India as Known to Panini: A Study of the Cultural Material in the Ashtadhyayi c6.63

c6.63

(12) *PĀṆINI AND PĀṬALIPUTRA*—‘He then closed it and sent it to the king (*supreme ruler*), who exceedingly prized it.’ The *Mañjuśrīmūlakalpa*, Somadeva, and Tārānātha all relate the story of Pāṇini’s friendship with one of the Nanda kings. Rājaśekhara records a tradition, already referred to, showing Pāṇini’s connection with Pāṭaliputra. It is likely that Pāṇini visited Pāṭaliputra in person to participate in the *Śāstrakāra-parīkshā* rather than send his book through an emissary, Pāṭaliputra held a pre-eminent position in the literary life of the nation during the Nanda and Maurya periods. Chāṇakya, a resident of the distant North-West like Pāṇini himself, and nurtured in the glorious traditions of the Takshśilā school, also visited Pāṭaliputra. The *Atthapakāsinī* commentary of the Simhalese *Mahāvaṁsa* narrating the early life of Chāṇakya relates how during the course of his intellectual career to establish his reputation he was attracted to visit Pāṭaliputtra: (*vādaṁ paryesanto Pupphapuram gantvā*).¹