A History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, so far as it illustrates the Primitive Religion of the Brahmans c6.140

c6.140

¹ That Pânini knew the war of the Bhâratas, has been rendered highly probable by Prof. Lassen (Ind. Alterthumskunde, i. 691. 837.). The words which called forth Pânini's special rule, (iv. 2. 56.), can scarcely be imagined to have been different from those in the Mahâbhâshya; viz., Bhârataḥ saṅgrâmaḥ, saubhadraḥ saṅgrâmaḥ. It was impossible to teach or to use Pânini's Sûtras without examples, which necessarily formed part of the traditional grammatical literature long before the great Commentary was written, and are, therefore, of a much higher historical value than is commonly supposed. The coincidences between the examples used in the Prâtiśâkhyas and in Pânini, show that these examples were by no means selected at random, but that they had long formed part of the traditional teaching. See also Pân. vi. 2. 38., where the word “mahâbhârata” occurs, but not as the title of a poem.