India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c10.s1.23

c10.s1.23

In schools following varied curricula, some kind of grouping in the form of classes was inevitable. This grouping was of two kinds: firstly, grouping of such students as were studying the same subjects, and secondly forming bigger congregations of such different groups occasionally for some common purpose, provided their subjects of study were allied (*Adhyayanato viprakṛishṭākhyānām*, II.4.5). For example, Pāṇini mentions students of the *Krama-pāṭha* forming the class *Kramakāḥ*, and of the *Pada-pāṭha Padakāḥ* (*Kramādibhyo vun*, IV.2.61). Instruction in *Pada*-recitation immediately preceded that of *Krama-*. The two classes functioned separately in the school-routine, but on special occasions were grouped as a joint class called *Padaka-Kramakam*, a compound name in singular number. For a common social programme like feasting, the teacher would direct the two allied classes to go together, e.g. *Padaka-Kramakam gachchhatu*, i.e. 'Let the *Padaka* and *Kramaka* students go'. The *Kāśikā* cites *Kramaka-Vārttikam*, showing that after completing the *Krama* recitation of the Veda, the students took up *Vṛitti* or grammatical lessons. Patañjali also states that in his time the custom was for students to be trained first in Vedic recitation; the study of grammar therefore must have followed.