Dr.M.Uma Maheswari
Introduction
The word Akṣara is taken in the sense of syllable since the vedic[1] period. Prātiśākhya-s define the term akṣara in the following expressions: सव्यञ्जनः सानुस्वारः शुद्धो वापि स्वरोक्षरम्।.[2] Samāmnāya[3] means traditional enumeration of phonetically independent letters generally beginning with the vowel अ. The term varṇa is synonymous to akṣara. Patañjali[4] also has used the term akṣara or varṇa for a vowel as well as a consonant. So,Varṇasamāmnāya is another term for Akṣarasamāmnāya. Prior to Pāṇini, ancient Śikṣā-s and Prātiśākhya-s have elaborately followed a system of Varṇasamāmnāya. The expression शास्त्रेष्वपि ‘अथ वर्णसमूहः’ इत्यैन्द्रव्याकरणस्य shows that the tradition of Varṇasamāmnāya was even earlier to Pāṇini. The sūtra सिद्धो वर्णसमाम्नायः(K1.1.1) in Kātantra Vyākaraṇa also highlights the above view.
Traditional grammarians from Indra seem to have followed a method of enumerating the varṇa-s before they begin their grammatical treatise. Commencing a grammatical treatise with a Varṇasamāmnāya is felt a must, because it helps to understand the respective grammatical treatise. Thus the enumeration of Varṇa-s differs from different tradition of grammar. For instance, according to Taittareya Prātiśākhya.[5] Varṇa-s consist of 16 vowels, 25 stops, 4 semivowels and 6 sibilants. Similarly Ṛk Prātśākhya.[6], enumerates 51 varṇa-s that comprises 14 vowels, 33 consonants, anusvāra, visarga, jihvāmūlīya and upadhmānīya. Ṛktantra[7] gives 57 varṇa-s comprising 14 vowels, 25 stops, 4 semivowels, 4 sibilants, visarga, jihvāmūlīya, upadhmānīya, anunāsika, 4 yama-s and two anusvāra-s. Pāṇini’s Varṇasamāmnāya enumerates 9 vowels, 25 stops, 4 semivowels and 4 sibilants. However, K.V.Abhayankar[8] feels that although the number of letters and the order in which they are stated differ in different treatises, still, qualitatively they are much the same. The difference in numbers, as noticed is due to the separate mention of the long and protracted vowels as also to the inclusion of the Ayogavāha letters, and their number.
Although the Varṇasamāmnāya is dealt earlier, Patañjali has explained the need for Pāṇini’s Varṇasamāmnāya, through the expression वृत्तिसमवायार्थः वर्णानामुपदेशः कर्त्तव्यः and all the grammatical treatises like Aṣṭādhyāyī, Pāṇinīya Śikṣā, etc. that are attributed to Pāṇini are based on the Varṇasamāmnāya constructed by Pāṇini.
In Sanskrit, the enumeration of varṇa-s are instructed in either of the following two forms: Laukika and Śāstrīya. In laukika usage (common usage) the varṇa-s starting from अ to ज्ञ are enumerated. This method is followed even now to introduce the varṇa-s for any beginner. The laukika order of varṇa-s is known as Varṇamātṛkā. This enumerates the varṇa-s in the following order-
Vowels: अ आ इ ई उ ऊ ऋ ॠ लृ ए ऐ ओ औ अं अः
Consonants : कवर्गः – क ख ग घ ङ, च वर्गः – च छ ज झ ञ, ट वर्गः – ट ठ ड ढ ण तवर्गः – त थ द ध न, पवर्गः – प फ ब भ म अन्तस्थाः – य र ल व, ऊष्मणः – श ष स ह
The jihvāmūlīya and upadhmāṇiya are introduced and practiced in due course. Sometimes the varṇas क्ष त्र ज्ञ are also included under varṇamātṛkā. Some take varṇas from अ to क्ष[9].
Akṣarasamāmnāya literally means the series of the varṇa-s whose order cannot be changed.[10] The speech sounds arranged in a particular order for the convenience of expounding grammatical treatise is called Akṣarasamāmnāya.[11] For eg., the sūtra अइउण् represents three varṇa-s in the orderअ, इ and उ. This order cannot be changed on any basis as इअउण् even by later followers of Pāṇini. Any ancient treatise of grammar is based upon an Akṣarasamāmnāya suited to explain their grammatical treatise. For instance, the Varṇasamāmnāya followed by Ṛk Prāt. is as follows: अ ऋ इ उ ए ओ ऐ औ लृ, कखौ गघौ ङ, चछौ जझौ ञ, टठौ डढौ ण, तथौ दधौ न, पफौ बभौ म, यरलवा, हशषसा।
The above order of the vowels and the sibilants are not same as the Varṇamātṛkā. Likewise Pāṇini has arranged varṇa-s in a unique order for the technical purpose of expounding his grammatical treatise which is as follows: अइउण्। ऋलृक्। एओङ्। ऐऔच्। हयवरट्। लण्। ञमङणनम्। झभञ्। घढधष्। जबगडदश्। खफछठथचटतव्। कपय्। शषसर्। हल्।
Patañjali[12] also explains the necessity of enumeration of varṇa-s at the end of Paspaśāhnika. It explains that the syllables are instructed for the sake of :-
- The cohesion of the introduction of the grammatical science.
- Of the knowledge the attachments (anubandha-s)
- For forming the Pratyāhāra-s.
- Indicating the nature of the desired articulation of the syllable.
All the above factors cannot be explained without introducing Akṣarasamāmnāya. Paninians have used several terms to refer to the above fourteen sūtra-s of varṇa-s. The oldest of them is Akṣarasamāmnāya used by Patañjali.[13] Kāśikākāra names it as Pratyāhāra.[14] In modern terms Cardona names it as sound catalog.[15]
Agnipurāṇa (AP)has presented the order of Akṣarasamāmnāya in two verses which is similar to that of Pāṇini and simply names it as simply प्रत्याहाराः।
अइउण्, ऋलृक्, एओङ्, ऐऔच्, हयवरट्, लँण्, ञमङणनम्, झभञ्, घढधष्, जबगडदश्, खफछठथचटतव्, कपय्, शषसर्, हल् इति प्रत्याहाराः।[16]
Kāśikākāra quoting the statement of Patañjali ‘प्रत्याहारो लाघवेन शास्त्रप्रवृत्यर्थः’ highlights the purpose of varṇasamāmnāya of Pāṇini. AP also seems to agree with the above view by the expression प्रत्याहारादिकाः संज्ञाः शास्त्रसंव्यवहारगाः।[17]
Pratyāhārasūtra-s and Pratyāhāra-s
The word pratyāhāra literally means bringing together. The etymological derivation of the word praty¡h¡ra is attained in the sense of brevity of varṇa-s thus प्रति+आ+ह(करणे)+घञ्।[18] In other words, abbreviation of series of varṇa-s or sets ofvarṇa-s by mentioning their first and last syllables for the sake of brevity of utterance is pratyāhara. The word pratyāhāra was neither coined nor quoted by Pāṇini. The word is found in earlier traditional works and seems to have been followed by later Paninians. Ṛktantra[19] explains that ‘a pratyāhāra is capable of holding the varṇas coming into it along with their varieties.’ As the term was used and familiar earlier, Pāṇini just explains the method of deriving such pratyāhāras in the sūtra आदिरन्त्येन सहेता। – (A.1.1.70).
Formation of Pratyāhāra-s
In the fourteen sets of speech sounds (Pratyāhārasūtra-s) it will be noticed that the last letter of a set ends in a consonant. For eg: varṇa ण् in अइउण्, क् in ऋलृक् etc. The short vowel अ pronounced with the consonants in the body of the sets starting from ह (including nasals and semivowels) is to facilitate comfort while pronouncing the consonants.[20] This अ varṇa which is for facilitating pronunciation is not counted as an individual vowel. But in set लण् the अ varṇa after ल् varṇa is a nasal vowel.[21] AP reads लण् as लँण् for easy differentiation of nasal अ.
The Marker इत्
According to Pāṇini, the nasal vowel and the pure consonants at the end of each set is termed इत्[22]varṇa-s. These इत् varṇas-s disappear[23] after executing the prescribed operation. Purāṇakāra also designates the nasal vowel and pure consonants at the end of each set as इत्.[24] The utility of these इत् varṇa-s is to coin pratyāhāra-s which is nothing but a condensed form for a set of letters.
According to Pāṇini[25] any letter with a final इत् varṇa represents itself along with the intervening varṇa-s. Further the sūtra specifies that only those varṇa-s designated as इत् in sūtra-s A.1.3.2 to A.1.3.8 may be used to form a Pratyāhāra. For eg: all the vowels are represented by the pratyāhāra अच्, with the exception of the च् varṇa as it is an इत् varṇa. And this च् varṇa, is elided by the sūtra तस्य लोपः। (A.1.3.9). Through this technique Pāṇini[26]was able to achieve brevity in his treatise by avoiding mentioning of long lists of varṇa-s. For instance, the sūtra इको यणचि (A.6.1.76) contains three pratyāhāra-s इक्, यण् and अच्। The sūtra explains that यण् letters are substituted for इक् letters when followed by any vowel. Where इक् stands for इ, उ, ऋ, लृ; यण् stands for य्, व्, र्, ल् and अच् stands for all vowels.
Purāṇakāra also has highlighted the above view of Pāṇini in the following couplet:
आदिवर्णो गृह्यमाणोप्यन्त्येनेता सहैव तु।
तयोर्मध्यगानां स्याद् ग्राहकः स्वस्य तद् यथा॥ – AP.349.5-6
Though any number of pratyāhāra-s can be formed using the above method, Pāṇini has used only 41 pratyāhāra-s and Purāṇakāra has listed only 37 pratyāhāra-s.
Pratyāhāra-s in Aṣṭādhyāyī and Agnipurāṇa
AP has mentioned about thirty-seven pratyāhāra-s[27]among which most of the pratyāhāra-s are in agreement with that of Pāṇini. Some of the pratyāhāra-s used by Pāṇini are not found in AP and some given in AP are not used by Pāṇini. And some pratyāhāras mentioned by Purāṇakāra seem to be Apāṇinīyam.[28]
- Pratyahāra-s[29] used by Pāṇini are अण्, अक्, इक्, उक्, एङ्, अच्, इच्, ऐच्, अट्, अण्, इण्, यण्, अम्, ञम्, ङम्, यञ्, भष्, झष्, अश्, हश्, वश्, जश्, झश्, बश्, छव्, यय्, मय्, झय्, खय्, यर्, झर्, खर्, चर्, शर्, अल्, हल्, वल्, रल्, झल्, and शल्. Some scholars consider pratyāhāra-s like यम्, र etc. as the pratyāhāra mentioned in A.
- Pratyāhāra-s mentioned in AP[30]are अण्, अक्, इक्, एङ्, यङ्, अच्, इच्, ऐच्, अट्, अण्, इण्, यण्, अम्, यम्, ङम्, झम्, झष्, भष्, अस्, हस्, वस्, भस्, छव्, जव्, झव्, खव्, चव्, शव्, अय्, मय्, झय्, खय्, अल्, हल्, वल्, रल्, झल् andसल्।
- Pratyāhāra-s in AP, but not used by Pāṇini are अस् हस् वस् भस् and सल्। The first four pratyāhāra-s will be apāṇinīyam because स् is not used as हलन्त्यम् in the varṇasamāmnāya presented by Purāṇakārawhichsame as that of Pāṇini. The pratyāhāra सल् though considered as a proper pratyāhāra, yet not used by Pāṇini. Few scholars read these pratyāhāra-s अस्, हस्, वस्, भस् सल् as अश्, हश्, वश्, भश्, शल् respectively.[31] Again Pratyāhāra-s यङ्, झम्,cannot be coined because they take the reverse order of varṇasamāmnāya, which was neither suggested by Purāṇakāra nor by Pāṇini.
Pratyāhāra-s used by Śarvavarman in Kātantra Vyākaraṇa
Śarvavarman has not specifically recommended any Varṇasamāmnāya. He had just followed the laukika order of Varṇasamāmnāya. According to him there are fourteen vowels[32] which goes as follows: The first ten are called samjña-s.[33] If paired these samjña-s are considered as five pairs. Each pair is the savarṇa[34] of each other. In a pair, the first one is short vowel[35] and the second is long[36] So अ is the savarṇa of आ. Similarly इ उ ऋ and लृ are savarṇa-s of their respective long forms. The remaining four from ए are called sandhyakṣarsa-s[37]. The varṇa-s starting from क are called vyañjana-s[38]. From क to म the letters are arranged in five classes called vargīyavyañjana-s[39]. The pañcama-s are anunāsika-s[40]. And the remaining eight consonants viz., य & others do not come under class. They are avargīyavyañjana-s. य, र, ल, व are called antaḥstha-s[41], श, ष, स ह are Ūṣman-s[42]. Then Śarvavarman deals with the ayogavāha-s viz., visarga (visarjanīya:)[43], jihvamūlīya[44], upadhmānīya[45] and anusvāra[46].
Śarvavarman has used Nāmi[47] to represent इच् varṇas. For अच् he uses the common term svara. For एच् he uses the term sandhyakṣara. He follows the order of laukika while enumerating the sandhyakṣaras ए, ऐ, ओ, औ whereas the order of Pāṇini is ए, ओ, ऐ, औ.
Moreover, Śarvavarman doesn’t deal with the places of articulations etc. At the most he just seems to recognize one external effort i.e. ghoṣa. According to Śarvavarman[48] except the prathama-s, dvitīya-s and Uṣman-s all other varṇa-s are ghoṣa-s.
The above discussions clearly show that the Pratyāhāras i.e. the Varṇasamāmnāya presented by AP. completely matches with that of Pāṇini. Most of the Pratyāhāra-s listed in AP also mostly suits with that of Pāṇini. On the otherhand, the Varṇasamāmnāya and the Pratyāhāra-s like Nāmī, Samānas are not used by Purāṇakāra. This clearly shows that Purāṇakāra has followed Paninian tradition only while elaborating the subject matter of Vyākaraṇa.
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References:
A Dictonary Sanskrit Grammar, KV Abhyankar, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1986
Agnipurāṇa , Anandashrama Sanskrit Series, Poona 1900
Kātantra Vyākaraṇa with Durgasimha’s Commentary, RS Saini, Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan, Delhi 1987
Mahabhāṣya, Bhargava Shastri, Nirnayasagar Press, Bombay 1951
Pāṇinīya Śikṣāyāḥ śikṣāntaraiḥ saha samīkṣā, Varanasi, Madhukar Pathak, 1972
Ṛgveda saṃhitā, VVVRI Hoshiarpur 1963
Ṛk Prātiśākhya, Yugala Kishore Vyāsa, 1903
Taittiriya Pratisakhyam (With Padakramasadan Bhasya of Mahiseya and Rinkhana Hindi Commentary) ; Edition : 2013
Vacaspatyam by Taranath Tarka Vacaspati, Chaukhambha Sanskrit Series Office, Varnasi 1969.
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Dr. M. Uma Maheswari, Asst. Professor & Head, Department of Sanskrit,
Queen Mary’s College (Autonomous), Chennai 600004.
[1] गायत्रेण मिमीते अर्कमर्केण साम त्रैष्टुभेन वाकम्।
वाकेन वाकं द्विपदा चतुष्पदाक्षरेण मिमते सप्त वाणीः॥ Ṛgveda 1.164-24
[2] सव्यञ्जनः सानुस्वारः शुद्धो वापि स्वरोक्षरम्……Ṛk Prātiśākhya.xviii.32
[3] वर्णानामानुपूर्व्येण सन्निवेशः। यथा वर्णसमवायादेवाजादिसंज्ञाः सिध्यन्ति, तेन च ‘इको यणचि’ इति शास्त्रं लघुभूतं सम्पद्यते। MBh.IIĀhn.
[4] अक्षरं न क्षरं विद्यात्, अश्नतोर्वा सरोऽक्षरम्। वर्णं वाहुः पूर्वसूत्रे किमर्थमुपदिश्यते – Ibid.
[5] षोडशादितः स्वराः। शेषो व्यञ्जनानि। आद्याः पञ्चविंशतिः स्पर्शाः। पराश्चतस्रोऽन्तस्थाः। परे षडूष्माणः। Tait. Prātiśākhya I.5-9
[6] Ṛk Prat.I.1.6
[7] अ इति, आ इति, इ इति, ई इति, उ इति ऊ इति, ऋ इति लृ इति समानानि। ए इति, ऐ इति ओ इति औ इति सन्ध्यक्षराणि। अथ व्यञ्जनानि किति खिति गिति घिति ङिति कवर्गः।……………….पवर्गः इति स्पर्शाः। अथान्तस्थाः यिति रिति लिति वित्यन्तस्थाः। अथोष्मणो हिति शिति षिति सिति योगवाहाः। अथ अयोगवाहाः – अः इति विसर्जनीयः। :क इति जिह्वामूलीयः। :प इति उपध्मानीयः। हँ इत्यनुनासिकः। अथ यमाः कुँ इति, खुँ इति, गुँ इति, घुँ इति यमाः। अथानुस्वारौ। अं इति आं इति। Ṛktantra, q. by Madhukar Phatak p.62
[8] KV Abhayankar, p.6
[9] See Kātantra Vyākaraṇa, Vol.I.p.40
[10] वर्णानामानुपूर्व्येण सन्निवेशः। MBh. On Vārt. वृत्तिसमवायार्थः उपदेशः।
[12] अथ किमर्थो वर्णानामुपदेशः। वृत्तिसमवायार्थ उपदेशः।१५। अनुबन्धकरणार्थश्च।१६।….. स एष वर्णानामुपदेशो वृत्तिसमवायार्थश्चानुबन्धश्च। वृत्तिसमवायश्चानुबन्धकरणं च प्रत्याहारार्थम्। प्रत्याहारः वृत्यर्थः। इष्टबुद्ध्यर्थश्च वर्णानामुपदेशः। इष्टान् वर्णान्भोत्स्य इति। न ह्यनुपदेश्य वर्णानिष्टा वर्णाः शक्या विज्ञातुम्। – Paspaśāhnika, MBh.
[13] सोऽयमक्षरसमाम्नायो वाक्समाम्नायः। MBh. Pratyāhārahnikā
[14] See the expression अथ प्रत्याहाराः। and इति प्रत्याहाराः। in KV on Pratyāhārasūtras-s
[15] Pāṇini, Vol.I.p.80
[16] AP.349.1-2
[17] AP.349.1
[18] प्रत्याह्रियन्ते संक्षिप्य गृह्यन्ते वर्णा अनेन। – Vācaspatyam, Vol.6
[19] प्रत्याहारार्थो वर्णानुबन्धो व्यञ्जनम्। यावतिथस्तावतां तदादीनां ततः पराणाम्। – Ṛktantra I.3
[20] हकारादिषु अकारः उच्चारणार्थः।
[21] प्रतिज्ञानुसिक्याः पाणिनीयाः।
[22] उपदेशेऽजनुनासिक इत् A.1.3.2 and हलन्त्यम् A.1.3.3
[23] तस्य लोपः। A.1.3.9
[24] उपदेश इद्धलन्तं भवेदजनुनासिकः। AP.349.2
[25] आदिरन्त्येन सहेता। A.1.1.7
[26] यथा वर्णसमवायादेवाजादिसंज्ञाः सिध्यन्ति, तेन च ‘इको यणचि’ इति शास्त्रं लघुभूतं सम्पद्यते, अन्यथा ‘इउऋलृवर्णानां यवरलाः’ इत्येवं गुरुतरं सूत्रं स्यादिति प्रथमविग्रहप्रदर्शनोपयोगः – See fn. of Josi. B.S.B, p.80
[27] अण्, एङ्, अट्, यङ्, छव्, झम्, भष्, अक्, इक्, अण्, इण्, यण्, परेण णकारेण। अम्, यम्, ङम्, अच्, इच्, ऐच्, अय्, मय्, झय्, खय्, जव्, झव्, खव्, चव्, शव्, अस्, हस्, वस्, भस्, अल्, हल्, बल्, रल् झल्, सल्, इति प्रत्याहारः। AP.349.6-7
[28] See Table 3.1
[29] एकस्मान् ङञणवटा द्वाभ्यां षस्त्रिभ्य एव कणमाः स्युः।
ज्ञेयौ चयौ चतुर्भ्यो रः पञ्चभ्यः शलौ षड्भ्यः॥ Katantara Vyākaraṇa
[30] The pratyāhāra-s in bold fonts are not suggested by Pāṇini (apāṇinīyam).
[31] Dutt MN. Agnimahāpurāṇa, p.367
[32] तत्र चतुर्दशादौ स्वराः। K.1.1.2
[33] दश समानाः। K.1.1.3
[34] तेषां द्वावन्योन्यस्य सवर्णौ। K.1.1.4
[35] पूर्व्वो ह्रस्वः। K.1.1.5
[36] परो दीर्घः। K.1.1.6
[37] एकारदीनि सन्ध्यक्षराणि। K.1.1.8
[38] कादीनि व्यञ्जनानि। K.1.1.9
[39] ते वर्गाः पञ्च पञ्च पञ्च। K.1.1.10
[40] अनुनासिकाः ङ ञ ण न माः। K.1.1.13
[41] अन्तस्था यरलवाः। K.1.1.14
[42] ऊष्माणः शषसहाः।K.1.1.15
[43] अः इति विसर्ज्जनीयः। K.1.1.16
[44] क x इति जिह्वामूलीयःK.1.1.17; DV – ककार उच्चारणार्थ इति वज्राकृतिवर्णो जिह्वामूलीयः संज्ञा भवति।
[45] प x इत्युपध्मानीयः। K.1.1.18; DV-पकार इहोच्चारणार्थ इति गजकुम्भाकृतिवर्णो उपध्मानीय संज्ञा भवति।
[46] अं इत्यनुस्वारः K.1.1.19
[47] स्वरोऽवर्णवर्ज्जो नामी। K.1.1.7
[48] वर्गाणां प्रथमद्वितीयाः शषसाश्चाघोषाः। K.1.1.11; घोषवन्तोऽन्ये। K.1.1.13
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