Ancient Indian Education (Brahmanical and Buddhist) c13.3

Language: English

c13.3.1

**Literature known to Pāṇini.** Pāṇini throws light on the literature of his times. Four classes of literature are distinguished. The first is that which is "*seen*" (*dṛishṭam*) or revealed, e.g. the Sāmaveda. Some of the "seers" of the Sāmaveda are also mentioned, viz. Vāmadeva [iv, 2, 7, and 8]. Kātyāyana and Patañjali add the names of Kali, Agni, Uśanas, and Aupagava. The second is that which is "enounced" [iv, 2, 63; iv, 3, 101 (*proktam*)]. To this class would belong the Veda or *Chhandas* enounced by Tittiri, Varatantu, Khaṇḍika, and Ukha¹ works by the Ṛishis like Kāśyapa and Kauśik; the *Chhandas* works of Śaunaka and others²; of Kaṭha and Charaka; of Kalāpī and Chhagalī; and of the *direct* pupils of Kalāpī¹ and Vaiśampāyana. In this class are also included such *Brāhmaṇa*² and *Kalpa* ³ works as are enounced by the ancient sages, thereby excluding, according to Kātyāyana and Patañjali, the works of later sages ⁴ like Yājñavalkya and Sulabha. Lastly, Pāṇini mentions as examples of this class of literature the *Bhikshu-sūtras* as enounced or originally propounded by Pārāśarya and Karmanda as well as the *Naṭa-sūtras* as propounded by their founders mentioned as Śilālin and Kṛiśāśva. The *Bhikshu-sūtra* means a collection of rules or precepts for mendicants, while the *Naṭa-sūtra* means a collection of rules for actors [iv, 3, 101–111]. The third class of literature distinguished by Pāṇini is that which is "discovered" and not handed down by tradition [ii, 4, 21;

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iv, 3, 115; vi, 2, 14 (*Upajñā*)]. As examples of this class the *Kāśikā* mentions the works of such original authors as Pāṇini, Kāśakṛishṇa, Āpiśali, and Vyāḍi. The fourth class of literature comprises the ordinary compositions of ordinary writers on any subject [iv, 3, 87 and 116]. As examples, Patañjali mentions the books of *Story* (*ākhyāyikā*) such as *Vāsavadattā*, *Sumanottarā*, *Bhaimarathī*, to which the *Kāśikā* adds *Urvaśī*. The *Kāśikā* mentions *mythological* works like *Saubhadra*, *Gaurimitra*, and *Yāyāta*. In iv, 3, 88 Pāṇini refers to works on such peculiar subjects as the child's cry (*Śiśukrandīya*) or the court of Yama (*Yamasabhīya*) to which the *Vārttika* adds the works bearing on the wars between gods and demons such as *Devāsura*, *Rākshosura*, and the *Kāśikā* adds the works called *Agnikāśyapīya*, *Śyenakapotīya*, *Indrajananīya* (also mentioned by Pāṇini) and *Pradyumnāgamanīya*. Patañjali further mentions under this class the *Kāvya* or poetical works of *Vararuchi* and the *Ślokas* known as *Jālūka* [iv, 3, 101 (3)]. Pāṇini also refers to *Ślokas* as eulogistic verses [iii, 1, 25] and to their author as *Ślokakāra* [ib., 2, 23]. There is also a reference to *Gāthās* [ib.], to a composer of *Mantras* (*Mantrakāra*), and to the author of Padapāṭha (*Padakāra*). Pāṇini also mentions a Mahābhārata [vi, 2, 38] and the followers of Vāsudeva and Arjuna [iv, 3, 98].

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Yudhishṭhira also is mentioned [viii, 3, 95], while Patañjali mentions Yudhishṭhira and Arjuna as elder and younger brothers respectively [ii, 2, 34]. Non-ṛishi families of Vṛishṇi and Kuru are also mentioned [iv, 1, 114], as members of which Patañjali instances Vāsudeva, Vāladeva, Nākula, Sāhadeva, and Bhaimasenya. In addition to the above four types of literature, Pāṇini mentions separately the literature of *Commentaries* [iv, 3, 66 (*Vyākhyāna*)], as examples of which Patañjali mentions the commentaries on *Nirukta* and *Vyākaraṇa* and also on *Kalpa* works such as *Agnishṭoma*, *Rājasūya*, and *Vājapeya*. Pāṇini refers to commentaries on Soma sacrifices (*kratu*) and other sacrifices (*yajña*), as examples of which Patañjali mentions *Pākayajñika*, *Nāvayajñika*, *Pāñchaudanika*, *Sāptaudanika*, *Śātaudanika* [iv, 3, 68]. Commentaries on sections of grammar alluded to by Pāṇini are mentioned by *Kāśikā* as *Saupa* (on case-affixes), *Tiṅga* (on verbal affixes) and *Kārta* (on *kṛit* affixes), also *Shātvanātvikam* and *Nātānatikam* [iv, 3, 66, 67]. Pāṇini [ib., 69] refers to commentaries on chapters (*adhyāyas*) of works of Ṛishis, as examples of which the *Kāśikā* mentions *Vāsishṭhika-adhyāya*, *Vaiśvāmitrika*. Pāṇini refers to commentaries on the verses or mantras on Puroḍāśa (sacred cake) as *Puroḍāśika* and *Pauroḍāśika*. He refers to the formations *Chhandasya* and *Chhāndasa* as commentaries on *Chhandas*.

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He refers to the commentaries called *Brāhmaṇika*, *Ārchika*, *Prāthamika*, *Ādhvarika*, *Pauraścharaṇika*, *Nāmika*, *Ākhyātika*, and *Nāmākhyātika*, as also to commentaries of which the *Kāśikā* gives the names as Aishṭika, Pāśuka, Chāturhotṛika, Pāñchahotṛika. Lastly, he refers to commentaries on certain classes of works belonging to the category called *Ṛigayanādi* which, according to *Kāśikā*, included a great variety of subjects such as Chhandobhāshā, Chhandovichiti, Nyāya, Vyākaraṇa, Nigama, Vāstuvidyā, Aṅgavidyā, Kshatravidyā, Upanishat, Śikshā, etc. [iv, 3, 703].