Page:Adam's reports on vernacular education in Bengal and Behar, submitted to Government in 1835, 1836 and 1838.djvu/185

Rh which is a perpetual commentary on Panini’s rules. The Kasica Vritti does not itself in any case appear to be used as a text-book, but references are occasionally made to it. The Kalapa grammar is taught first in the Daurga Sinhi, an exposition by Durga Singa of the Katantra Vritti, the latter being a brief and obscure commentary on the original aphorisms. This is followed by the Katantra Parisista, a supplement to the Kalapa by Sripatdatta; by the Katantra Panjica, a commentary on the Daurgi Sinhi by Trilochandasa; by the commentary of Sushena Kaviraja on the same; and by Parisista Prabodha, a commentary by Gobinatha on the supplement above-mentioned. The original aphorisms of the Panini and Kalapa grammars are believed to possess divine authority, which is not attributed to any of the other works employed in this course of instruction. The Mugdha-bodha of Vopadeva is studied without any commentary in the two schools where it is used; and the Ratnamala, a compilation by Purusottama from the Panini and Kalapa grammars, is studied with the commentaries called Jiveshwari and Prabhaba Prakasika. A list of verbal roots with their meanings is also committed to memory in this part of the course.

Lexicology is the most appropriate name that has occurred to me for describing that branch of study by which, simultaneously with the study of grammar, a knowledge of the meaning of single words and of their synonyms is acquired. The only work employed for this purpose is the Amara Kosha by Amara Sinha, with the commentary of Raghunatha Chakravartti. The names of objects, acts, qualities, &c., are classified and their synonyms given, which the students begin to commit to memory without the meaning; and they afterwards read the work and its commentary with the teacher who explains them. This gives the student a large command of words for future use either in reading or composition; and it is after some acquaintance with the grammar and the dictionary that the teacher usually encourages and assists the student to compose, verbally or in writing, short sentences in Sanscrit.

The work in verse invariably read first is the Bhatti Kavya on the life and actions of, so composed as to form a continued illustration of grammatical rules. This is followed without any fixed order by any of the following works or by others of the same class, viz., Raghu Kavya, also on the history of Ram; Magha Kavya, on the war between and ; Naishadha Kavya, on the loves of  and ; Bharavi Kavya, on the war between  and, &c., &c., &c. The poetry of the drama may be said to be almost wholly neglected here: in one college only I found that the Mahanataka is read.