India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c11.s3.47

c11.s3.47

(6) *Iti Vā.* This part of the *sūtra* provides for an unknown quantity and puts the grammarian's seal of approval on such other derivations as were taught by ancient teachers but not included in the above list of five.¹ The *Kāśikā* brings out the spirit of the words by stating that the word *iti* points to the *manner* of derivation which thus made room for other similar etymologies also, all of them being of equal force. For Pāṇini to be so liberal with words is rather exceptional and points to the synthetic spirit in which he had conceived his work.