On The Study of Yaska's Nirukta

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Three Lectures on the Study of Yaska's Nirukta were delivered by Dr. Eivind Kahrs as the Professor K. V. Abhyankar Memorial Lectures, Sixth series, from 10th to 12th February, 2003. Dr. Kahrs is a renowned Sanskrititst of Cambridge University and the Nirukta is one of his favourite texts. He has studied the Nirukta from different angles and written a book as well as several articles critically examining the text. His journey into the text of the Nirukta is still continuing.

In the first, Dr. Kahrs has presented a comprehensive history of 19th century Orientalism, which is very useful for understanding the background against which the modern research on the Nirukta was carried out. The second lecture is focused on general aspects of derivation, causality as reflected in different expressions such as kasmat, and importance of certain genitive constructions met within the text, In the third lecture, Dr. Kahrs discusses a totally new interpretation of a passage in the Nirukta dealing with the denotative function of Upasargas.

I am sure that students of Sanskrit will find these lectures illuminating and throwing new light on certain aspects of the Nirukta.

I am grateful to Dr. Eivind Kahrs for having agreed to deliver these lectures and for allowing the Institute to Publish them.

It is a pleasure to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Saroja Bhate and the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute for having invited me to deliver the 'Professor K. V. Abhyankar Memorial Lectures', Sixth Series, on 10-12 February 2003, Pune being an old stronghold of Nirukta studies, I chose to five them the overall title 'On the study of Yaska's Nirukta'. This gave me the opportunity to present some of my research and views on this topic before the learned scholarly community of Pune, and I hope the publication of these lectures may stimulate further interest in exploring this field.

Professor S. D. Joshi did me the honour of presiding over all three lectures, and summed them up very impressively after the last one. I am grateful to him for a number of valuable observations. Professor Bhate and Professor S. D. Laddu introduced the lectures and looked after me in exemplary fashion for which I am also very grateful. The day after each lecture Professor madhukar Anant Mehendale gave me thoughtful written comments. It was a true delight to lecture to such an attentive audience, and I am also grateful for the many stimulating responses and questions I received.

In their printed form the lectures have been furnished with references and fuller quotations where appropriate. My sincere thanks are due to Dr. Michael Dodson and Dr. Martin Ruehl for comments on drafts of the first lecture. Professor Saroja Bhate and Professor Ashok Aklujkar provided invaluable comments on draft versions of the third lecture. Professor aklujkar has even done so twice, for which I am particularly grateful. I would also like to express my deep appreciation to Dr. J. D. Smith for scholarly support as well as well for converting the computer files of the manuscript into a suitable format.