Page:Systems-of-Sanskrit-Grammar-SK Belvalkar.pdf/29

Systems of Sanskrit Grammar [- $ 14 Programme of the Ashtadhyayi first be explained (ii. 1 and 2), before we actually treat of the karakas or case-relations (ii. 3). 2.1 Taking up the verbs where we left them, we next, after a few preliminary definitions and other cognate matters (ii. 4 end), deal at length with the formation and the uses of the various tenses and moods; and, while we are still on the subject, we explain what are usually known as verbal derivatives, that is to say, those elements of sen- tences which, although by reason of their case-endings they may seem to belong to the category of substantives, do yet bear a very close affinity in meaning and formation to the root stems from which they are derived (iii. 1-4). Now we are free to concentrate ourselves on the noun- element of the sentence. The Nairuktas or Etymologists seem to assert that all these nouns are derived from the root-stems, which were the ultimate factors that we reached in our examination of the verb-element of the sentence. Let us examine this theory. To simplify matters we must, in the first place, dis- pose of a large number of nouns which are derived from other nouns by the addition of the so-called taddhita affix- es (iv.1.76-v.4). Then it is that we reach the substan- tive divested of all external wrappings. But may not there be some changes in the very body of the nouns which we can explain? It is only when we have done that (vi.4-vii.4) that we are at liberty to style the residual as and fan,'--unless, of course, we intend to step outside the role of a mere grammarian, as distin- guished from a philologist, and try to trace even these back to some more primitive verb-stems. Panini has made his contribution to philology in the form of the Unadi. sūtras (see below, § 16). This gives us the complete programme of the Ashta- dhyayî, and if Panini seems to depart from this in places