Ashtadhyayi (अष्टाध्यायी)
अष्टाध्यायी - Introduction
० पाणिनेः कृतिः - Work on Grammar
० अष्टानां अध्यायानां समाहारः - Group of 8 अध्यायऽ (chapters)
० Each अध्याय has 4 पादऽ (quarters).
० Has 4000 rules. Rules are in the form of सूत्र
० Other grammarians and their works were existed before Panini.
Chronology
० अष्टाध्यायी (१)
० वार्तिकं (२)
० महाभाष्यं (३)
० प्रदीपः (कैय्यटः) (५)
० उद्योत
० काशिका (४)
० पदमञ्जरी (६)
० न्यासः
Definition of सूत्रम्
अल्पाक्षरमसन्धिग्धं सारवत् विश्वतोमुखम् ।
अस्तोभमनवद्यं च सूत्रं सूत्रविदो विदुः । ।
Consise, Precise, Comprehensive, Broad scope, has no Fillers and Accurate.
Functions of सूत्रऽ
० संज्ञा - Defines of Name/Label
० परिभाषा - Provides convention to understand सूत्र
० विधि - Prescribes
० नियम - Restricts the scope
० अतिदेश - Extends some rules
० अधिकार - Sets the context and or repeats in succeeding सूत्रऽ
Big Picture of अष्टाध्यायी
० अध्याय १ and २ - संज्ञा, परिभाषा, (कारक, विभक्ति, समास)
० अध्याय ३ - धातु + तिङ् and कृत् प्रत्यय
० अध्याय ४ and ५ - प्रातिपादिक + सुप्/ तद्धित/समासान्त
० अध्याय ६-८ - प्रकृति/प्रत्यय विकार, सन्धि
What is विधिः?
विधि means prescription
० What does सूत्र prescribe ?
विधि-सूत्र prescribes one of the following :
० आदेश (Replacement or Substitution)
० आगम (Addition or Insertion)
० लोप (Removal or Deletion)
Structure of a सूत्र
What are needed for such a prescription?
० Substituent - स्थानी
० Substitute - आदेश/आगम वर्णऽ
० Conditions - निमित्तऽ
Structure of विधिसूत्र-
<स्थानी> <आदेश/आगम वर्ण ><निमित्त>
अनुवृत्तिः
If we cannot make sensible meaning out of the existing Words in the sutra then the words from previous sutras can be borrowed.
This concept of borrowing is called अनुवृत्ति.
अष्टाध्यायी to achieve अल्पाक्षरत्वं uses this concept of अनुवृत्ति.
Generally, अनुवृत्ति of the same विभक्ति words will not happen, except in some cases where विशेषण-विशेष्य relation exists.
यथासंख्यं-अनुदेशः
If we cannot make sensible meaning out of the existing Words in the sutra then the words from previous sutras can be borrowed.
This concept of borrowing is called अनुवृत्ति.
अष्टाध्यायी to achieve अल्पाक्षरत्वं uses this concept of अनुवृत्ति.
Generally, अनुवृत्ति of the same विभक्ति words will not happen, except in some cases where विशेषण-विशेष्य relation exists.
तपरस्तत्कालस्य (१-१-७०)
We have seen, when we mention अ-वर्ण, it stands for 18 variations of अ. If we want to say only ह्र्स्व or दीर्घ variations how to do ?
० Mark it with त्, then it is called तपर (having त् in the end).
० अत् => means all ह्रस्व variations of अ.
० ईत् => means all दीर्घ variations of ई.
अधिकारः सूत्र
Sutra that won’t prescribe/define anything by itself but will go along with the sutras following it to give additional meaning in those sutras is known as अधिकार-सूत्र
These are like leaders, who will not do only one particular task, but will aid each of his followers do their task.
एकः पूर्वपरयोः (६-१-८४)
This is अधिकार-सूत्र.
The scope of this अधिकार is from 6-1-85 to 6-1-111. Says, पूर्व and पर both will get single आदेश. Observe that पूर्वपरयोः is in षष्टी विभक्ति, hence स्थानी. एकः is in प्रथमा विभक्ति hence आदेश.
स्थानेऽन्तरतमः (१-१-५०)
When have to chose one वर्ण among many for replacement, the most similar is chosen. Similarity is based on the point of articulation of the वर्णऽ and other attributes of the वर्णऽ.
This type of सूत्र, where the conventions are defined is called a परिभाषा-सूत्र