Description
Course content:
Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī is a monumental work in the sūtra format (short aphorisms) that establishes the grammar for classical Sanskrit as a language. At the same time, the text also presents a general model for language description, that goes beyond Sanskrit as a specific language instance. This is the second course in a sequence of four courses on Vyākaraṇa (grammar) based on Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī. The Vyākaraṇa tradition provides interpretation and analysis of the sūtras and elucidates the process of generation of various language components through treatises like Siddhānta-kaumudī and Laghu-siddhānta-kaumudī (for beginners) in the lines of Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī. Traditionally, the commencement of the study of Vyākaraṇa is done with these texts.
In this course the students will be able to:
- Understand the architecture of Aṣṭādhyāyī as a treatise of language structure
- Independently study Aṣṭādhyāyī with allied texts
- Comprehend the computational model of Sanskrit grammar as articulated by Aṣṭādhyāyī
- Apply the rules of interpretation of Aṣṭādhyāyī as proposed by Pāṇini
- Understand the phonetic transition that occurs in the conjunction of sounds
- Appreciate the robustness and holistic excellence of the treatise
- Understand the philosophy of language that provided the concept of apoddhāra based on which Pāṇini formulated his Aṣṭādhyāyī
Area of Study:- Sanskrit Studies
Required / Elective: Required
Prerequisites:
1) The medium of Instruction is Sanskrit
2)Only currently enrolled Sanskrit master’s certificate students can register for these courses. (MIT-SVS)
3) Admission into Master Program in Sanskrit through MIT-SVS
4) Completed previous MA Sanskrit Course
5) Completion of Vyākaraṇa – I
Faculty / Instructor: Dr. Tilaka Rao
Quarter Offered: Winter 2023
