Nirgrantha-2

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 54

Kalikala-sarvajña....
was composed by Hemacandra with explanatory notes. (iii) the Dhatupatha, with svopajña vrtti, (iv) the Lingänusäsana, and (v) the Ganapatha were also written by him.. Thus we may say that he has given a Pañcangi or fivefaced vyakarana. No less noteworthy are his lexicons, namely (i) the Abhidhana-cintamani, (2) the Anekarthakosa, (3) the Nighantu concerning herbs, (4) the Desinämamälä, and (5) the two Dvyasraya Kavyas. These were composed, not unlike the Bhatti-kavya, to illustrate the sutras from his own grammar. Thus he has provided an all-embracing study of Sanskrit and Prakrits by writing the sutras, the vṛtti, the appendices, the lexicons and the lakṣaṇakavya. In this way he scored over the writers of the Candra of Candragaumi (5th cent.), the Jainendra of Pujyapada Devanandi, (c. A. D. 650), the sabdaśästra of Sākaṭāyana, (c. A. D. 850), and the Bhoja-vyākaraṇa (c. A. D. 1030-1050) ascribed to Parmara Bhoja of Dhārā.
Vol. II-1996
IV
I will now attempt to evaluate Hemacandra as a grammarian, his approach towards language, and as a structuralist with a particular style of marshalling his material.
That he removed the Vedic grammar from his scheme is not because he was a Jaina but the truth was that the Vedic language was employed only in the ritual ceremonies and the teaching of its derivation had become obsolete in his times. On the other hand, a large variety of Prakrits were still used in literary circles who composed in people's language. Thus, by replacing the Vedic portion by the Prakrit portion, he has shown the awareness of the need of the hour, maturity of intellect, and consequently a right and realistic approach. It must be noted that, even though he removed the Vedic grammar from his scheme, he had paid due attention to the derivation of taddhita-words used in the Vedic context: e.g.
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(ii) तित्तिरिवरतन्तुखाडिको खाद् ई
(i) कठादिभ्यो वेदे लुप् । सि. हे. श. ६-३-१८३ कठाः । चरकाः । ६-३-१८४ तैत्तिरीयाः । वारतन्तवीयाः । (iii) आथर्वणिकादण् इकलुक् च । ६-३-१६७ आथवर्णिक आथर्वणः ।
Thus did he demonstrate a sensible orientation toward the problem as a result, his works may be studied not only by the Jainas but also by the Brahmins. Had he neglected the taddhita formations having Vedic context, his grammar would have been of limited scope and sectarian in outlook.
We notice that, in the post-Paninian era, there is a sea-change in the use of written Sanskrit, both in literary compositions' and in the puranic context. It is a narrow-minded approach to call such a usage as 'a-Paniniya' and therefore 'a-sädhu' or faulty. The lakṣanatheory should be in conformity with the laksya, i.e. written literature. That language comes first and grammar follows is a universal axiom. Thus it is a rare intellectual effort on his part to promote and accept such usages as are, so to say, un-Paninian, i.e. falling out of Panini's discipline. This, in point of fact, is a commendable happening.
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However, his originality in laying down new grammatical and śastric works has to be