छन्दोविचिति: Chandovicitih of Patanjali (Vedanga)

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We feel immensely happy to place before the Scholarly world, the Chandoviciti, a precious ancillary work of Samaveda. It is a part of Nidanasutra attributed to Patanjali. This invaluable work highlights the different aspects of vedic metres. The work was commented upon by Sri Tataprasada and Sri Pedda Shastri under the title of Tattva Subodhinivrtti and Chandovicitivrtti respectively. These two commentaries which profusely refer to various earlier authoritative sources are immensely helpful, in understanding the text Chandoviciti.

Dr. B.R. Sharma one of the eminent indologists of this country, has critically edited the text and commentaries with the help of rare manuscripts. He was the founder Director of the Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati, which was later upgraded as Deemed University by the Government of India. It is needless to say that mainly because and his successors the Vidyapeetha could attain the prestigious that it occupies today.

Dr. Sharma completed the editing of this work some three years ago and gave it to the Vidyapeetha for publication. Due to some unavoidable circumstances there was some delay in bringing out this edition and we regret for the same. We are extremely thankful to Dr. Sharma for the excellent editing work for which he is well known. We also express our sincere thanks to Dr. L.N. Bhatta, Professor of Sahitya, Registrar-in-charge, R.S. Vidyapeetha for assisting Dr. Sharma in Preparing the edition.

The Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, now a deemed university and renamed as Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, was established by the Govt. of India at Tirupati on the recommendation of Sanskrit Commission set up under the Chairmanship of Dr. Sunit Kumar Chatterjee. Initially the Vidyapeetha had two wings, namely Research and Pedagogy. In its Research wing, some of the members had their own Research Projects on which they worked in addition to official works, at the Vidyapeetha and also at home.

In my Research Project which was in Vedic field, I included Chandoviciti since the text is on Vedic metres. The metres on which the Vedic verses were composed are different from those of classical literature, although the ultimate aim is the same-Sadyahpara-nirvrtaye as said in Kavya Prakasa.

The Samaveda unlike the other two Vedas has two parts, Purva and Uttara. Here too the Purva served as a source material to the Uttara and further, Uttaragana was modified by inserting extra-verbal matter, known stobha, which would split vocable indiscriminately. Chandoviciti guides us in this matter.

The present text Chandoviciti is a part of the Nidanasutra attributed to Patanjali. This work was edited by K.N. Bhatnagar of which the chapter pertaining to Samavedic metres was commented by Peddasastri, a well-versed scholar in Samagana and also versatile in Shri Vaisnava school, with many works to his credit. The real name of the commentator was Hrisikesh Sharma but being an elderly person in the family, he was addressed as Peda (Pedda) Sastri. Pedda in Telugu means elder. This custom happens to be in all families.

It may be possible that, this learned family might have been under the patronage of Maharashtra rulers and later on migrated to Andhra. In Maharashtra the eldest son in joint families is addressed Pedda and probably following that custom Shri Hrishikesh Sharma was called Pedda.

The meaning of Chandoviciti;

The press copy of this ancillary of Samaveda was prepared on my retirement from Punjab University. Then, I selected Mysore for my permanent stay and work for two reasons: 1. The Oriental Institute of Mysore University is one of the best in India with rich and rare Mss. mostly on Vedology. 2. Further the Language Lab set up by the Government is well-equipped for reproduction of Mss. Therefore, the Mss. borrowed from the other country or individuals can be returned on time. In my long project, which is still being continued, Chandoviciti was one of such works which I wanted to refer often.

Many scholars in India and abroad are eagerly waiting for the Samaveda editions. I am happy that at long last this Chandoviciti is being published by Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha and available to the scholars.

Before concluding I must express my gratitude to Dr. L. N. Bhatta who has prepared the indices of this book on my request. Dr. Bhatta who hails from a Vedic family was one of the active and faithful workers of Research wing of the Vidyapeetha, has donated well walled and well preserved precious Samavedic ancillaries (mss.) to Vidyapeetha. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to him.