Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c8.s3.t6.1

v1.c8.s3.t6.1

Patanjali was an ancient Indian grammarian and philosopher. He was born in the 2ⁿᵈ century BCE. Not much is known about him. His main grammar book was *Mahabhasya* and its full name was *Vyakaranamahabhasya*. This book in its textual form adopted the pattern of 'one question and one answer'. It revised and supplemented the earlier grammar book *Pāôini-Sâtra* and retained parts of another grammar book after *Pāôini-Sâtra*, for example, segments of Katyayana's *Varttika*. The fourth volume of Yi Jing's *An Account of the Inner Law Sent Home from the South Sea* titled *Learning Dharma in the West* recorded explanations of *Varttika-sutra*, which was named "Curni" which had been authored by the scholar Pantanjali. Patan-jali was his transliteration, who was also claimed as Curnikrtor Curnikara, the author of "Curni", while Curni meant 'Mahabhasya', which provides new annotations to *Pāôini-Sâtra* and *Varttika*. Only those scholars with profound academic background can master Mahabhasya after having studied the same for three years. The book, *An Account of the Inner Law Sent Home from the South Sea* also mentioned that the important annotation of the book of *Mahabhasya* was *Bhartrhari-tika*, which was compiled by the great scholar Bhartrhari during the 6ᵗʰ and 7ᵗʰ centuries. This book had 25,000 slokas and is regarded as one of the important grammar books.