Lesson 61

Beginning Prayers:

• शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुम् - shuklaambaradharaM viShNum
• सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhyam 
• गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः - gururbrahmaa gururviShNuH 

Topic Summary:

• maaheshwara sUtraaNi

Home Work:

• Write 10 pratyaahaaras and expand them
• what are anubandhas? Give examples

Topic Details:

The shiva suutras or maaheshwara suutras (माहेश्वर सूत्राणि) are fourteen verses that organize the alphabet of samskRutam, as referred to in paaNini's aShTaadhyaayI, the foundation text for Sanskrit grammar.  They are called shiva suutra-s because they are said to have been revealed to paaNini by Lord shiva himself!  The below verse says -

नृत्तावसाने नटराज राजः ननाद ढक्कां नवपञ्चवारम् ।
उद्धर्तुकामः सनकादि सिद्धान् एतद्विमर्शे शिवसूत्रजालम् ॥

At the end of the cosmic dance, Lord naTaraaja (shiva) sounded his Dhamaru 9 + 5 (=14) times.  With an intent to bless the sages sanaka and others, this web of shiva sUtras was deliberated.

It was nothing but the alphabet of samskRutam, but arranged in a different order!  Below is what sounded out of Lord shiva's Dhamaru -

१.  अ इ उ ण्
२.  ऋ लृ क्
३.  ए ओ ङ्
४.  ऐ औ च्
५.  ह य व र ट्
६.  ल ण्
७.  ञ म ङ ण न म्
८.  झ भ ञ्
९.  घ ढ ध ष्
१०. ज ब ग ड द श्
११. ख फ छ ठ थ च ट त व्
१२. क प य्
१३. श ष स र्
१४. ह ल्

1.  a i u N

2.  Ru lRu k

3.  e o ~g

4.  ai au ch

5.  ha ya va ra T

6.  la N

7.  ~ja ma ~ga Na na m

8.  jha bha ~j

9.  gha Dha dha Sh

10. ja ba ga Da da sh

11. kha pha Cha Tha tha ca Ta ta v

12. ka pa y

13. sha Sha sa r

14. ha l

The half alphabet in the suutra are called anubandha-s.  One anubandha appears at the end of each suutra.  These anubandha-s, along with one alphabet, makes a pratyaahaara.  Ex - अच्, हल्  

A pratyaahaara when expanded, stands for all the alphabet beginning from the first alphabet till the anubandha in the order of the maaheshwara suutra, minus the anubandha-s that come before the anubandha in the pratyaahaara.  To understand this better, see the expansion of the above examples.

अच् stands for - अ इ उ ऋ लृ ए ओ ऐ औ (च्) 

हल्  - ह य व र ल ञ म ङ ण न झ भ घ ढ ध ज ब ग ड द ख फ छ ठ थ च ट त क प श ष स ह (ल्) 

paaNini has written the entire aShTaadhyaayi using these pratyaahaara-s mainly.  All the rules of the samskRutam grammar have been defined perfectly!  Only one alphabet (ह) and one anubandha (ण्) repeat through out these 14 suutras and for good reason.  There are times when paaNini needs to refer to a set of alphabet with such a repetition.  Hence the redundancy.   Otherwise, it is said that there is not a single syllable that is said redundantly in the aShTaadhyaayi.  

One who is learning samskRutam should certainly have an idea about maaheshwara suutra-s are and what they are.  

So, happy learning!

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - om pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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