Master of Arts in Sanskrit (MASK) MSK-01 Vedic Language and Literature Block -04 Vedic Ancillary Literature UNIT- 1 VEDIC ANCILLARY LITERATURE UNIT-2 NIRUKTA OF YASKA UNIT-3 NIRUKTA OF YASKA (ADHYAYA- 1, PADA – 2) UNIT-4 NIRUKTA OF YASKA (ADHYAYA- 1, PADA – 2) MASK PROGRAMME EXPERTS COMMITTEE Prof. Prafulla Kumar Mishra, Former Vice-Chancellor, North Odisha University Prof. Gopal Krishna Dash, Retd. Prof. ,Utkal University Prof. Prativa Manjari Rath ,Retd. Prof, Utkal University Dr. Madhusudan Mishra, Associate Prof. , BJB Auto. College, BBSR Dr. Subash Chandra Dash , Associate Prof. , Utkal University Dr. Kadambini Dash , Reader in Sanskrit, SB Women’s College, Cuttack Dr. Narayana Prasad Dash ,Retd. Reader in Sanskrit , S.V.M Autonomous College , Jagatsinghpur Dr. Paramba Shree Yogamaya, Assistant Prof. , Shri Jagannath Sanskrit Vishvavidyalaya, Puri Mr. Pratap Kumar Meher , Academic Consultant , Odisha State Open University CONVENOR Dr. Dillip Kumar Nayak , Reader in Odia , Former Officer in Charge, Regional Centre, B.J.B Auto. College Bhubaneswar COURSE WRITER Prof. Sachidananda Mohapatra , G.M University , Sambalpur PROGRAMME COORDINATOR Dr. SareetaPujari , Senior Academic Consultant, OSOU , Sambalpur Mr. Pratap Kumar Meher , Academic Consultant , Sanskrit , OSOU, Sambalpur MATERIAL PRODUCTION Dr. Manas Ranjan Pujari Registrar Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur (cc) OSOU, 2020. Vedic Ancillary Literature is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licences/by-sa/4.0 Printed by : 1.1 INTRODUCTION ON VEDIC ANCILLARY LITERATURE 1.1. Learning Objectives. 1.2. Introduction on Vedic Ancillary Literature. 1.3. Supplementary sciences of Veda. (Vedangas) Vedangas i.e. the six limbs…….. 1.3.1. Siksa. 1.3.2. Chandas. 1.3.3. Vyakarana. 1.3.4. Nirukta. 1.3.5. Kalpa. 1.3.6. Jyotisa. 1.4. Model Question. 1.5. Further Reading. 1.1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES After reading this book learners can acquire the knowledge about - The difference between the Vedic Literature and the Vedic Ancillary Literatu. The Vedangas, which are known as the supplementary sciences of the Vedas. 1.2. INTRODUCTION ON VEDIC ANCILLARY LITERATURE Now we shall know about the Vedic ancillary Literature. The Vedic ancillary literature are those which are not included with the main Vedic Literature i.e. Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanisad. Apart from these four parts of Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur Page 1 Vedic literature there are some Vedic texts like Vedanga, Sutra and Anukramani etc. which form the Vedic ancillary literature. Nirukta is one of the six Vedangas (1) Chandas (2) Kalpa (3) Jyotisa (4) Nirukta, (5) Wiksa and (6) Vyakarana and thus it comes under the Vedic ancillary literature. 1.3. SUPPLEMENTARY SCIENCES OF VEDA. (VEDANGAS) Vedangas,i.e. the six ‘limbs’ or supplementary sciences of the Veda are Phonetics (Wikwa), ritual (Kalpa), grammar (Vyakarana), etymology (Nirukta) metrics (Chandas) and astronomy (Jyotisa). The study of these Wastras are very much necessary to understand the meaning and purport of the Vedic mantras and use them in our day to day life. Since all these form the Vedic ancillary literature, Nirukta comes under this category. Now, before we know on Nirukta, it is quite contextual to have a general idea on each and every section of Vedanga without which the proper understanding of Vedic verses is not possible. Vedangas are six auxiliary disciplines associated with the study of the Vedas. These are additional limits or chapters in the Vedas. Among the six Vedangas while Wiksa and Chandas are aids for pronouncing and reciting Vedic mantras correctly, the Vyakarana and Nirukta are for understanding their meaning. The next two i.e., Jyotisa and Kalpa provide appropriate times and methods for performing the Vedic sacrificial rites and rituals. The Vedangas play an important role in maintaining the purity and integrity of the Vedic tradition. For centuries they taught and continue to teach Vedic students how to recite the Vedic hymns understand their meaning and perform the various rituals and ceremonies strictly according the established procedures. The Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur Page 2 Vedangas greatly help us in proper understanding and application of the Vedas. There is a famous karika which treats these six Vedangas as the six limbs of the Vedapurusa: Chandas is looked upon as the feet (Heeo), Kalpa as the hands (nmleew), Jyotisa as its eyes (®e#eg), Nirukta as its ears (Þees$eced), Wiksa as its nose (Ie´eCeced) and Vyakarana as its mouth (cegKeced). ívo: Heeoew leg Jesom³e nmleew keÀuHeesçLe Heþîeles ~ p³eesefle<eece³eveb ®e#egefve&©keÌleb Þees$eceg®³eles ~~ efMeæ#ee Ie´eCeb leg Jesom³e cegKeb J³eekeÀjCeb mce=leced ~ lemceelmee²ceOeerl³esJe ye´ïeueeskesÀ cener³eles ~~ (HeeefCeveer³e efMeææ#ee) Now, it is said that as a man is not complete in the absence of any one of these above limbs like hands feet or eyes etc., so also vedartha i.e., proper understanding the meaning of Veda is not possible in the absence of the study or knowledge of any these six Vedangas. Before the study of the Vedic samhitas one must acquire knowledge on these Vedangas failing which there is every possibility of wrong interpretations of the Vedamantra which harm the users in stead of rendering any good to him. Hence their study is inevitable. So let us focus some light in each and every of these Vedangas. ) 1.3.1.Wiksa (efMeææ#ee - Now Wiksa or Phonetics is regarded as the first and foremost among the Vedangas. This Wiksa is the proper pronounciation of Vedic mantras and so closely connected with the samhitas of the Vedas. Wiksa means actually “instruction”, then in particular ‘instruction in reciting’ i.e, in the correct pronounciation, intonation etc. of samhita texts. The earliest mention of these Vedangas is found in the Taittariya Upanisad (1-2) Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur Page 3 where the lesson on letters and their intonation, syllabic measure (quality) and volume, melody and word combination are enumerated as the six chapters of Wiksa. Just like the lesson on ritual so also the Wiksa has come into being out of religious necessity. For in order to perform a sacrificial act it was not only necessary to know the ritual, but one had to also pronounce the holy texts accurately and without mistakes and that in such a manner as was handed down in the samhitas. For example, in our Samhita - tvam hyagne to which the ancient signers pronounce as tuam hi agne. Therefore, the Vedic Samhitas themselves are the work of phoneticians. Wiksa played an important role in Vedic India at a time when there was no written script and the knowledge of Vedas to be transmitted from one person to another orally. By establishing the sound rules of proper pronounciation, it minimized the changes of distoration that would usually accompany verbal communication. A lot of importance was attached in ancient India to correct pronounciation of the Vedic hymns because of the belief that the Vedas were inviolable and divine origin. Wiksa is developed into a separate branch of study to preserve the integrity and purity of the divine words and saved the dharma from human fallibility. Every Veda has its own peculiar pronounciation. The most important among the books relating Wiksa is famous Paniniya Wiksa . Another important book is Yagbavalkya Wiksa. In Vawisthi Wiksa we have detailed account of the differences between the mantras of Rgveda and Yajurveda. Both Yagbavalkya Wiksa and Vawisthi Wiksa are related to Vajasaneyi Samhita. The other important works are: Katyayana Wiksa, Parawari Wiksa, Madhyandini Wiksa, Kewavi Wiksa , Manduki Wiksa . The Naradiya Wiksa is related to Samveda. Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur Page 4 The development of Wiksa as a Vedanga and as a science demonstrates the profundity and vast scope of research that was undertaken in respect of pronounciation in ancient India. It is because of this Vedanga that the system of Vedic recitation has remained intact right from the ancient time to the present day. It is not out of context to note here that apart from these Wiksa the Pratisakhyas of different Vedas like Rkpratisakhya, Taittiriya Pratisakhyas, Vajasaneyi Pratisakhya and Atharvaveda Pratisakhya etc. have also dealt with these pronounciations and accents etc. along with other problems of the Vyakarana of their concerned Wakhas. ívo:) 1.3.2. Chandas ( – Chandas Vedanga is regarded as the feet of the Veda Purusa (ívo: Heeoew leg Jesom³e). The body of the Vedas rests on the Chandas which are in the nature of feet. Each mantra of the Veda has a special chandas, just as it has a presiding deity. According to Nirukta, the word Chandas is derived from the root chad (to cover). Metre is called Chanda because it covers the sense or meaning of the mantra. The Chandas is designed for the purpose of the security of proper reading and reciting of Vedic texts. The Rgveda and Samaveda are fully in the form of verses, whereas the Yajurveda has prose and poetry both. A Vedamantra is generally of four Padas or quarters and depending on the number of syllables in each of the Padas, we have seven different metres namely Gayatri, Usnik, Anustup, Brhati, Pankti, Tristup and Jagati. The Gayatri has 3 Padas, 8 in each Pada and thus total of 24 syllables. So also Usnik has 3 padas, 8 in two and 12 in one Pada and thus total of 28 syllables. Anustup has 4 Padas, 8 in each Pada Odisha State Open University, Sambalpur Page 5 and thus total of 32 syllables, whereas Brhati has 4 Padas, 9 in each Pada and a total of 36 syllables. Pankti has 5 Padas, 8 in each Pada and thus total of 40 syllable, Tristup has 4 Padas, 11 in each Pada and thus total of 44 syllables and finally the Jagati has also four Padas, 12 in each Pada and thus a total of 48 syllables.