A History of Sanskrit Literature c6.24

c6.24

A further measure for preserving the sacred text from alteration with still greater certainty was soon taken in the form of the *Krama-pāṭha*, or "step-text." This is old, for it, like the *Pada-pāṭha*, is already known to the author of the *Aitareya Āraṇyaka*. Here every word of the Pada text occurs twice, being connected both with that which precedes and that which follows. Thus the first four words, if represented by *a*, *b*, *c*, *d*, would be read as *ab*, *bc*, *cd*. The *Jaṭā-pāṭha*, or "woven-text," in its turn based on the *Krama-pāṭha*, states each of its combinations three times, the second time in reversed order (*ab*, *ba*, *ab*; *bc*, *cb*, *bc*). The climax of complication is reached in the *Ghana-pāṭha*, in which the order is *ab*, *ba*, *abc*, *cba*, *abc*; *bc*, *cb*, *bcd*, &c.