Vararuchi
| Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R) |
Vararuchi) (वररुचि) is a name associated with several literary and scientific texts in Sanskrit. Grammarian Vararuchi in his Prakrtaprakasha, formulated a special rule for the change of त (t) into ट (ṭ) (III, 23). It is this manner that Jat becomes Jaṭ (जात → जाट).
Mention by Panini
Vararuchi (वररुचि) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [1]
Vararuchah shlokah (वाररुचा: श्लोका:) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [2]
Vararuchi the author of Prākrita Prakāśa
Vararuci is believed to be the author of Prākrita Prakāśa the oldest treatise on the grammar of Prākrit language.[3] Vararuci's name appears in a verse listing the 'nine gems' (navaratnas) in the court of one King Vikrama.[4]
Name of Shiva
List of Shiva's thousand names includes ...Vararuchi.
History
K.P. Jayaswal[5] mentions....Magadha Kings and their Ministers, subsequent to Udayin [c.450-B.C.338 B.C.]....
Prime Minister Vararuchi : Magadha King Nanda;s minister was a Buddhist Brahmin Vararuchi who was of high soul, kind and good. The king, though true, caused alienation of feeling of the Council of Ministers at Patala City. (434-35). The king became very ill, died at 67. His great friend was a Brahmin, Panini by name. He will become a believer in me (Buddha) ; and had mantra of success from Lokeśa (T.) (439).
K.P. Jayaswal[6] writes.... Nanda patronised the Brahmin opponents of Buddhism. The AMMK notes a great intellectual activity of the orthodox type under Nanda. Vararuchi was his minister who had a high reputation, and Panini was his favourite.
Dr Naval Viyogi[7] notes that after Panini Vyādi was a great grammarian. As such both would have a gap of two generations. The story in the initial book of the several versions of the Brahatkatha would make Vyadi and Vararuchi class fellows and friends.[8] It seems from the above facts that Vararuchi was the contemporary of Nanda Kings and of the pre-Mauryan age.
Jat History
Bhim Singh Dahiya[9] writes ....Now let us see how, त (t) of Gitta (ग़ित्त) becomes ' ट ' (T) of Giṭṭa (गिट्ट) This change of dental surd into a cerebral is very common in Prakrit language. Everybody knows how Pattan (पत्तन) becomes Paṭṭan (पट्टन) , in the name Anhillapaṭṭan. Grammarian Vararuchi in his Prakrtaprakasha, formulated a special rule for the change of त (t) into ट (ṭ) (III, 23). Hemachandra also gives examples of ट (t) (III,23). Hemachandra also gives examples of this change of dental into a cerebral, viz., Tagara → Ṭagara, Trasara → Ṭasara, ṭuvara → tuvara. [10]
It is this manner that Jat becomes Jaṭ (जात → जाट).
Identified with Kātyāyana
Vararuci is often identified with Kātyāyana.[11] Kātyāyana is the author of Vārtikās which is an elaboration of certain sūtrās (rules or aphorisms) in Pāṇini's much revered treatise on Sanskrit grammar titled Aṣṭādhyāyī. Kātyāyana is believed to have flourished in the 3rd century BCE.[12] However, this identification of Vararuci with Kātyāyana has not been fully accepted by scholars.[13]
References
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.11
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.316
- ↑ Edwards Byles Cowell (1854). The Prākrita-prakāsa or the Prākrit grammar of Vararuci with the commentary (Manorama) of Bhāmaha. Hertford, England: Stephen Austin, Book Sellers to East India College.
- ↑ V. P. Ramachandra Dikshitar; V. R. Ramachandra Dikshitar (1952). The Gupta Polity. Delhi: Motilal Barasidass. pp. 37–38. ISBN 81-208-1024-4.
- ↑ An Imperial History Of India/Magadha And Madhyadesa; Imperial Period,p.14
- ↑ An Imperial History Of India/Magadha And Madhyadesa; Imperial Period,p.15
- ↑ Dr Naval Viyogi: Nagas – The Ancient Rulers of India/General Index of Nagas, The Ancient Rulers of India, p.191
- ↑ Shastri Nilkanta, K.A., "Age of the Nandas and Mauryas",p.327
- ↑ Jats the Ancient Rulers (A clan study)/The Jats,p.15
- ↑ Buddha Prakash, Studies in Ancient Indian History and Civilisation, p. 405. ,p.259
- ↑ Edwards Byles Cowell (1854). The Prākrita-prakāsa or the Prākrit grammar of Vararuci with the commentary (Manorama) of Bhāmaha. Hertford, England: Stephen Austin, Book Sellers to East India College.
- ↑ Harold G. Coward; Karl H. Potter; K. Kunjunni Raja, eds. (1990). Encyclopedia of Indian philosophies: The philosophy of the grammarians. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. pp. 458–459. ISBN 978-81-208-0426-5.
- ↑ Richard Pischel, Subhadra Jhā (1999). A grammar of the Prākrit languages (2 ed.). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. p. 45. ISBN 978-81-208-1680-0.
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