Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c8.1869

c8.1869

2) Life period. There is difference of opinion regarding the period during which Pāṇini lived. Dr. Goldstucker and Bhandarkar believe that Pāṇini lived before 500 B.C. while Vincent Smith and Belvelkar fix the period in 700 B.C. Patañjali, the author of the celebrated 'Mahābhāṣya' (commentary on Pāṇinīya) lived in 200 B.C. Patañjali has contradicted many of the unjust criticisms made by Kātyāyana about Pāṇinīya. So Pāṇini must have lived before Kātyāyana. Pāṇini has made no reference to Buddha and so he must have lived before Buddha. Pāṇini has shown great grasp over the laws of Smṛti and so he must have lived after Manu. Considering all these facts together it will be proper to fix the period of the end of the sixth century or the beginning of the seventh century B.C.