Indian Antiquary Vol 14

Author(s): John Faithfull Fleet, Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 51

FEBRUARY, 1885.]
STUDY OF HINDU GRAMMAR AND SANSKRIT.
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make it possible to find what the native autho- | quite beyond our jurisdiction. It cannot be too rities teach upon each given point: that is to strongly urged that the Sanskrit, even that of say, to open the grammatical science to know- the most modern authors, even that of the ledge virtually at first hand without the pandits of the present day, is the successor, by lamentable waste of time thus far unavoidable- natural processes of tradition, of the older waste, because both needless and not sufficiently dialects; and that the grammar is a more or less rewarded by its results.
successful attempt at its description, the measure A curious kind of superstition appears to of the success being left for us to determine, by prevail among certain Sanskrit scholars. They comparison of the one with the other. cannot feel that they have the right to accept To maintain this is not to disparage the a fact of the language unless they find it set Hindu grammatical science; it is only to put it down in Pånini's rules. It may well be asked, in its true place. The grammar remains nearly on the contrary, of what consequence it is, if not altogether the most admirable product of except for its bearing a the grammatical science ! the scientific spirit in India, ranking with the itself, whether a given fact is or is not so set best products of that spirit that the world has down. A fact in the pre-classical language is seen. We will scant no praise to it, if we only confessedly quite independent of Påņini; he are not called on to bow down to it as authorimay take account of it and he may not; and no tative. So we regard the Greek science of one knows as yet what the ground is of the astronomy as one of the greatest and most selection he makes for inclusion in his system. creditable achievements of the human intellect As for a fact in the classical language, it is since men first began to observe and deduce; altogether likely to fall within the reach of one but we do not plant ourselves upon its point of of the great grammarian's rules-at least, as view in setting forth the movements of the these have been extended and restricted and heavenly bodies-though the men of the Middle amended by his numerous successors: and this Ages did so, to their advantage, and the is a thing much to the credit of the grammar; system of epicycles maintained itself in exbut what bearing it has upon the language istence, by dint of pure conservation, long it would be hard to say. If, however, we should after its artificiality had been demonstrated. seem to meet with a fact ignored by the gram. That the early European Sanskrit grammars mar, or contravening its rules, we should have assumed the basis and worked in the to look to see whether supporting facts in the methods of the Hindu science was natural and language did not show its genuineness in spite praiseworthy. Bopp was the first who had of the grammar. On the other hand, there are knowledge and independence enough to facts in the language, especially in its latest begin effectively the work of subordinating records, which have a false show of existence, Hindu to Western science, using the materials being the artificial product of the grammar's and deductions of the former so far as they prescription or permission; and there was accorded with the superior methods of the nothing but the healthy conservatism of the latter, and turning his attention to the true tradition of the language to keep them records of the language itself, as fast as they from becoming vastly more numerous. And became accessible to him. Since his time, then, finally, there are the infinite number of there has been in some respects a retrofacts which, so far as the grammar is concerned, gression rather than an advance. European should be or might be in the language, only scholars have seemed to take satisfaction in that they do not happen ever to occur there; submitting themselves slavishly to Hindu teachfor here lies the principal discordance between ers, and the grammarians' dialect has again the grammar and the language. The state- been thrust forward into the place which the ment of the grammar that such a thing is so Sanskpit language onght to occupy. To refer and so is of quite uncertain value, until tested to but a striking example or two : in Müller's by the facts of the language : and in this test- grammar the native science is made the ing, it is the grammar that is on trial, that is supreme rule after a fashion that is sometimes to be condemned for artificiality or commended amusing in its naïveté, and the genuine and for faithfulness; not the language, which is the fictitious are mingled inextricably, in his