Summary of differences between Sanskrit, Prakrit and modern Indian languages?

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Amit Rao

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Jul 5, 2022, 12:19:22 AM7/5/22
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Dear scholars,

I am trying to see if the evolution of modern languages from Sanskrit and Prakrit can be systematically characterized (formally or informally) in terms of the differences at various levels such as that of varnas (lexical), vyutpatti of padas (morphological), usage of karaka and vibhaktis (sentential) and foreign language influences, that gave rise to the differences in grammar and vocabulary. 

Are there classical granthas or modern studies (books/theses/papers) that have attempted such a characterization? Preferably original in Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi or English (the languages I know), or a translation into one of these.

I would be very grateful for any and all pointers in this direction.

Dhanyavaadaah _/\_
Amit Rao

L Srinivas

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Jul 5, 2022, 7:29:06 AM7/5/22
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Among modern studies, Cardona, George, and Dhanesh Jain (eds). The Indo-Aryan Languages may be a good starting point. It has descriptions of Sanskrit, Prakrits and some (not all) modern Indian languages. The general introduction by the editors gives a tour d'horizon of the subject.

Hope this helps,

Srini

Nagaraj Paturi

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Jul 5, 2022, 7:51:36 AM7/5/22
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Before reading detailed studies , it may be useful to have a basic understanding. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_Indo-Aryan_languages 

The Indo-Aryan languages developed and emerged in three stages — Old Indo-Aryan (1500 BCE to 600 BCE), Middle Indo-Aryan stage (600 BCE and 1000 CE) and New Indo-Aryan (between 1000 CE and 1300 CE). The modern north Indian Indo-Aryan languages all evolved into distinct, recognisable languages in the New Indo-Aryan Age

Modern Indo-Aryan languages descend from Old Indo-Aryan languages such as early Vedic Sanskrit, through Middle Indo-Aryan languages (or Prakrits). The largest such languages in terms of first-speakers are Hindi–Urdu (c. 329 million), Bengali (242 million),Punjabi (about 120 million), Marathi (112 million), Gujarati (60 million), Rajasthani (58 million), Bhojpuri (51 million), Odia (35 million), Maithili (about 34 million), Sindhi (25 million), Nepali (16 million), Assamese (15 million), Chhattisgarhi (18 million), Sinhala (17 million), and Romani (c. 3.5 million).


Indian subcontinent[edit]

Dates indicate only a rough time frame.

Old Indo-Aryan[edit]

The earliest evidence of the group is from Vedic Sanskrit, that is used in the ancient preserved texts of the Indian subcontinent, the foundational canon of the Hindu synthesis known as the Vedas. The Indo-Aryan superstrate in Mitanni is of similar age to the language of the Rigveda, but the only evidence of it is a few proper names and specialized loanwords.[27]

While Old Indo-Aryan is the earliest stage of the Indo-Aryan branch, from which all known languages of the later stages Middle and New Indo-Aryan are derived, some documented Middle Indo-Aryan variants cannot fully be derived from the documented form of Old Indo-Aryan (on which Vedic and Classical Sanskrit are based), but betray features that must go back to other undocumented variants/dialects of Old Indo-Aryan.[28]

From Vedic Sanskrit, "Sanskrit" (literally "put together", "perfected" or "elaborated") developed as the prestige language of culture, science and religion, as well as the court, theatre, etc. Sanskrit of the later Vedic texts is comparable to Classical Sanskrit, but is largely mutually unintelligible with Vedic Sanskrit.[29]

Middle Indo-Aryan (Prakrits)[edit]

Outside the learned sphere of Sanskrit, vernacular dialects (Prakrits) continued to evolve. The oldest attested Prakrits are the Buddhist and Jain canonical languages Pali and Ardhamagadhi Prakrit, respectively. Inscriptions in Ashokan Prakrit were also part of this early Middle Indo-Aryan stage.

By medieval times, the Prakrits had diversified into various Middle Indo-Aryan languagesApabhraṃśa is the conventional cover term for transitional dialects connecting late Middle Indo-Aryan with early Modern Indo-Aryan, spanning roughly the 6th to 13th centuries. Some of these dialects showed considerable literary production; the Śravakacāra of Devasena (dated to the 930s) is now considered to be the first Hindi book.

The next major milestone occurred with the Muslim conquests in the Indian subcontinent in the 13th–16th centuries. Under the flourishing Turco-Mongol Mughal EmpirePersian became very influential as the language of prestige of the Islamic courts due to adoptation of the foreign language by the Mughal emperors.

The two largest languages that formed from Apabhraṃśa were Bengali and Hindustani; others include AssameseSindhiGujaratiOdiaMarathi, and Punjabi.

New Indo-Aryan[edit]

Medieval Hindustani[edit]
Main article: Hindustani language

In the Central Zone Hindi-speaking areas, for a long time the prestige dialect was Braj Bhasha, but this was replaced in the 19th century by Dehlavi-based Hindustani. Hindustani was strongly influenced by Persian, with these and later Sanskrit influence leading to the emergence of Modern Standard Hindi and Modern Standard Urdu as registers of the Hindustani language.[30][31] This state of affairs continued until the division of the British Indian Empire in 1947, when Hindi became the official language in India and Urdu became official in Pakistan. Despite the different script the fundamental grammar remains identical, the difference is more sociolinguistic than purely linguistic.[32][33][34] Today it is widely understood/spoken as a second or third language throughout South Asia[35] and one of the most widely known languages in the world in terms of number of speakers.


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Nagaraj Paturi
 
Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.


Senior Director, IndicA
BoS, MIT School of Vedic Sciences, Pune, Maharashtra
BoS Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Maharashtra
BoS Veda Vijnana Gurukula, Bengaluru.
Member, Advisory Council, Veda Vijnana Shodha Samsthanam, Bengaluru
BoS Rashtram School of Public Leadership
Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Studies in Public Leadership
Former Senior Professor of Cultural Studies, 
FLAME School of Communication and FLAME School of  Liberal Education, 
Hyderabad, Telangana, INDIA.
 
 
 

Radhakrishna Warrier

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Jul 5, 2022, 8:12:30 AM7/5/22
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Here is an observation from this alpajña on this topic.  The difference between classical Sanskrit and the Prakrits of say the time of Emperor Aśoka may be no more than that between the different spoken dialects of modern Tamil and the standard language written and spoken in learned discourses (or even in TV news.)  The difference between the so-called Vedic Sanskrit and classical Sanskrit may not be more than that between the Tamil of say Puanāūu and modern standard Tamil. 



From: bvpar...@googlegroups.com <bvpar...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Nagaraj Paturi <nagara...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 5, 2022 4:50 AM
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com <bvpar...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Re: Summary of differences between Sanskrit, Prakrit and modern Indian languages?
 

BVK Sastry (G-S-Pop)

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Jul 5, 2022, 10:59:55 PM7/5/22
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Namaste

 

Connecting back to the starting question :

 

< I am trying to see if the evolution of modern languages from Sanskrit and Prakrit can be systematically characterized (formally or informally) in terms of the differences at various levels such as that of varnas (lexical), vyutpatti of padas (morphological), usage of karaka and vibhaktis (sentential) and foreign language influences, that gave rise to the differences in grammar and vocabulary. 

 

Are there classical granthas or modern studies (books/theses/papers) that have attempted such a characterization? Preferably original in Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi or English (the languages I know), or a translation into one of these >

 

In my limited framework of understanding

 

1. The root of this problem starts with  language-researching teams adapting two or more models of what constitutes / what they consider as ‘Language (Human), Language (Applications), Language ( Interactivity and evolution)’. The ‘language modelling in each team is carrying ‘undisclosed axioms and hypothesis , deeply anchored to ‘ Scriptures, Sciences and Social understanding’.  The plural is consciously, intentionally used . These axioms and hypothesis are a noodled mess locked deeply to personal ego issues and faiths’. Why one set of references should be more authentic is a  challenged issue.

 

2. Consequent of not addressing this root-problem, the outcome is the articulation of  issue: ‘evolution of languages : by relations like -  Parent- Child,  Co-born, distorted, encrypted’  is next round of ‘noodling’ using preferred logic and resources.  

 

Example: Given fact for Indic Brahmi languages are continuing flow of ‘ Language Groups’ that go back by historical time period marker as ‘3200 BCE’ (for convenience- taking Mahabharata as a reference : King Parikshit for anchor). The dynamics of Indian language scenario in this period up to say 200 BCE ( for convenience- say Ashokan regime).  The current academic  and traditional understanding of the ‘Languages’ in this time-segment’ covering the basket of ‘Brahmi language stock’ is pre-Biblical and pre-Buddha.  Indian grammarians provided several language models to explain this. The major one is ‘Chandas (Vedic)- Bhashaa ( Social Samskrutham).  All Social languages coming under ‘Brahmi-Bhashaa- basket’ are further classified and studied as ‘ Shaastra Bhashaa - Prakrutham –Apabhramsha- Mleccha –  Guhya – Desha bhashaa / vyavahara bhashaa (  Hindi:  boli )’ :: Technically correct Standard by grammar rule and lexicon meaning compliance -  Derivative – Distorted - Irrevocably Corrupted – Technically  encrypted – Public conversational speech. 

 

This model of explanation flourished and understood at least up to 17th century, before the ‘ Tower of Babel/ Darwin /Bibbang / Neuroscience’ frameworks practically made osmosis to the academics , displacing the tradition and disrespecting the traditional ‘bhashaa-shaastra-kaar’. In other words, ‘Panini- Patanjali’ are no more authorities to decode an ‘ ancient Samskruth document’ ; the authority is vested with ‘Tower of Babel – linguistic theories’.

 

Much of ‘Brahmi-Tamil grammar’ is extensively described in the oldest available grammar book for Tamil, the Tolkāppiyam (dated between 300 BCE and 300 CE). Modern Tamil writing is largely based on the 13th century grammar Naṉṉūl, which restated and clarified the rules of the Tolkāppiyam with some modifications. [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_grammar ]    [  Tamil-Brahmi - Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil-Brahmi ]  

 

 

3. Challenges to be cleared even in formulating a framework for  the proposed study : On the top of this there have been ‘ Educational – governmental  - policy interventions in social teaching and usage of Indian languages have also contributed to make the ‘language –evolution’ study much more complex.

 

The basic reference markers as ‘ Varna- akshara / script and pronunciation are at great variance !

The basic reference bearings on ‘what constitutes a standard and axis to study the deviation need fixing.

 

We seem to have excellent scholarly studies, several opinions; but no common minimum concurrence on basic issues.

 

Standardisation of Tamil script - Wikipedia  -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standardisation_of_Tamil_script ]  

 

Add to this the Digital medley,  the on-line databases and the need for review of ‘ data’ locked here.

 

Regards

BVK Sastry

 

 

From: bvpar...@googlegroups.com [mailto:bvpar...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Radhakrishna Warrier
Sent: 05 July 2022 17:42
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: {
भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Re: Summary of differences between Sanskrit, Prakrit and modern Indian languages?

 

Here is an observation from this alpajña on this topic.  The difference between classical Sanskrit and the Prakrits of say the time of Emperor Aśoka may be no more than that between the different spoken dialects of modern Tamil and the standard language written and spoken in learned discourses (or even in TV news.)  The difference between the so-called Vedic Sanskrit and classical Sanskrit may not be more than that between the Tamil of say Puanāūu and modern standard Tamil. 

 


From: bvpar...@googlegroups.com <bvpar...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Nagaraj Paturi <nagara...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 5, 2022 4:50 AM
To: bvpar...@googlegroups.com <bvpar...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: {
भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Re: Summary of differences between Sanskrit, Prakrit and modern Indian languages?

 

Before reading detailed studies , it may be useful to have a basic understanding. 

 

The Indo-Aryan languages developed and emerged in three stages — Old Indo-Aryan (1500 BCE to 600 BCE), Middle Indo-Aryan stage (600 BCE and 1000 CE) and New Indo-Aryan (between 1000 CE and 1300 CE). The modern north Indian Indo-Aryan languages all evolved into distinct, recognisable languages in the New Indo-Aryan Age

 

Modern Indo-Aryan languages descend from Old Indo-Aryan languages such as early Vedic Sanskrit, through Middle Indo-Aryan languages (or Prakrits). The largest such languages in terms of first-speakers are Hindi–Urdu (c. 329 million), Bengali (242 million),Punjabi (about 120 million), Marathi (112 million), Gujarati (60 million), Rajasthani (58 million), Bhojpuri (51 million), Odia (35 million), Maithili (about 34 million), Sindhi (25 million), Nepali (16 million), Assamese (15 million), Chhattisgarhi (18 million), Sinhala (17 million), and Romani (c. 3.5 million).

 

 

Indian subcontinent[edit]

Dates indicate only a rough time frame.

·         Proto-Indo-Aryan (before 1500 BCE, reconstructed)

·         Old Indo-Aryan (ca. 1500–300 BCE)

o    early Old Indo-Aryan: includes Vedic Sanskrit (ca. 1500 to 500 BCE)

o    late Old Indo-Aryan: Epic SanskritClassical Sanskrit (ca. 200 CE to 1300 CE)

o    Mitanni Indo-Aryan (ca. 1400 BCE)

·         Middle Indo-Aryan or Prakrits (ca. 300 BCE to 1500 CE)

o    early Buddhist texts (ca. 6th or 5th century BCE)

o    early Middle Indo-Aryan: e.g. Ashokan Prakrits, PaliGandhari, (ca. 300 BCE to 200 BCE)

o    middle Middle Indo-Aryan: e.g. Dramatic PrakritsElu (ca. 200 BCE to 700 CE)

o    late Middle Indo-Aryan: e.g. Abahattha (ca. 700 CE to 1500 CE)

Amit Rao

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Jul 6, 2022, 3:57:47 AM7/6/22
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Thanks Radhakrishna mahodaya,

That may  be true; the differences may be relatively minor, but it is still useful to characterize them systematically.

Regards,
Amit Rao

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Amit Rao

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Jul 6, 2022, 3:57:47 AM7/6/22
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Thanks a lot, Nagaraj varya!

Regards,
Amit Rao

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Amit Rao

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Jul 6, 2022, 3:57:47 AM7/6/22
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Thanks a lot Srini mahodaya! This looks very useful.  I will check it out. 

What about traditional Indian works on this topic? May not cover modern Indian languages maybe, but Vedic/Classical/Prakrit?
I have vague recollection of mention of a grantha called Prakrita Darshana, but do not recollect the author, and cannot find it on searching.  

Regards,
Amit Rao

On Tue, Jul 5, 2022 at 4:59 PM L Srinivas <lns2...@gmail.com> wrote:
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Amit Rao

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Jul 6, 2022, 3:57:47 AM7/6/22
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Namaste Sastry varya,

Your comments are very interesting. I am keen to know more about the traditional Indian grammarian model(s) you have mentioned.
Where can I get more details? 

Thanks, and regards,
Amit Rao

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BVK Sastry (G-S-Pop)

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Jul 6, 2022, 7:58:22 AM7/6/22
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Namaste

On < Where can I get more details? > :

 

For once, please take a look at the ‘Indic language traditions’ as ‘native grammarians, linguists and users’ have understood and used.

 

Just remove the lens of ‘Indo-‘ branching model and ‘Proto-‘ divider -  locked to ‘Tower of Babel linguistics, history, theology and tag markings as ‘ Aryan – Dravidian, Invaders- Natives,  Indo-European framework and comparative linguistics goals.  I am not telling fight with history writers ! I am asking you to look at ‘Language Modelling and continuity using the lexicons and grammars,  which is far more advanced thinking than Grimm’s law limitation.

 

Study Indic Brahmi languages as ‘Co-Located Common rooted languages of Nation called Bharath (: which is aa-setu-himachalam:: as a land , far bigger than a select small sacred piece called ‘Aryavartam Punya-Bhoomih’), spoken by people whose origination is named ‘Bharatham Janah’ (where ‘Bharata’ is a noun for a Figure  head personality).

 

One celebrated name for native Prakuth grammarians is Hemachandra; For Tamil, the root model is coming from Kurul. For ‘Desi –grammars’ read the ‘desha-kosha and desi naama-maalaa’ / Tatsama- Tadbhava rules in allied brahmi languages for Kannada, Telugu, tamil, ….Kashmiri, gujrati, marathi….. Read Bana, Dandi, Subandhu, … Rajashekaras works.

The technical meaning ( shaastra-pari-bhashaa) and semantic explanation( nirukti) of the terms : prakrutam, apa-bhramshah, mlecchitah, guhyam, siddham, Deshyam, Saamjikam are good enough to start with.

 

This line of thinking is consciously subverted in Indic language studies for reasons that need no elaboration.

The ‘alternative  line of ‘Given explanation for Indian languages’ is consumed and continued to be done so for reasons that need no elaboration. The change in the name of  discipline to a western nomenclature does not take away the ground reality.  

 

IF the most challenged IVC –seals, the Vedic texts  are studied using the ‘ Non-Brahmi/ Non-Samskruth lens’ and ‘Poorly modelled Tamil language lens’ ( even when a clear note came from the senior archeo- historian Dr. S R Rao),  the outcome is disastrous!  The selective picks of Vedanga Jyotisha to ‘ Sky mapped patterns and eclipses somehow seem to get disconnected with the ground reality footprints of ‘ Vedanga Jyotisha and technical modelling of language used in the text. I am yet to see good reason for not decoding ‘ IVC seals’ using ‘ Kurul and Paninian Samskruth  Native framework’.  Dr. Kalyanaraman , Mcihel Danino, and some others have done some excellent work. So also some other who have researched on ‘Sarasvati – river bed distributed traces linking it to the Vedic yajnas’. For the present, these views seem to remain ‘ side –curiosities’.

 

If we continue to carry the wrong model to understand the ‘ language –foot prints,  cultural connectivity’s and root anchors of Brahmi sources, the history of Bharath will be on an ‘Eternal discovery ( Bharath: Ek Khoj) path’.  

Who wants the ‘truth and see through the colonial corporate veil’ in such exercise ? For what risk or pride factors??

 

Regards

BVK Sastry

Amit Rao

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Jul 6, 2022, 11:51:43 PM7/6/22
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बहुधन्यवादाः महोदय!  🙏🙏

Amit Rao

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Jul 7, 2022, 8:13:44 AM7/7/22
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I also got this input on direct mail from PVS Kumar mahodaya (polisetty8 AT gmail.com). 
Pasting here with his permission for completeness of the thread.
He has also said that he can be contacted for any additional information.

> On Thu, Jul 7, 2022 at 9:00 AM P V S Kumar wrote:
>| To start with, I recommend specific sections of two books.
>| 1. प्राकृत शब्द महार्णवः - in this read उपोद्घत (53 pages)
>| 2. 11th century Hemachandra wrote a grammar book in which first 7 chapters are for Sanskrit; 8th chapter is for Prakrit; again in 8th chaper, first quarters is on Maharatri version of Prakrit and the >| last quarter on variations among other versions of Prakrit and Apabramsha language.
>|
>| regards 

>| P V S Kumar
>| Sringeri

Regards,
Amit Rao

Bijoy Misra

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Jul 7, 2022, 10:24:47 PM7/7/22
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Dear friends,
This thread is interesting.  I appreciate the postings.  Wanted to share a few thoughts
that we are developing through our studies of the Vedas.

The understanding of the origin of language in India would need a good theory of the  वर्ण |
The discovery of the वर्ण nust be assumed to be step-wise and gradual.  Certainly the वर्ण
structure and the complete set were already available by the time of the Vedas.  The वर्ण
discovery by itself would rule out any foreign-origin of Sanskrit language.   वर्ण is fundamental
to the sounds and prosody that dominate the Vedas. 

The vedic words give enough analytic information to tag a वर्ण to a cognitive concept.
Compounding and the addition of vowels make the analysis difficult.  The cognitive concept
of the वर्ण should not change with languages and would be retained in the modern languages.

We are documenting, but our progress is slow.  We will report in a year.

Best regards,
Bijoy Misra

The  

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Megh Kalyanasundaram

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Jul 7, 2022, 10:42:55 PM7/7/22
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I look forward to reading the documentation you have alluded to in your note, whenever that becomes available, Dr Misra. 

Best,
Megh 

Bijoy Misra

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Jul 7, 2022, 11:24:10 PM7/7/22
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Dear Megh,
You can do an experiment with any other text you would like.
Ours would take time, it is revealing though.
BM

Megh Kalyanasundaram

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Jul 7, 2022, 11:44:07 PM7/7/22
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"Ours would take time, it is revealing though.": 👍 

I look forward to it. 

Best,
Megh

Venkatakrishna

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Jul 8, 2022, 2:45:00 AM7/8/22
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Namaste Misra ji



Thanks for the work under progress with your leadership.



1. I Totally agree with your observation :

< The understanding of the origin of language in India would need a good
theory of the वर्ण | .. Certainly the वर्ण structure and the complete set
were already available by the time of the Vedas. The वर्ण discovery by
itself would rule out any foreign-origin of Sanskrit language. वर्ण is
fundamental to the sounds and prosody that dominate the Vedas. .. The
cognitive concept of the वर्ण should not change with languages and would be
retained in the modern languages.> .



Action need: Re-visit and Reset Indian language-science and history studies
from 14th C.E anchors of All Brahmi Language Grammars .



[Note: This is an active project formulation as a part of ‘Vak-Yoga:
Vijnana – Itihasa Samshodhanam’- at Yoga-Samskrutham University.

Interesting dimensions of exploration covers the following type of
questions seeking revisiting :

* What is ‘ Kurul –Ashtadhyayi- Prakruth grammars’ common
proto-linguistic - foundation ?

* Is ‘Brahmi-Tamil’ Native to Bharath or a ‘ evolution of ‘
imported Sanskrit’ ? How much Tamil influence combined with ‘Vedic Sanskrit
influenced civilizations beyond Bharath’?

* How to formulate the interconnectivity grid of Brahmi language
families for building a common base of ‘Non-Roman Script: Varna- Swara
primary: Indic Language – Technology’? Realize the starting point for
‘Panini- Samskruth based Programming Language’.

* Was there a real ‘linguistic common ground and thread across the
‘Sparchband of Bharath’ which seems to have been one of the thoughts in
forming the linguistic reorganization of Indian states resulting in passing
of the act in the year 1956 [ Text ref. and rationale at
https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1211891/ ] - a situation which has undergone
drastic change due to Globalization, Urbanization, Non-Native Digital
Technologies impacting National Economy and National governance ?

* Is there a ‘substance at the core-claim of Yoga-Science and
Technologies’ to serve as engines of economy and catapult Bharat to global
leadership?



The question here is not digging, rewriting the history, finger point,
claim self- supremacy – pride -leadership.



The goal is to deliver 'Social good – future based on present- inheritance
–consolidation for ‘atma-nirbharataa' from the 'Spiritual traditions',
utilizing ‘Yoga-Science’, which have acquired 'weeds’ passing through a
journey in time; and academics becoming dumpyards of select opinions. [Call
it : Bhashaa- Gangaa- Shuddhikaran so that faith based action of 'gangaa-
jal-paan' does not become infectious. Identifying and Guarding weeds is not
cleaning and make water ready for good use. ]



2. What has been the hurt and hurdle in this investigation? Why there is a
lack of support? Who are beneficiaries- Controllers –Gate keepers?



The efforts involve cleaning the viewing –lens , setting the viewing
position, clarity on ‘who controls the

outcome for what reason and benefits’?



Net outcome is disinterest or misaligned interests resulting in ‘group
which is yet to emerge as a ‘TEAM’.

Factors being (i) discouragement to reopen the ‘ closed cupboards to pop
out the skeletons’ (bhaya ) (ii) analysis till death on history to beat the
‘dead horse of historian - interpreters’ (jijnyasa –shaakhaa-brumhana)
(iii) scholarly dispersion in explaining the meaning plurality of source
texts source texts with preferred models and perspectives ( mata- bheda /
mati bheda) (iii) Fear of unknown in seeing the Truth of Interconnected
Collocated – Converging Goals of All Brahmi Languages? Like What if
‘Tamil-Sanskrit – Origin and historicity relations get changed !
(Satya-Darshana –bheeti) (iv) Passion and sorrow ( Vishaada) (v) Non
availability of manuscript resources and human scholars (with energy and
drive) to explore ‘ Vyakarana – Nirukta Sampradayas’. (achaarya- alabhyataa
/ nyoonataa)

These are topped up with a grand desire for leadership ( Naayakatva) to
control India-narrative for ‘Bharath: Ek Khoj (Discovery of India that was
Mahabharath) and everything other than what ‘Yoga and Samskrutham stood and
stands for over a few millennia at least, reverberating even to this day in
the high level statements. The painting and polishing of branches and leaves
is not any substitute for watering the root.



3. The cognitive concept of < वर्ण does not change with languages and can
be seen in ALL human language articulations as speech, and is retained in
the modern languages. >



Yes, they can be discovered through the appropriate Yoga- blended science.



If a yogi ( the identity of way back ‘Hindu’ with additional flavour of
Hindu ,Buddhist, Jain, Sikh), no limitation by class- caste – god –creed,
who had no computer, no fMRI could figure out the ‘nuances of Phonemes – by
Physiology- classification and psychic observation ; provide exciting
terminology and table of enumeration as ‘Varna- Swara’ with all the
associated features and with an application, just by intense observation
(Darshana) what prevents us today from exploring –exacting – contemporizing
the same ? with all the sophistry of instrumentation and communication on
hand ?



All it needs is to use ‘Yoga-Science ( Gita 7th chapter) as Yogi’s used it;
the Scientist to be retrained to look at Phenomenon like a Yogi.



The Vedic term for this discovery is ‘Vak-Yoga - jiijnyasa’ – the Yoga
based analytics of see –say – enumerate the process related to
Mantra-suktas (Yoga –Darshana –Aakhyaana- Vyakhyaana – Samkhyaana ::
Cognitive Vision- Human Articulation- Masters Exposition and Enumeration
for classification). This is vedic anchor and Vedic name for ‘Samskrutham /
Yoga-Samskrutham’.



In this tradition, the ‘Vedanga tools :Shikshaa and Pratishaakhya ’ covers
the ‘Varna- Svara’- Part. The two disciplines which serve as the unified
base of ‘Paninian grammar’ and ‘ All Prakruth Language grammars of Brahmi
–family’.



The ‘Svara- Vyanjana’ classification model of ‘Akshara’ is common base of
all human articulation: By science or spirituality or social usage. This is
clearly acknowledged and detailed by Hemachnadra ( a reference for Prakruth
Grammar) and Kurul (Tolkapiyan / Thiruvalluvar (lit. Saint Valluvar) for
Brahmi-language grammars. All of these post –panini writers –reformers
acknowledged drew upon ‘earlier knowledge and traditions’.

This tradition of ‘ Indian Language –Science’ is given a good go bye in
post 18th century schools – be it ‘Tower of Babel linguistics’ or ‘Chomskian
school or IPA model of phonetics’ or ‘ Neuroscience studies and Science of
Consciousness research’.



The Kurul model of unified thinking on language model of ‘
Eluttatikaram, collatikaram, porulatikaram’ , using 240 conscious references
to earlier authorities and literate opinion need to be researched out. This
is also connecting the ‘ Indra- Vyakarana tradition of Samskruth’ to Tamil,
and revisiting ‘Eight ( or Eleven according to some) grammars traditions of
Samskruth- Studies’.





Additional Notes ( may be useful for researchers):



[ Note: Modern Tamil was not in the radar of Sangam period social history
dated between 300 BCE to 500 C.E. To study teaching of Kurul , using the
2oth century Post Periyar/MK/ Tamil lens would be inappropriate.]



A) Pl. Explore the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kural to see
prevailing views on Tamil ( Sidhda / Guhya / Deshya part of
Vak-yoga-bhashaa:Samskrutham) 'Varna-Swara'- phonation by Tolkappiyum
Chapter 1-3: mapped to human physiology. The conclusion part is interesting:
< All the explanations regarding air, positions and articulations defined in
the chapter are external manifestations. Tholkaappiyar points out that the
internal manifestations were already well defined in a book written by
experts (Anthan’ar). He adds that only the articulations felt by organs is
covered. > .



B)
https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZU3kZly.TVA_BOK_0006660
/page/n26/mode/1up -


https://tamilnation.org/literature/kural/karunanithi_urai_preface_index.htm#
Index

This is a year 2000 publication presenting text -translation and a review
synthesis- and 20th century critiquing of all that was considered 'sacred'
till then. The impact of socio-political developments and patronage in
regional language driven power games on 'Language -Science, History and
Spirituality' are clearly discernable to the vigilant reader.



C) Link:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkappiyam_chapter_1%E2%80%933#cite_note-8




https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Translation:Tolkappiyam/An_introduction_to_To
lkappiyam



D) Aindra School of Grammar - Wikipedia
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aindra_School_of_Grammar>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aindra_School_of_Grammar



Aindra, Katantra schools and the Tolkappiyam : Burnell's search for the
Aindra school took him to Southern India where he came across the Tamil
grammatical work Tolkappiyam. A preface of this work, written during the
twelfth century CE by Ilampuranar describes the work as aindiram nirainda
Tolkappiyam [incorrect quote]('comprising Aindra'). This, Burnell posits is
an allusion to the pre-Pāṇinian Aindra school of grammar. While his
demonstration of the influence of Sanskrit on the Tolkappiyam has met with
some approval, his attribution and approximation of all non Pāṇinian schools
of Sanskrit grammar with the Aindra school has met with resistance. Some
scholars have also taken a less committal line on the question of Sanskrit
influence itself.



Related links:



Vyakarana | Vedic Heritage Portal
<https://vedicheritage.gov.in/vedangas/vyakarana/>
https://vedicheritage.gov.in/vedangas/vyakarana/



Systems Of Sanskrit Grammar : Belvalkar, Shripad Krishna : Free Download,
Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
<https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.514356/page/n16/mode/1up> (
1915 publication)
https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.514356/page/n16/mode/1up



E) The following observation by Techno-linguists on 'Tamil script' and its
social developments could be interesting additions here.

< Link: https://omniglot.com/writing/tamil.htm Tamil was originally
written with a version of the Brahmi script known as Tamil Brahmi. By the
5th century AD this script had become more rounded and developed into the
Vaṭṭeḻuttu script. In the 6th century during the Pallava dynasty (275-897
AD), a new script for Tamil, known as the Chola-Pallava script, was devised.
It also used some letters from Vaṭṭeḻuttu in Sanskrit loanwords. By the 8th
century, the Chola-Pallava script was used instead of Vaṭṭeḻuttu in the
northern part of the Tamil-speaking area, although Vaṭṭeḻuttu continued to
be used in the south until the 11th century. During the next few centuries
the modern Tamil script evolved from the Chola-Pallava script.



During the 19th century the Tamil script was simplified to make it easier
to typeset. Further simplifications in the 20th century included the
regularisation of vowel markers. The impact of type setting simplification
is seen after two centuries. The shortcomings in digital Tamil-script
settings would take another hundred years to surface out !



The Tamil alphabet is well suited to writing literary Tamil, centamiḻ
(செந்தமிழ்). However it is ill-suited to writing colloquial Tamil,
koṭuntamiḻ (கொடுந்தமிழ்). During the 19th century, attempts were made to
create a written version of the colloquial spoken language. Nowadays the
colloquial written language appears mainly in school books and in passages
of dialogue in fiction.



Tamil is also written with a version of the Arabic script known as Arwi by
Tamil-speaking muslims.



Arwi (لسانالأروي orlisān al-arwi) is a written language that represents the
Tamil alphabet in Arabic script. In Tamil script, Arwi is அர்வி or more
commonly known as அரபுத்தமிழ் or Arabu-Tamil. The purpose of Arwiis is to
serve as a bridge language for Tamil Muslims to learn Arabic in order to
improve their skills in reading the Quran and other Arab literary works.

The Arwi alphabet is the same as the Arab alphabet, but includes thirteen
additional letters to represent Tamil consonants whose sounds do not exist
in the Arab alphabet. While spoken Arwi is pretty much extinct in the
present Tamil world, the written language is still taught in South India.



Regards

BVK Sastry



From: bvpar...@googlegroups.com [mailto:bvpar...@googlegroups.com] On
Behalf Of Bijoy Misra
Sent: 08 July 2022 07:53
To: Bharatiya Vidvat parishad
Subject: Re: {भारतीयविद्वत्परिषत्} Re: Summary of differences between
Sanskrit, Prakrit and modern Indian languages?



gmail.com <http://gmail.com> ).
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