vyākaraṇa

The term vyākaraṇa refers to the study of grammar within the Indian linguistic tradition, which dates back at least two and a half millennia. This tradition culminated in the work of the grammarian Pāṇini in the 5th century BCE, whose grammar of Sanskrit, known as the Aṣṭādhyāyī, became the standard for correct language.12

The study of grammar in India, originally aimed at preserving the purity of sacred Vedic texts, evolved into an intellectual pursuit in itself. This sophisticated grammatical tradition has had a significant impact on modern linguistics, particularly in understanding comparative philology and phonetics. While Sanskrit was the language of learned treatises and classical literature, other dialects, known as Prākrits, emerged and were adopted by reform movements like Buddhism and Jainism.12