Setusamgraha of Gangadhara- A Commentary on the Magdhabodha Vyakarana of Vopadeva with Introdution, Foot-notes, Index and Bibiliography (Sanskrit)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Evolution of the Mugdhabodha System of Sanskrit grammar in the soil of Bengal is an important event in the history of Bengal’s intellectual participation in studies in Sanskrit language. The name of Gangadhara Vidydvagisa, a nineteenth century grammarian who authored the Setusamgraha on Mugdhabodhe rules draws our special attention in this respect. Like many other works, this commentary, however, was lying unattended to till date in manuscript form only. I am happy to learn that Dr Parboty Chakraborty, Reader in Sanskrit, Rabindra Bharati University has succeeded in preparing an edited text of this work on the basis of manuscripts available with us in Kolkata. The printed book with necessary critical apparatus, I hope, shall go a long way in helping scholars in comprehending the Mugdhabodha system in a better way. I congratulate the editor and invite other scholars for further research in this area.

As an avid student of Vydkaranasastra, I always cherished the desire of doing some detailed studies on grammarians of Bengal, specially in the non-Paninian systems. My revered teachers blessed my this desire and encouraged me in taking up this work in hand. For such a huge and difficult task, I had no iota of idea even five years back. To investigate the primary sources of non- Paninian manuscripts, Professor Karunasindhu Das, formerly Dean and Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Rabindra Bharati University, had suggested to me that I should search the commentary of Pandit Gngadhara trom the hand-written documents of the Sanskrit manuscripts of Sanskrit Sahitya Parishat made by MM. Pt. Madhusudan Shastri. There were mainly five manuscripts on five topics, viz. karaka, pam-mam, taddhita etc. But these were not complete in content or form. From the information’s of the Descriptive Catalogue {vol. VI) of the Asiatic Society, Kolkata, I had the opportunity to sec and handle the complete manuscript with the kind cooperation of the staff of the Asiatic Society. After transcription of the whole ms. from here, collation and comparison was started. Towards the end, I came to know the existence of another manuscript of Setusamgraha in Sanskrit College, Kolkata. The librarian and other assistants there helped me wholeheartedly to continue and complete my long cherished pending work.

Professor Taraknath Adhikari. the then Head of the Department of Sanskrit, advised me to have such an important work published by Rabindra Bharati University. Much time was lost in the long- drawn tangle between the University and the Press concerned which was initially engaged. At last, Service Printers were given the onus of printing such an intricate Sanskrit text edited from manuscript sources. Professor Gopal Chandra Mishra, the present Head of our Department. has played the pivotal role in completing the work and extended unstinted help and support without which the book could not have seen the light of the day. On this occasion, I must express my deep gratitude to them. Above all I am indebted to Professor Karunasindhu Das, present Vice- Chancellor of Rabindra Bharati University, who had kindled and fed my interest in this field. In spite of his busy schedule of academic and administrative responsibilities of a University, he had given his insightful blessings in publishing such a work. As a student, I pay my utmost reverence to him.

India can boast of a long tradition of linguistic speculations in different perspectives. [tis partly true also for Bengal in its broader geographical area. Study of language, specially Sanskrit language and logic, gave Bengal already a unique position many a centuries ago. In Indian perspective, study of Sanskrit or other language is identified as a separate discipline, i. e. vyakarana which is designated as grammar also in common parlance’. As a branch of LE. family of languages, Sanskrit language owes its origin to more than four thousand years ago. Vedic literature is the oldest Sanskrit literature which is available to us. For the purpose of proper pronunciation and to achieve the proper meaning of words, the system of vyakarana was also developed from the vedic ages. As a result, among six ancillary parts of Veda, vyakarana was regarded as the most vital. This study was given a full fledged shape by Panini in the 5th century B.C. (circa), But pre-Paninian grammarians like Sakalya, Sakatayana, Gargya, Galava and others were given due honor by Panini himself and his great commentator, Patanjali. Paninian grammar was elaborated, interpreted and popularized later by Vamana, Jayaditya, Bhartrbari etc., near up to 1000 A.1., though Candra and Sarvavarman initiated new systems in the very early age of Paninian commentaries. From 13th century onwards, Mugdhabodha system stated as a new branch of vyakarana which shows brevity with some technicalities in the hands of Vopadeva and his followers.

Though M B system studied in Bengal extensively, Vopadeva was Maharastrian actually. He was born in a physician family and was patronized by the king of Devagiri and his prime minister, Hemadri, who was a noted commentator on the Astangahrdaya of Vagvata. Scholarly contributions were made by Vopadeva on Different fields like vyakarana, medical science, sahitya, theories of Bhagavata etc. and about 30 texts are attributed to him. But among 10 grammatical works, only 3 are available according to the opinion of modern scholars. Kalijiban Devasharma says that Vopadeva have also made a commentary named Paribhdsabhasya (commentary upon interpretative canons of grammar) and a commentary upon Mahabhasya which is famous in the Paninian system of grammar. From a quotation made by Bhattoji in his Sabaskaustubha, Kshitishchandra Chatterjee, the noted Bengali scholar of nineteenth century, decided that Vopadeva wrote a work on the philosophy of Sanskrit grammar also."

**Contents and Sample Pages**