A History of Indian Literature v1.c8.s12.7

v1.c8.s12.7

Saṃhitā-Pāṭhas and Pada-Pāṭhas, then, are the oldest productions of the Śikṣā schools. The oldest text-books of this Vedāṅga which have come down to us are, however, the Prātiśākhyas, which contain the rules by the aid of which one can form the Saṃhitā-Pāṭha from the Pada-Pāṭha. Hence they contain instruction upon the pronunciation, the accentuation, the euphonic alterations of the sounds in the composition of words and in the initial and final sound of words in the sentence, upon the lengthening of vowels, in short upon the whole manner of the recitation of