We are very happy to place this Volume of studies on Sanskrit Grammar in the hands of scholars. For years, the Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit at the University of Poona was having a plan to organise an International Seminar on Panini. Panini's Grammar, a model of the most perfect description of a language to this date, had, since earliest times after its composition by the 5th century B. C., suffered in its correct interpretation for want of a continuous and faithful tradition. Scholars from the older days down to the present generation, i. e, traditionalists as well as modern researchers in the West and in India, have been struggling hard to reach solution on the network of problems the great book has raised and left unanswered. Times were very ripe for scholars all over the world to satisfy the urgent need of coming on the common platform and thrashing out at least near answers to some of them. Poona enjoys a long tradition of scholarship in Sanskrit Grammar, combining the indigenous as well as modern methods in research. An initiative was, therefore, stolen by the Centre, and it organised an International Seminar on "Studies in the Astadhyayi of Panini", for six days from July 9 to 14, 1981. The present Volume contains a section of the papers read during the seminar and selected at random, the selection being necessary due to shortage of funds and paper; it is hoped that Part II of the Proceedings containing the other papers will be ready in the near future.
It was exceedingly heartening that, after about a years' preparatory activity, a large number senior scholars could attend the Seminar as Participants, who represented most of the States from India, and the U. S. A., Canada, England, France, Holland, West Germany and Japan from outside. A special point was made to invite young and promising grammarians to attend as Observers, who satisfied the expectations by responding in great enthusiasm.
In his Welcome Speech on the morning of the 9th July 1981, the Director, Professor Joshi, explained the task of the Seminar being to find out the basic grammatical theory intended by Panini and stressed the need of being objective in the investigations by shunning one-sided thinking. Professor R. N. Dandekar, the Emeritus Professor of Sanskrit and the seniormost Indologist, in his Inaugural Speech, took a critical survey of modern contribution on the subject and showed how it was imperative for all to prepetuate and extend the Ancient Indian quests in the nature of Language. (The full text of his speech will be found to follow shortly below.) Pt. K. A. Sivaramakrishna Sastri, the illustrious example of grammatical tradition in the South, in his Sanskrit speech, expanded the perennial linguistic importance of the Grammar of Panini. Scholars from the West who also spoke expected a high and impartial level in the ensuing debates, meaning no disrespect to any school of thought. The Vice-Chancellor and the President of the fanction, Professor R. G. Takwale, in his Address, made an earnest appeal to all in the field to make all-out efforts, with a larger perspective, to preserve the scientific treasures of Ancient India which have come down through a very long and remarkable history in learning.
The Seminar that met in eleven long Sessions. Initially, Prof. Joshi gave a Special Lecture on "Proper Approaches in solving the various Problems raised in the Astadhyayi". Discussion took place on fifty-three papers (ten being in Sanskrit). These represented various disciplines, like Linguistics, Poetics, Logic and Ritual, maintaining relations with Papini's Gram- mar. A rough break-up of the Papers, topic-wise, was like this:
Textual Criticism: 5
Papini's Theoretical Approach: 4
Technical Terms: 4
Interpretative Conventions : 2
Prominent among the participants were Professors R. N. Dandekar, George Cardona, Paul Kiparsky, Frits Staal, Hartmut Scharfe, J. A. F. Roodbergen, S. Venkatsubramonia Iyer, R. S. Tripathi, Pt. Yudhishthir Mimamsak, J. M. Shukla, Satya Vrat Shastri, E. R. Sreekrishna Sarma, K. K. Raja, Pt. Parashuram Shastri, J. D. Singh, L. Satpathi, H. S. Ananthanarayana, K. Krishnamoorthy, B. K. Matilal, Madhav Deshpande, Ashok Aklujker, Ach. V. P. Limaye, A. M. Ghatage, M. A. Mehendale, G. V. Devasthali and Ashok R. Kelkar, to name only a few. (We are very much pained to record her the sad demise in the meantime of Professors R. S. Tripathi, D. N. Basu and Sergiu Al-George: the contributions of the last two have been published in the present Volume. Our ardent homage to these great Departed Souls.)
This programme was further strengthened with two series of Memorial Lectures, in the names of MM. Prof. K. V. Abhyankar and Prof. P. D. Gune, both organised under the joint auspices of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute and the Centre of Advanced Study in Sanskrit. The first one was delivered by Professor Paul Kiparsky (Massachusetts) and the other one by Professor Frits Staal (Berkeley ).
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