Pratishakhyas

Pratishakhya (Sanskrit: प्रातिशाख्य prātiśākhya), also known as Parsada (pārṣada), are Vedic age manuals devoted to the precise and consistent pronunciation of words. These works were critical to the perfect preservation of the Vedic texts, as well as the accurate analysis of the Vedas particularly when isolated words interact after they have been joined per sandhi procedures. Each Vedic school (parisad, or parsad) and geographic branch (sakha) therefore developed a manual to do so, and that is why these are called parsada or pratisakhya.

They are a part of the Shiksha Vedanga: works dealing with the phonetic aspects of the Sanskrit language used in Vedas. Each Veda has a pratishakhya per school. Many pratishakhyas have survived into the modern age, and all except one (Taittiriya pratisakhya) are based on "recitation of isolated words", states Hartmut Scharfe. They start with word-for-word recitation, and then give rules about the continuous recitation of texts. Though all the manuals have the same basic goal, they differ significantly in how each achieves that goal. They were composed centuries before the work of Pāṇini, but there is evidence in these manuals that many pratisakhya evolved and were revised over time by the respective school to their regional preferences. The phonetic aspects of Vajasaneyi Pratisakhya is closest to those found in the classic Sanskrit grammar work of Pāṇini.

Rig Veda

One of the Pratisakhyas deal with the phonetic aspects of the Rig Veda. The work is generally ascribed to be written by Shaunaka, an ancient rishi (sage). It has been translated into German by Max Müller. A French translation done by M. Regnier is also available, as is an English translation by Mangal Deva Shastri.

Yajur Veda

There are two treatises dealing with phonetic and related aspects of the Yajur Veda. The first, commonly known as the Krishna (Black) Yajur, is known as Taittriya Pratisakhya. Its translation done by Professor Whitney is also available, and the same has been published in the Journal of the American Oriental Society. The second treatise is commonly called the Shukla (White) Yajur, and is known as Vajasaneyi Pratisakhya. The later is believed to have been written by Katyayana. Its translation done by Weber is available.

Atharva Veda

The treatise pertaining to the phonetic and other aspects of Atharva Veda is also ascribed to the sage Saunaka, and derives its name from him: the Saunakiya Chaturadhyayika, which means the Book having four chapters by Saunak. Whitney has translated the work into English.

Sama Veda

The name of the pratisakhya belonging to Sama Veda is Rk Tantra. Most of the mantras in Sama Veda are either from the Rk Veda or adapted from it, though sung differently. Hence the name Rk Tantra. The book is available.

See also

• Shiksha

References

• Hartmut Scharfe (1977). Grammatical Literature. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-01706-0. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
• Shastri, Mangal Deva (1922). The Rg-vedapratisakhya with the Commentary of Uvata. Part of the Introduction. London: Oxford University Press.
• Shastri, Mangal Deva (1931). The Rg-vedapratisakhya with the Commentary of Uvata. Volume ii: Text in Sutra Form and Commentary with Critical Apparatus (in Sanskrit). Allahabad: The Indian Press.
• Shastri, Mangal Deva (1937). The Rg-vedapratisakhya with the Commentary of Uvata. Volume iii: English Translation of the Text, Additional Notes, Several Appendices and Indices. Lahore: Moti Lal Banarsi Das.