Sankalit Sanskrit Niyamavali - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Sankalit Sanskrit Niyamavali," based on the provided pages:

Title: Sankalit Sanskrit Niyamavali (Compiled Sanskrit Rules) Authors: Bhuvanbhanusuri, Divyaratnavijay, Abhayshekharsuri Publisher: Jayaben Ratilal Shah Jain Pathshala, Anjar (Kutch) Compilation Goal: To provide a simplified and condensed guide to Sanskrit grammar for the benefit of Jain monks and nuns, enabling them to study the vast Jain literature written in Sanskrit.

Core Purpose and Philosophy:

The book aims to demystify Sanskrit grammar, which is considered essential for understanding the profound scriptures and teachings of Jainism. The authors emphasize the importance of correct and refined language, stating that even a single well-used word can yield great results, while incorrect usage can lead to chaos. The text highlights Sanskrit's logical structure, comparing it to a scientific and computer-friendly language. It acknowledges the time constraint for Jain ascetics to dedicate to study (15 hours daily) and thus presents a curated selection of essential grammatical rules.

Key Content Areas Covered:

The book systematically covers various aspects of Sanskrit grammar, presented in a structured manner:

Varn Vichar (Phonetics/Alphabet): Discusses vowels (swara), consonants (vyanjana), their classifications (ghosh, aghosh), classification of consonants by place of articulation (kanthya, talavya, etc.), nasals, aspirations, and semivowels.
Shabd Swarup Na Prakar (Types of Word Forms): Differentiates between roots (dhatu) and stems/bases (prakriti), and how they combine with suffixes (pratyaya) to form word-roots (anga) and ultimately word-forms (rupa) used in sentences. It explains that verb forms (dhatu roop) and noun forms (nama roop) are derived from these.
Kal Na Chha - Artha Na Char Bhed (Six Tenses and Four Moods):
- Tenses (Kal): Explains the present tense (vartman kal), three types of past tenses (past-imperfect - hyastanbhootkal, past-recent - adhyatanbhootkal, past-remote - parokshabhootkal), and two types of future tenses (future-next-day - shvastanbhavishya, future-general - samanyabhavishya). It notes that some tenses have overlaps in usage.
- Moods (Artha): Details the imperative/optative (ajnyarth), subjunctive/potential (vidhyarth), conditional/dependent action (kriyatipattyarth or satyarth), and benedictory (ashirvadarth).
Gan (Verb Roots Class) and Gankarya (Root Class Modifications): Explains that Sanskrit verbs are categorized into ten classes (gan). Each class has specific modification rules (gankarya) when applied to the root. The book is divided into two parts: the first for the four "a-karaant" roots (1st, 4th, 6th, 10th classes) which are simpler, and the second for the remaining six classes. It details the signs of each class and how they interact with roots, causing changes like guna (vowel modification) or viddhi (vowel augmentation).
Pratyaya (Suffixes) and Sandhi (Euphonic Combination):
- Suffixes: Details various suffixes used for forming verb conjugations (parasmai-padi and atma-ne-padi) across the different tenses and moods. It also covers suffixes for noun formation, case endings (vibhaktis), and derived forms.
- Sandhi: Provides extensive rules for vowel sandhi (swara sandhi) and consonant sandhi (vyanjana sandhi), explaining how sounds change when words are joined. It also details rules for visarga sandhi and common instances where sandhi is not applied.
Vibhaktini Samjutti (Understanding Cases): Explains the eight cases (prathama to saptami and sambodhana) and their general meanings (kartta, karma, karan, sampradan, apadan, sambandh, adhikaran). It also touches upon 'upapad vibhakti' where a case is determined by the presence of specific words or verbs.
Vakyarachana Na Niyam (Sentence Construction Rules): This section explains how specific verbs govern particular cases and provides examples of common grammatical constructions.
Samas Prakaran (Compound Words): A significant portion of the book is dedicated to various types of Sanskrit compounds:
- Dwandva Samas: Where all words are equally important, with sub-types like itaretara (dual/plural for two or more distinct items) and samahara (collectively forming a single entity, often neuter singular).
- Tatpurusha Samas: Where the first word (purvapada) is subordinate to the second (uttarapada), categorized by the case relationship (dvitiya, tritiya, etc.). This includes sub-types like karmadharaya (descriptive) and dvigu (numerative).
- Bahuvrihi Samas: Compounds where the meaning of the entire compound word describes a third entity, functioning as an adjective.
- Avyayibhava Samas: Compounds where the first word is an indeclinable (avyaya), signifying its grammatical role.
- Karma-Vyatlihar Samas: Describes reciprocal or mutual actions.
- Prushodaraadi Samas: An irregular category of compounds.
Krudanta Prakaran (Verbal Participles): Explains the formation and usage of various types of participles derived from verbs, such as those indicating purpose (hetvartha), past action (sambandhakbhoot), passive past action (karmakribhoot), present active participle (vartaman kartari), present passive participle (vartaman karmakri), and others like 'tavata', 'aniya', 'tavya', and 'tum'.
Prerak Rup (Causative Forms): Details how to form causative verbs, indicating that one person causes another to perform an action. It explains the rules for modifications in roots, suffixes, and resultant forms.
Ichchhadarshak (Sananta - Desiderative Forms): Explains how to form verbs indicating desire or intention to perform an action.
Kudanta Vibhag (Participle Section): This is a very detailed section covering various types of verbal derivatives (krudanta), including:
- Avyaya Rup Krudanta: Participles that function as indeclinables (like -tvā, -tum).
- Visheshan Rup Krudanta: Participles that function as adjectives (like -vat, -māna, -tavya, -aniya).
- It meticulously explains the formation rules, allowable changes (vikarak), guṇa/vṛddhi, and usage for each type of participle, covering roots from all ten classes and specific exceptions.
Sankhyavachak Shabda (Numerals): Covers cardinal numbers from one to infinity, their declension in Sanskrit (masculine, feminine, neuter), and the formation of ordinal numbers.
Samas Prakaran (Compound Words): A very extensive section detailing the rules and classifications of Sanskrit compounds, including how to interpret them and the specific changes that occur in word forms.
Vibhaktini Samjutti (Understanding Cases): A thorough explanation of the eight case endings and their various usages, often governed by specific verbs or prepositions (upapada).
Vakya Rachana Na Niyam (Sentence Construction Rules): Provides guidelines on verb-case agreement and common syntactical patterns.
Prakarana Vishesha (Special Chapters): Includes detailed explanations on the ten verb classes (gan), their specific modifications (gankarya), and rules for forming verb conjugations in all tenses and moods. It also details rules for noun declensions, especially for consonant-ending stems, and gender rules.

Key Strengths and Approach:

Conciseness: Focuses on essential rules, avoiding excessive detail.
Clarity: Presents grammatical concepts in a logical and step-by-step manner.
Practicality: Designed for practical application in studying Jain scriptures.
Jain Context: Emphasizes the spiritual and scriptural importance of Sanskrit for the Jain community.
Structure: The table of contents clearly maps out the topics, allowing for easy navigation.

Overall:

"Sankalit Sanskrit Niyamavali" is a valuable resource for Jain scholars and practitioners seeking to master Sanskrit grammar. It acts as a bridge, making complex grammatical structures accessible, thereby facilitating a deeper understanding and appreciation of the Jain heritage preserved in Sanskrit literature. The book is a testament to the authors' dedication to making sacred knowledge available to their community.