KATANTRA-VYAKARANAM
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K.N.RAMESH
Aug 8, 2024, 10:16:38 AM8/8/24
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|| ॐ श्री ऋषभदेवाय नमः ||
|| Auṃ Śrī Ṛṣabhadevāya Namaḥ ||
Jay Jinendra
कातन्त्र-व्याकरणम्
KATANTRA-VYAKARANAM
By Sarvavarma
Edited and translated into Hindi by Dr RS Saini
1987 22 x 14 cm 286 pages Hardcover ₹150
http://www.navelgazing.net/2013/12/katantra-vyakaranam.html
Composed by Sarvavarma in the second CE of the Common Era, the Kātantra Vyā
karaṇa was a game changer as far as Sanskrit grammars were concerned. Also
known as the Kalāpa or the Kaumāra Vyākaraṇa, legend says that it was
created in response to a very unique demand by a King.
There is a fascinating story behind the writing of this great Sanskrit
grammar...
Some 2200 years ago, the great King Sātavāhana ruled Andhra Pradesh.
*modakaṃ dehī deva = mā udakaṃ dehī deva
(Lord, please do not splash me with water)
Once, while he was relaxing in his water pond with his many queens; one of
them, tiring of this sport, asked him in Sanskrit to stop splashing her
with water by saying, "modakaṃ dehī deva". The brave King, unfamiliar with
Sanskrit sandhis, incorrectly assumed that she wanted a "modaka", a special
kind of sweet, and asked his servants to fetch the vaunted sweet. The queen
laughed at him and playfully rebuked him for his lack of proficiency in
Sanskrit.
A suitably chastised King asked two of his learned courtiers to instruct
him in the intricacies of Sanskrit asap. He asked them how much time it
would take to master Sanskrit. The first scholar, Guṇāḍhya, explained that
it normally took about 12 years to gain mastery of Sanskrit grammar, but
boasted that he would teach the King in only 6 years. The second scholar,
Sarvavarma, claimed that Sanskrit grammar could be taught in 6 months.
In the ensuing unscholarly debate between the two masters, Guṇāḍhya claimed
that if Sarvavarma could make the King an expert in Sanskrit in 6 months
flat, he would never, ever write a book in Sanskrit or Prakrit! To do one
better, Sarvavarma proclaimed that if he could not make the King an expert
in Sanskrit in 6 months, he would carry Guṇāḍhya’s footwear on his head for
the next 12 years!
After the tall claim, Sarvavarma found it difficult to match it indeed, and
hence sought the blessings, help and guidance of Svāmī Kārtikeya, the Jain
monk. Under his tutelage, Sarvavarma learned and composed the Kātantra Vyā
karaṇa in a very short period of time.
Presumably, King Sātavāhana was blessed with peaceful neighbours and
peace-loving countrymen, for within the stipulated time frame of 6 months,
he devoted himself to studying and mastering Sanskrit grammar following the
Kātantra Vyākaraṇa method.
Salient Features of Kātantra Vyākaraṇa
1. It is also known as Kātantra; Kalāpa; Kalāpaka; Kaumāra; Sarvavarmika;
Daurgasiṃha, Durgasiṃhīya
2. Created to teach Sanskrit to King Sātavāhana in a very short period of
time.
3. Kātantra uses the traditional sequence of words in a sentence placing
the subject in the first case object in the second case and instrumental
cause in the seventh case.
4. Uses a simpler scheme of suffixes than Pāṇinian grammar.
5. Uses 14 svaras to Pāṇini’s 9.
6. Recognises 52 varṇas to Pāṇini's 42.
7. Kātantra samanvaya follows loka vyavahāra, as opposed to Pāṇini samanvaya,
which does not follow loka vyavahāra but is designed to facilitate the praty
āhāras. Hence Kātantra
more practical as it covers classical as well as laukika (general) usage.
8. Since Kātantra does not use pratyāhāras, the brevity of sūtras is
sometimes compromised. But the student is saved from the pains of mastering
the pratyāhāra system!
9. Kātantra renders an efficient and realistic grammar and states that the
user must follow the general spoken convention wherever there is no sutra
in his vyākaraṇa.
lokopacārād grahaṇasiddhiḥ'
Kātantra Vyākaraṇa 1.1.23
10. Brevity can be attained in two ways:
śabdakṛta lāghava: Using the barest minimum of words
Plus point - very few words required, which makes for elegant writing
Minus point - cryptic style; the meaning is not always quickly grasped
arthakṛta lāghava: Explaining the concept in a clear and lucid style.
Plus point - is obvious
Minus point - more words are required, to illustrate the meaning clearly
and to facilitate immediate comprehension.
Kātantra uses arthakṛta lāghava, while Pāṇini uses śabdakṛta lāghava. Hence
Kātantra is more user-friendly!
11. Kātantra Vyākaraṇa was used widely in India from Bengal to Kashmir, and
from Andhra to Orissa and Central India. It was also used in neighbouring
Tibet, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
12. As proof of Kātantra's enduring and widespread popularity, many
grammatical works were written on the Kātantra system, in different scripts
such as Śāradā, Vaṅga, Utkala, Grantha and Devanāgarī. There are more than
40 separate works on the Kātantra Rūpamālā. There exist more than 23 ṭīkās
in Tibetan on the Kātantra Vyākaraṇa.
13. Both Jains and Buddhists claim authorship of Kātantra Vyākaraṇa - strong evidence
of its excellence, practicality and the fascination it commands.
Summary
This is good introductory work on Kātantra Vyākaraṇa. It is a must-buy for
students and scholars of Sanskrit and Indologists. It is compulsory reading
for Jain and Buddhist scholars.
PS Sorry, this reviewer believes in arthakṛta lāghava, not śabdakṛta lāghava!
Hence the long review.
This work and others on Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, Pali and English and Urdu
language and literature are available at our bookstore and through mail
order.
bhavadīyaḥ
Manish Modi
हिन्दी ग्रन्थ कार्यालय
१९१२ से धर्म, संस्कृति एवं साहित्य की सेवा में
HINDI GRANTH KARYALAY
Publishers Since 1912
9 Hirabaug CP Tank Mumbai 400004 भारत
Telephones: +91 9820896128, +91 22 23826739
Email: hindipr...@gmail.com
Blog: www.navelgazing.net
<http://www.navelgazing.net/2013/03/a-list-of-our-publications_19.html>
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hindigranthkaryalay
|| Auṃ Śrī Ṛṣabhadevāya Namaḥ ||
Jay Jinendra
कातन्त्र-व्याकरणम्
KATANTRA-VYAKARANAM
By Sarvavarma
Edited and translated into Hindi by Dr RS Saini
1987 22 x 14 cm 286 pages Hardcover ₹150
http://www.navelgazing.net/2013/12/katantra-vyakaranam.html
Composed by Sarvavarma in the second CE of the Common Era, the Kātantra Vyā
karaṇa was a game changer as far as Sanskrit grammars were concerned. Also
known as the Kalāpa or the Kaumāra Vyākaraṇa, legend says that it was
created in response to a very unique demand by a King.
There is a fascinating story behind the writing of this great Sanskrit
grammar...
Some 2200 years ago, the great King Sātavāhana ruled Andhra Pradesh.
*modakaṃ dehī deva = mā udakaṃ dehī deva
(Lord, please do not splash me with water)
Once, while he was relaxing in his water pond with his many queens; one of
them, tiring of this sport, asked him in Sanskrit to stop splashing her
with water by saying, "modakaṃ dehī deva". The brave King, unfamiliar with
Sanskrit sandhis, incorrectly assumed that she wanted a "modaka", a special
kind of sweet, and asked his servants to fetch the vaunted sweet. The queen
laughed at him and playfully rebuked him for his lack of proficiency in
Sanskrit.
A suitably chastised King asked two of his learned courtiers to instruct
him in the intricacies of Sanskrit asap. He asked them how much time it
would take to master Sanskrit. The first scholar, Guṇāḍhya, explained that
it normally took about 12 years to gain mastery of Sanskrit grammar, but
boasted that he would teach the King in only 6 years. The second scholar,
Sarvavarma, claimed that Sanskrit grammar could be taught in 6 months.
In the ensuing unscholarly debate between the two masters, Guṇāḍhya claimed
that if Sarvavarma could make the King an expert in Sanskrit in 6 months
flat, he would never, ever write a book in Sanskrit or Prakrit! To do one
better, Sarvavarma proclaimed that if he could not make the King an expert
in Sanskrit in 6 months, he would carry Guṇāḍhya’s footwear on his head for
the next 12 years!
After the tall claim, Sarvavarma found it difficult to match it indeed, and
hence sought the blessings, help and guidance of Svāmī Kārtikeya, the Jain
monk. Under his tutelage, Sarvavarma learned and composed the Kātantra Vyā
karaṇa in a very short period of time.
Presumably, King Sātavāhana was blessed with peaceful neighbours and
peace-loving countrymen, for within the stipulated time frame of 6 months,
he devoted himself to studying and mastering Sanskrit grammar following the
Kātantra Vyākaraṇa method.
Salient Features of Kātantra Vyākaraṇa
1. It is also known as Kātantra; Kalāpa; Kalāpaka; Kaumāra; Sarvavarmika;
Daurgasiṃha, Durgasiṃhīya
2. Created to teach Sanskrit to King Sātavāhana in a very short period of
time.
3. Kātantra uses the traditional sequence of words in a sentence placing
the subject in the first case object in the second case and instrumental
cause in the seventh case.
4. Uses a simpler scheme of suffixes than Pāṇinian grammar.
5. Uses 14 svaras to Pāṇini’s 9.
6. Recognises 52 varṇas to Pāṇini's 42.
7. Kātantra samanvaya follows loka vyavahāra, as opposed to Pāṇini samanvaya,
which does not follow loka vyavahāra but is designed to facilitate the praty
āhāras. Hence Kātantra
more practical as it covers classical as well as laukika (general) usage.
8. Since Kātantra does not use pratyāhāras, the brevity of sūtras is
sometimes compromised. But the student is saved from the pains of mastering
the pratyāhāra system!
9. Kātantra renders an efficient and realistic grammar and states that the
user must follow the general spoken convention wherever there is no sutra
in his vyākaraṇa.
lokopacārād grahaṇasiddhiḥ'
Kātantra Vyākaraṇa 1.1.23
10. Brevity can be attained in two ways:
śabdakṛta lāghava: Using the barest minimum of words
Plus point - very few words required, which makes for elegant writing
Minus point - cryptic style; the meaning is not always quickly grasped
arthakṛta lāghava: Explaining the concept in a clear and lucid style.
Plus point - is obvious
Minus point - more words are required, to illustrate the meaning clearly
and to facilitate immediate comprehension.
Kātantra uses arthakṛta lāghava, while Pāṇini uses śabdakṛta lāghava. Hence
Kātantra is more user-friendly!
11. Kātantra Vyākaraṇa was used widely in India from Bengal to Kashmir, and
from Andhra to Orissa and Central India. It was also used in neighbouring
Tibet, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
12. As proof of Kātantra's enduring and widespread popularity, many
grammatical works were written on the Kātantra system, in different scripts
such as Śāradā, Vaṅga, Utkala, Grantha and Devanāgarī. There are more than
40 separate works on the Kātantra Rūpamālā. There exist more than 23 ṭīkās
in Tibetan on the Kātantra Vyākaraṇa.
13. Both Jains and Buddhists claim authorship of Kātantra Vyākaraṇa - strong evidence
of its excellence, practicality and the fascination it commands.
Summary
This is good introductory work on Kātantra Vyākaraṇa. It is a must-buy for
students and scholars of Sanskrit and Indologists. It is compulsory reading
for Jain and Buddhist scholars.
PS Sorry, this reviewer believes in arthakṛta lāghava, not śabdakṛta lāghava!
Hence the long review.
This work and others on Sanskrit, Prakrit, Hindi, Pali and English and Urdu
language and literature are available at our bookstore and through mail
order.
bhavadīyaḥ
Manish Modi
हिन्दी ग्रन्थ कार्यालय
१९१२ से धर्म, संस्कृति एवं साहित्य की सेवा में
HINDI GRANTH KARYALAY
Publishers Since 1912
9 Hirabaug CP Tank Mumbai 400004 भारत
Telephones: +91 9820896128, +91 22 23826739
Email: hindipr...@gmail.com
Blog: www.navelgazing.net
<http://www.navelgazing.net/2013/03/a-list-of-our-publications_19.html>
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hindigranthkaryalay
NathRao
Aug 10, 2024, 3:58:27 PM8/10/24
to samskrita
It is ironic that the story about the Satavahana king [repeated often, starting at least with Kathaasaritsaagara, where the lady says 'modakair maam taaDaya'] ] is repeated here so soon after the discussion about "Conversational Sanskrit" and its shortcomings. And it is not ironic they way you probably thought. I suggest that you look away from the screen and think about what I might mean before reading the spoiler below.
---------------------------------------
So, here is the relevant extract from kaazikaa [the etext I have is in Roman transliteration, with some sandhis, but not all, split up. No, I am not going to fix it up.]
So, here is the relevant extract from kaazikaa [the etext I have is in Roman transliteration, with some sandhis, but not all, split up. No, I am not going to fix it up.]
māṅi luṅ || PS_3,3.175 ||
māṅi upapade dhātoḥ luṅ pratyayo bhavati. sarvalakārāṇām apavādaḥ.
[examples] mā kārṣīt, mā hārṣīt /
[here it comes] katham mā bhavatu tasya pāpam, mā bhaviṣyati iti? asādhur eva ayam.
[rationalization by some others, of very questionable plausibility] kecid āhuḥ, aṅidaparo mā-śabdo vidyate, tasya ayaṃ prayogaḥ.
sma-uttare laṅ ca || PS_3,3.176 ||
sma-śabda-uttare māṅi upapade dhātoḥ laṅ pratyayo bhavati, cakārāl luṅ ca /
mā sma karot / mā sma kārṣīt / mā sma harat / mā sma hārṣīt //
māṅi upapade dhātoḥ luṅ pratyayo bhavati. sarvalakārāṇām apavādaḥ.
[examples] mā kārṣīt, mā hārṣīt /
[here it comes] katham mā bhavatu tasya pāpam, mā bhaviṣyati iti? asādhur eva ayam.
[rationalization by some others, of very questionable plausibility] kecid āhuḥ, aṅidaparo mā-śabdo vidyate, tasya ayaṃ prayogaḥ.
sma-uttare laṅ ca || PS_3,3.176 ||
sma-śabda-uttare māṅi upapade dhātoḥ laṅ pratyayo bhavati, cakārāl luṅ ca /
mā sma karot / mā sma kārṣīt / mā sma harat / mā sma hārṣīt //
----------------------------
Here is the historical/socio-linguists' explanation:, In Prakrits, where finite past tense forms disappeared, maa came to be used with the imperative, a very natural substitute (found in many other languages), but also less commonly the future. "Conversational Sanskrit" of the day calqued[1] Prakrit, but die-hard traditionalists frowned upon this. Eventually the new usage became accepted unquestioningly. Today, proponents of "conversational Sanskrit" calque Hindi/Kannada etc, ... So it goes.
-Nath Rao
[1]: So I use denominative berbs at will. Saves typing.
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