग॑त्यनु॒ष्टुभे॑ | manō gāyatriyai | gāyatrī triṣṭubhē | triṣṭubjagatyai | jagatyanuṣṭubhē | (Tait. Brah. 3.7.6)
What is the underlying thought of such often seen repetitions?
What is the underlying thought of such often seen repetitions?
* वाचेन्नम् | ब्रह्मण ओदनम् | vācēnnam | brahmaṇa ōdanam | (Tait. Aran. 3.10)
* वाचेन्नम् | ब्रह्मण ओदनम् | vācēnnam | brahmaṇa ōdanam | (Tait. Aran. 3.10)
What is Veda conveying in these two repeated sentences?
What is Veda conveying in these two repeated sentences?
These are some of the questions raised by scholars in their writings on vedic language.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":5" />
== प्रातिशाख्य-ग्रन्थाः ॥ Pratishakhya Granthas ==
== प्रातिशाख्य-ग्रन्थाः ॥ Pratishakhya Granthas ==
Many such questions arise in understanding Vedas, thus making their interpretation difficult. These variations suggest that Vedic language is different from conventional languages that we know and use. Veda talks about the importance of akshara at many places. There are many rk (ऋक्) and Yajus mantras emphasizing the importance of akshara. 11th anuvaka of 7th prashna in 1st kanda of Taittiriya samhita<ref>Taittriya Samhita ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD Kanda 1 Prapathaka 7])</ref> is all about aksharas, starting with <blockquote>अग्निरेकाक्षरेण वाच मुदजयत् | agnirekākṣareṇa vācha mudajayat</blockquote>Earlier Vedic scholars (Shaunaka, being one of them) wrote books on the language structure of Veda, called as '''Pratishakhya Granthas'''. Each one of those books deal at length about akshara. Hence, one has to thoroughly understand the speech system and become eloquent in vedic grammatical rules to interpret Vedic language.
Many such questions arise in understanding Vedas, thus making their interpretation difficult. These variations suggest that Vedic language is different from conventional languages that we know and use. Veda talks about the importance of akshara at many places. There are many rk (ऋक्) and Yajus mantras emphasizing the importance of akshara. 11th anuvaka of 7th prashna in 1st kanda of Taittiriya samhita<ref>Taittriya Samhita ([https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A5%83%E0%A4%B7%E0%A5%8D%E2%80%8D%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%9C%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%A6%E0%A4%83/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A3%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A1%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D_%E0%A5%A7/%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A0%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%83_%E0%A5%AD Kanda 1 Prapathaka 7])</ref> is all about aksharas, starting with <blockquote>अग्निरेकाक्षरेण वाच मुदजयत् | agnirekākṣareṇa vācha mudajayat</blockquote>Earlier Vedic scholars (Shaunaka, being one of them) wrote books on the language structure of Veda, called as '''Pratishakhya Granthas'''. Each one of those books deal at length about akshara. Hence, one has to thoroughly understand the speech system and become eloquent in vedic grammatical rules to interpret Vedic language.