Almost all original grammarians starting with Panini, who composed the earliest grammatical treatise available now, had their own lists of verbal roots (Dhatupatha) to support their grammatical rules (Sutrapatha). Even a few of those Sanskrit grammarians who lived before Panini, about whom we know from references in Panini, had lists of verbal roots as understood from some fragmental evidences in later commentaries. Ancient languages had innumerable verbal forms derived from roots and Sanskrit, the earliest language surviving today, had the greatest number of verbal forms to suit different tenses, moods, persons (Purusa) and numbers (Vacana). In the evolution of languages getting transformed into new languages, many of the features of the parent languages disappeared as evidenced in the loss of several types of verbal forms. Though the Vedic Sanskrit lost its several features, its evolved form, the spoken language of the post-Vedic period which later came to be called the Classical Sanskrit when it ceased to be spoken but remained as a literary language, still preserved several peculiar forms. During the period of transition and the early post-Vedic spoken stage, Sanskrit was growing just as the human beings were improving themselves and getting civilized. The language which Panini described was also evolving with additions of newer words necessary for the changing situations. The development of Sanskrit in the different parts of India led to the introduction of new verbs also, just like nouns, which led to additions in the Paniniarrlist of verbal roots. In fact, the need of new nouns and verbs in the long period following Panini, when the spoken dialect of Sanskrit was admitting innovations, led to additions in the list of roots as well as the lists of nouns (Ganapatha). Bhattojidiksita's Siddhantakaumudi has Paniniya Dhatupatha containing: 1943 verbal roots in ten classes where each Gana is marked by a particular infix in stem formations in four major categories of ten/eleven tense-mood formations (Lakaras), Grammarians after Panini like Chandragomin, Bhojadeva and Bopadeva added further roots to validate verbs of Sanskrit current in their times.
Though the present Dhatupatha of Panini gives each root with one or more meanings attached, it does not seem originally to have meanings attached (arthanadesanat). Whatever be the original meanings of roots, many of them acquired different meanings in course of time which led to the saying: dhatunam anekarthatvam. Several roots having different special meanings characterized by different shades of a general meaning later came to be used widely in the general meaning also. For example, several roots having the attached meaning gati (to go) originally had different types of movement (gativisesa) as meaning. So also, there are instances of the same root having different vikarana-s (stem-forming infixes). There are several roots in different Ganas with one and the same meaning. Unless one is not having deep understanding of Sanskrit grammar, one may fail to recognize many verbal forms in texts.
A person having a general knowledge of Sanskrit requires a tool like a thesaurus to tackle such situations. Usually, Sanskrit grammar texts have much complexity in descriptions and a person without thorough knowledge of Sanskrit grammar cannot find a required root and its form to express his intended meaning. Texts -like Kavirahasya of Halayudha, Kavikalpadruma of Bopadeva and Dhatukavya of Narayanabhatta are of some help. A modem approach of alphabetical compilation is the need of the hour. This explains the relevance of the Kriyanighantu, the Thesaurus of Sanskrit Verbs, successfully produced by Dr. V. R. Manoj, Deputy Director, and Chinmaya International Foundation Shodh Sansthan. Since Sanskrit has been revived as an all-purpose spoken language thanks to the efforts of volunteers with untiring enthusiasm, the demand for a language tool to find out apt verbs has been increasing recently. The innovative mind of Manoj devised this language tool of thesaurus of verbs which satisfies the inquisitive minds of Sanskrit lovers to a great extent. A reader has two methods to search a verb.
One, if he knows the third person singular of a root in the present tense, he can search it in the thesaurus in the order of the Devanagari alphabet and find all shades of its meaning in English and other Sanskrit verbs in its meaning. Two, if he wants to find out a suitable verb in a particular meaning or its shades, he can search with the meaning-word like gateau, sabde, etc., in the order of the Devanagarf alphabet. In the case of English meanings under each entry, care has been taken to follow the order of the Roman alphabet. In the preparation of this appreciable book, the author has depended a lot on the Akhyatacandrika by Bhattamalla and Madhaviyadhatuvrtti by Sayana. Quotations are given from other grammatical works as well as literary creations.
It is my privilege to appreciate the author of this useful thesaurus. Dr. V. R. Manoj, the author, is a dedicated and sincere researcher whose acumen is remarkable. If a peaceful atmosphere is provided, he can do extraordinary efforts in editing and interpreting abstruse Sanskrit texts. He is capable of conceiving original ideas and putting them into practice. I hope that a large section of Sanskrit scholars and students will be benefited by the present brainchild of Manoj, viz., the thesaurus being published now. I invoke the blessings of God Almighty to enable him to continue his efforts more vigorously to serve the cause of Sanskrit and to bring glory to Chinmaya International Foundation Shodh Sansthan.
That will be a befitting tribute to the great visionary, Gurudev Swamy Chinmayananda. I wish Dr.Manoj all the best in his career and life.
Book's Contents and Sample Pages
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