Question

Who composed the grammar of Sanskrit language?
1. Valmiki
2. Tulsidas
3. Panini
4. Kalidas

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 3 : Panini

The correct answer is Panini.

• Panini:
  • He was born in Shalatula on the Indus River in present-day Pakistan.
  • He was a Sanskrit grammarian and gave a comprehensive and scientific theory of phonetics, phonology, and morphology.
  • He is considered the founder of the language and literature of Sanskrit.
  • His major work involves treatise called Astadhyayi (or Astaka). It consists of eight chapters, each subdivided into quarter chapters.
  • Under Astadhyayi, he distinguished between the language of sacred texts and the usual language of communication.
  • He gave formal production rules and definitions to describe Sanskrit grammar.
  • He gave about 1700 basic elements like nouns, verbs, vowels, consonants he put them into classes.
  • Pushyamitra Shunga is a post-Mauryan king whereas the birth year of Panini is not known. Experts give dates of Panini in the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th century which are all Pre-Mauryan.
  • Astadhyayi (or Astaka ) is Panini's major work related to Sanskrit grammar.