Madhuvidya

Author(s): S D Laddu, T N Dharmadhikari, Madhvi Kolhatkar, Pratibha Pingle
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 757

Annals BORI, LXXIX (1998)
Sanskrit inscriptions which would have offered the information not available in the dictionaries then in use. However, Dr. Katre made good progrers in his attempts to secure academic and financial assistance for the large dictionary, and in 1948 he was able to lay the foundation of his Dictionary Project. Many developments took place in the coming years end Dr. Katre finally succeedel in establishing an autonomous Sanskrit Dictionary Department in the Deccan College. The earlier Sanskrit Dictionaries were based on not more than about 500 works which number, considering the wide range of Sanskrit literature, was rather small and hence a fresh attempt based on a larger number of texts was called far. Speaking of the proposed dictionary in Bombay in 1949 Prof. Renou observed: "A scheme for a Sanskrit Thesaurus on the lines undertaken by the Deccan College Research Institute has long been considered by many Orientalists as absolutely indispensable." The learned Prefessor further went on to observe : " Hence it becomes necessary that the task be undertaken by your country. Only among you can be found in adequate numbers practised philologisrs able to direct the work and, above all, the greater multitude of humble collaborators, the local pandits, themselves good Sanskrit scholars and ready to dedicate themselves to the common task.?
306
Dr. Katre's proposed dictionary was to embrace nearly 1500 Sanskrit texts besides the material collected from Sanskrit inscriptions. A selection of these texts appeared in the form of a Minimum Programme which was drawn up with the assistance of the late Prof. L. Renou of Paris. This was the first and the most essencial step to be taken. On its basis the work of extracting vocables with their exact references and citations was done by the editorial staff and their assistants employed in the Dictionary Department. When Dr. Katre retired from his post in the Deccan College this spade work, which lasted for nearly twentyfive years, was to some extent completed. Dr. Katre himself contributed his mite by publishing his Dictionary of Panini in three parts (1968-69). Much and more important work, however remained to be done. The whole responsibility of editing the Dictionary in the real sense of the term was shouldered by Dr. A. M. Ghatage, the next General Editor of the Dictionary. He and his calleagues succeeded in giving
Earlier in 1940, H. Ortel had thought of the same idea in his "A Practical Proposal for Preliminary Work on a New Sanrkrit Dictionary" (Woolner Commemoration Volume, Lahore, pp. 177-82), where he aiso records in a footnote similar earlier suggestions from W. Wüst (19-9) and Vanamali Vedantatirtha (1930). His complete English translation of Panini's Aṣṭadhyayi was to appear much later (1989).
Madhu Vidya/732