Learning Sanskrit grammar

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psho...@gmail.com

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Jun 14, 2018, 5:10:10 PM6/14/18
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If you've reading fluency in an Indian language, you probably don't have to rely on grammatical terms used in Latin to learn Sanskrit grammar. 

I started with a book such as the one by Goldman but when I found that my mother-tongue (Malayalam) had many books on Sanskrit Grammar, I decided to give them a try. Much to my surprise, I found that, on the whole, it was much easier to learn sanskrit grammar through my language than through English.

A simple example: 'locative absolute' was referred to simply as 'sati saptami'. How mnemonic this term is! 

Hence, to repeat: if you're from India and  have reading fluency in one of its languages, check out Sanskrit grammars written in your own language. You might be pleasantly surprised! 

As an added bonus, you probably won't have to split a fine hair between constructions such as prepositions and adverbs! :-)





Prabha Pillai

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Jun 15, 2018, 10:58:09 AM6/15/18
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Pl will you give me the malayalam grammar book name?

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psho...@gmail.com

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Jun 15, 2018, 7:52:45 PM6/15/18
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Hi,

Here's one such book:


I've gone through other books also. I'll compile a list and send to you.

By the way, is there a way on this forum to send a reply just to one person? I think this topic might not be of general interest and I do not want to send this compiled list to all.

Look at this title:


This book won Sahitya Academy Award (Malayalam) in 1956. It's considered a great work on Panini's grammar rules and is written in Malayalam. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a copy of this book because it's been long since out of publication. 

Here's another great book written in Malayalam, again on Panini's grammar:


Best,

Praveen

Taff Rivers

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Jun 17, 2018, 2:22:41 PM6/17/18
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pshoopla,

In association with the Sanskrit 'locative absolute' there is something that English calls  'dangling participles'.
 
I don't know the Sanskrit for this term (can anyone help me here?), but the both of them were referenced a year and a half ago in this forum by https://ia801909.us.archive.org/18/items/SatiSaptami/sati%20saptami.pdf

For non-dangling participles you may want to google for 'ps hoopla', especially as you are of a humorus disposition.
I understand that there are many such upstanding in India (:-).

Taff_Rivers

Sunder Hattangadi

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Jun 18, 2018, 11:33:53 AM6/18/18
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Taff Rivers

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Jun 18, 2018, 2:03:13 PM6/18/18
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sunder,

   Thanks,

   That's what I suspected.
I not only searched around online, but through many such books on my own bookshelf, to no avail.

No such 'dangling participles' by name, but in reality there are many, and that is what matters, along with their even more troublesome cousins dangling modifiers.

In my reply to pshoopla's post, Absolute is dangling - as it leaves unsaid what (word or words) do so dangle.
Moreover Absolute, modifies something, but what that something is, is left to the imagination of the reader to supply.

All, is an absolute (as compared with most or some) - it is a dangling modifier, but what does it modify.

That so much Sanskrit literature abounds in these things, is the cause of diverse byasa's on even a single verse.

What would be most worth finding is a bhāṣya, sub- bhāṣya, sub-sub-bhāṣya.... where the commentator admits that he/she doesn't have a clue what the sutra means.
But I'm not holding my breath.

Regards,

Taff_Rivers
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