Minerals and Metals in Ancient India v2.c40.2

v2.c40.2

It is widely accepted that Pāṇini was born at Śalātura which has been identified with Lahur, a small town four miles north-west of Ohind, in the angle of the river Kābul meeting the Indus. The question of Pāṇini’s date has been widely debated. Summarising the various arguments, Agrawala (1953: 455-75) has noted that the various dates assigned by scholars to Pāṇini range from the seventh to the fourth century BC, the majority of scholars being inclined towards the fifth and the fourth century BC. Agrawala himself favours a date about the middle of the fifth century BC and suggests that he was a contemporary of the Nanda King named Mahānanda.