Linganushasana

The provided text is the Lingânusâsana of Vâmana, a Sanskrit grammatical treatise focused on the genders of nouns. It is presented with the author's own commentary (svopajñavṛttisametam) and edited by Chimanlal D. Dalal.

Here's a comprehensive summary based on the provided pages:

1. Introduction and Overview:

• Author: Vâmana, an "illustrious figure in the history of Sanskrit Literature."
• Work: Lingânusâsana, a succinct treatment of noun genders in Sanskrit.
• Structure: Composed of thirty verses in the Aryâ meter, with two additional verses in Vasantatilakâ meter at the end discussing sources and the author himself.
• Sources: Vâmana states that his work is based on the works of Vyâḍi, Vararuchi, and Chandra, as well as the Jainendra Vyâkarana (attributed to Devanandi alias Pujyapâda).
• Commentary: The commentary, which clarifies the aphoristic verses, is written by Vâmana himself.
• Purpose: To explain the genders of nouns, essential for correct Sanskrit word usage.
• Significance: The Lingânusâsana was an "authoritative work of note," quoted by later commentators of the Amarakośa such as Sarvananda, Kshirsvamin, and Rayamukuta. It is also frequently cited by Hemachandra in his commentary on his own Lingânusâsana.

2. Author and His Times (Vâmana):

• Identity: Vâmana is the author of the Lingânusâsana and its commentary. He names himself in the concluding verse.
• Known Works: Four works are attributed to Vâmana:
  1. A portion of the Kaśika Vṛtti.
  2. Kâvyâlankârasutra and its commentary (Vṛtti).
  3. Lingânuśâsana.
  4. Vidyadhara Vyakarana (mentioned in a work from Samvat 1197).
  • The editor raises the question of whether these were by one polymath or multiple individuals named Vâmana.
• Dating:
  • Vâmana is posterior to the authors of Chandra and Jainendra grammars, as he utilizes their works.
  • He quotes a verse from Magha's Śiśupalavadha. Magha, who flourished around the end of the 7th century AD, was influenced by Varmalata of Bhinnamala (mentioned in a Samvat 682 inscription). This places Vâmana after Magha.
  • Vâmana mentions "Jagattungasabha" as an example. Jagattunga is identified with the Rashtrakûṭa Emperor Govind III (reign 794-813 AD). This suggests Vâmana was a contemporary of Govind III and possibly a member of his court.
  • The mention of "Śrîbhavana" as a village, also appearing in grants of Govind III, further supports this dating.
  • Conclusion on Dating: Based on various data points, Vâmana is placed between the latter half of the 8th and the first quarter of the 9th century AD. This date is consistent with the dating of the author of the Kâvyâlankârasûtra.

3. Vâmana's Religious Affiliation:

• Indications:
  • The absence of a Mangala (auspicious invocation) in the Kaśika is noted.
  • His use of Chandra and Jainendra grammars suggests "heterodox tendencies."
  • In the Kâvyâlankârasûtravṛtti, the salutation is to "great lustre" rather than a specific deity.
  • However, in the Lingânusâsana, he salutes "Siddha," described as one who has desisted from all action and composed scriptures for the benefit of humanity.
  • His reliance on Buddhist and Jain authors like Chandra and Devanandi supports the view of his leaning towards Buddhism and Jainism.

4. Other Works and Identity of Vâmana:

• The Kâvyâlankârasûtra, described as a "favourite of poets," also seems to be by the same Vâmana.
• The rhetorician Vâmana quoted verses from Magha, Bhavabhuti, and Bhatta Narayana.
• The early commentator Sahadeva on Vâmana's Kâvyâlankârasûtra states that the work had fallen into disuse and was revived by Bhatta Mukula. Sahadeva heard the work from Bhatta Mukula, who may be the author of the Abhidhamâṭrkâ.
• Sahadeva mentions leaving Kasmira, suggesting the rhetorician Vâmana might have been from Kasmira.
• The dating of the rhetorician Vâmana (late 8th to early 9th century AD) aligns with the dating of the author of the Lingânusâsana.
• The Lingânusâsana is considered beneficial to poets (kavi-hita).
• Hypothesis: If one person Vâmana was the author of all these works (grammarian, poet, rhetorician), he might have served Jayapida and later the Rashtrakûṭa Emperor Jagattunga, a common migration pattern for Kasmirian poets.

5. Manuscript Material:

• The present edition is based on a single palm-leaf manuscript of the Lingânusâsana with its commentary.
• Details of the manuscript:
  • Size: 10.5 inches long, 11 inches broad.
  • Leaves: 42 leaves, each with four lines.
  • Date: Samvat 1273 (1216 AD).
  • Location: Belongs to the Sangha's Bhandar in Phophalia Vada, Patan.
  • Missing portions: Folios 35, 37, and 40 have missing sections.
• Comparison with other manuscripts: A palm-leaf manuscript of the Karika (No. 266) from the Santinatha temple in Cambay (dated Samvat 1287 / 1231 AD) was previously published by Dr. Peterson, but it was incomplete and edited incorrectly due to misreading and the absence of a commentary.

6. Content of the Lingânusâsana (as seen from the numbered verses):

The text then proceeds to list rules for noun genders, often providing examples. Based on the verse numbers and the initial commentary:

• Verse 1: An invocation to "Siddha" and introduces the Lingânusâsana.
• Verse 2: Deals with neuter gender for nouns ending in 't', 'm', 'l', 's', 'tva', and those derived from 'man' and the prefix 'ud' followed by 'i'.
• Verse 3: Discusses neuter gender for nouns ending in 'r', 'j', 's', 'h', 'ś', and relates to buildings and the like. Also mentions the neuter gender for compounds with words signifying 'rathahanta' (end of a chariot) and 'tandula' (rice).
• Verse 4: Lists many noun endings and words that take neuter gender, such as 'dola', 'palaba', 'himakha', 'amrita', 'mukha', 'sukha', 'dukkha', 'punya', 'papa', 'visya', 'prasava', 'abharana', 'vileya', 'vyanjana', 'phala', 'lavana', and 'jati'.
• Verse 5: Continues with neuter gender for words derived from 'daru', 'aśru', 'auṣadha', 'jala', 'dhanuḥ', 'udara', 'ajira', 'śikhara', 'vastra', 'picchā'. It also mentions compound words where the second part is 'pātra' or similar, and adverbial modifiers.
• Verse 6: Covers gender rules for compounds related to 'chāyā' (shadow), 'sabhā' (assembly), and names of kings and demons. It also discusses compound formation with 'bandha' and 'avyayībhāva'.
• Verse 7: Explains gender in compounds formed with 'upakrama' and 'upajñā', the names of regions like Kâśmira, and words preceding 'patha'.
• Verse 8: Deals with the abstract noun formation, particularly with suffixes like 'cit', 'ksha', 'caṇa', 'bha', 'karma', and the abstract sense of 'dharmārdha', 'sāramitra', etc.
• Verse 9: Lists more words that are neuter, such as 'kuhakam', 'cibukam', 'lingam', 'krakacham', 'bijam', 'lalāṭam', 'śṛṅgāṭam', etc.
• Verse 10: Continues the list of neuter nouns: 'kuṇḍa', 'aṇḍa', 'bhāṇḍa', 'kāraṇa', 'śaraṇa', 'ṛṇa', 'kṣuṇṇa', 'uṣṇa', 'tīrtha', 'uktha', 'guda', 'dvandva', 'kusida', 'śrāddha', 'ratna', 'cihna'.
• Verse 11: More neuter nouns: 'rūpa', 'talpa', 'śilpa', 'samīpa', 'kūpa', 'aṇṭa', 'antarīpa', 'bimba', 'kuṭumba', 'kula', 'asima', 'yugma', 'gulma'.
• Verse 12: Continues with neuter nouns like 'kiśalaya', 'śiśira', 'kukuṁdara', 'cāmara', 'kāntāra', 'tīra', 'dūra', 'vaira', 'akṣara', 'antara', 'ūpara', 'kiṇva', 'śarāva', 'daiva'.
• Verse 13: Lists neuter nouns like 'kaṇiśa', 'baḍiśa', 'paliśa', 'śīrṣa', 'varṣa', 'sāhasa', 'busa', 'puṇyāha', 'sudināha', 'yakṛt', 'purīta', 'jagát', 'bhuvanam'.
• Verse 14: Continues with neuter nouns like 'nīḍa', 'gṛhaśiśapūrvā', 'sthūṇa', 'ūrṇā', 'gandhamādana', 'asthikṣi', 'sakthyarrikashipu', 'jānu', 'kase', 'toraṇa', 'bisārddhaṭahaḥ'.
• Verse 15: Introduces masculine gender for words ending in 's', 'n', 'a', 'u', and specific prefixes.
• Verse 16: Continues with masculine gender for words related to sounds, trees, poisons, months, demons, colors, deities, and beings.
• Verse 17: Lists more words taking masculine gender, including 'granthi', 'kali', 'keli', 'bali', 'giri', 'dṛti', 'rāśi', and others related to body parts.
• Verse 18: Continues with masculine gender for words like 'stana', 'vātāyana', 'hāyana', 'jana', 'odana', 'abhijana', 'phena', 'vemā', 'aśma', 'śleṣma', 'uṣma', 'pāpmaya', 'yakṣmātma', 'vardha', 'medra', and mantras.
• Verse 19: More masculine nouns: 'garta', 'avaṭa', 'nikāyya', 'ācchāḍapaṭa', 'uttarāsaṅga', 'nūpura', 'hāra', 'kalāpa', 'rai', 'kośa', 'svārtha', 'vibhava'.
• Verse 20: Lists words that are masculine, including 'saktu', 'valvala', 'dārā', 'lājā', 'asu', 'gṛha', 'daśā'. It also clarifies gender for words like 'nāḍī-anas-ādi' when combined with 'vraṇa', 'yuga', 'pada', 'anga'.
• Verse 21: Continues with masculine nouns like 'mala', 'khala', 'kapola', 'kambala', 'caṣāla', 'kallola', 'kāla', 'kīla', 'gala'.
• Verse 22: Introduces feminine gender for words denoting living beings and those with a long 'ā' ending, even if previously stated otherwise.
• Verse 23: Lists more feminine nouns: 'bhā', 'bā', 'pū', 'uḍu', 'kāku', 'hṛd', 'snāyu', 'rajju', 'cañcu', 'tanu'. It also mentions plural feminine forms for compounds related to 'samāsa', 'varṣa', 'apsu', 'sumanaso', 'apsaras'.
• Verse 24: Mentions specific words like 'viṣa', 'kuḷiśa', 'kalatra', 'triviṣṭapā', 'pātra', 'prasava', 'aśvaḍava', 'vāc', 'kṣeda', 'garu', 'dhu', 'akhe', 'dhasa' that take masculine gender.
• Verse 25: Discusses the gender of numbers, with certain numbers being neuter and others taking different genders based on context.
• Verse 26: Covers gender in compound words, particularly dual compounds, and words associated with 'chāyā', 'śālā', 'senā', 'surā', 'niśā'.
• Verse 27: Lists words that can be masculine or feminine like 'marīci', 'maṇi', 'yaṣṭi', 'muṣṭi', 'yoni', 'aṇi', 'truṭi', 'maṣi', 'pāṭali', 'śālmalī', 'taraṇi', 'śroṇi', 'ūrmi', 'basti'. It also touches upon the concept of 'vācyavat' (gender according to meaning) and geographical names.
• Verse 28: Discusses words that can take different genders, including those ending in 'ti' (feminine) and 'a' (feminine) after certain suffixes.
• Verse 29: Explains the principle of 'paravalliṅga' (gender of the latter word in a compound) and its application in various compound types.
• Verse 30: Mentions words like 'ardharchādyāḥ' that can be masculine or neuter, and specific words like 'śaṅkhapadma', 'bhūta', 'saindhava' that have dual genders.
• Verse 31: Concludes with a verse summarizing the sources (Vyâḍi, Vararuchi, Chandra, Jainendra) and the author's contribution.
• Verse 32: Vâmana's humble admission of potential inaccuracies and request for correction.
• Verse 33: Praise for the Lingânusâsana and Vâmana.

In essence, the Lingânusâsana is a focused grammatical text aiming to provide clear rules for noun genders in Sanskrit, drawing upon earlier traditions and presented with the author's own elucidations. The introduction by Chimanlal D. Dalal offers valuable context regarding Vâmana's life, works, and the historical significance of this treatise.