Traditionally, the linguistic and grammatical studies in India are taken to begin from the times of the Vedas, The Vedic pada-patha, the pratisakhyas, the Nighantu, the Nirukta and the siksas-all this Literature has done not only the pioneering work but even a detailed study of the phonetics, phonology, accent, semantics, and even morphology in some cases of the Vedic language. Yet, looking at the variety of the nominal and verbal formations, the taddhita and the krdanta derivatives, the different ways of the declension of nouns and conjugation of verbs, the exactitude of the accent and syntax, the transformational procedures, the generative nature of the Sanskrit language and finally the verification with its rigid rules, the different meters and the accent-rules-all these characteristics of the Vedic language show that though the Vedic linguists had done a sufficiently detailed study of the Vedic language, much remained to be done and the task was taken up by the post-Vedic grammarians.
The linguistic studies noted above, however, do not deal with the post-Vedic that is, the epic and classical language, though it can be said that the linguistic studies of the Vedas have paved the way for the study of the later post-Vedic epic and classical Sanskrit language. We find that there is a great similarity between the principles of morpheme-segmentation of the padapathakara sakalya and Panini. So also, the phonetics and phonology of the siksas differ very little from that of the later grammarians. Just as the later post-Vedic linguistic and grammatical studies, pre-suppose the Vedic linguistics, we may venture to conjecture that there is every possibility of some linguistic activity in the pre-Vedic times which might have helped the Vedic scholars and writers. The legends of Indra and Brhaspati referred to by Patanjali in his Mahabhasya or that of gods invoking Indra to analyze the unanalyzed vak in the Tait. Brahmana are instances in this context. That the roots of Vedic linguistics (as are evident from various references to speech-analysis in the samhitas proper, the Brahmanas and the Upanisads) go back to pre-Vedic times is not impossible, because just as the Vedic Sanskrit language, i.e. Old Indo-Aryan, has its history going back to Indo-Eruopean stage, the linguistic studies of the language cannot be the sudden off-shoot of the Vedic and pre-Vedic period alone. They also can be traced back to pre-Vedic times.
Even a simple thing as the versification and the meters is an instance in point. We find then the Vedas are nothing but verses in form composed in different meters. Thus, we have in the Veda the following meters chiefly. There is the Gayatri of 24 syllables, the Anustubh of 32 syllables, the Tristubh of 33 syllables, the Pankti of 40 syllables, and the Jagati of 48 syllables. Besides we have other varieties of meters, which are of mixed type-of 28 syllables like Usnih, Purusnih, and kakubha; 40 syllables like Sato-Brhati, 60 syllables like Atisakvari, and 68 syllables like Atyasti. Moreover, we have what is called strophic stanzas like A, Kakubha Pragatha, and Barhata Pragatha. The composition of all these different types of meters presupposes a disciplined arrangement of letters by counting the number of syllables in the stanzas. Not only this, the stanza was sung with musical notes which had melody rhythm, and music. This again speaks for the advancement and study of music also in pre-Vedic times. This is the case of only a simple thing like the Vedic meters. What about all the linguistic studies in and after Vedic times, which show an advanced stage and knowledge in phonetics and phonology? It is, therefore, that all the post-Vedic linguistic studies are the product of only post-Vedic times. We are led to assume a long period even in pre-Vedic times for whatever development and advancement is seen in the Vedic and post-Vedic periods.
It will, therefore, not be an exaggeration to say that the beginning of the linguistic activities of India goes back even to pre-Vedic times. Unfortunately, there is no literature on pre-Vedic times to support our conjecture of the pre-Vedic origin of the Indian linguistic studies and hence we cannot produce documentary evidence or what the Najyayikas call the pratyaksa-pramana. But, it should be noted, pratyaksa, and pramana is not the only pramanas. There are at least four means of knowledge, viz-pratyaksa, anumana upamana and sabda. And we can conjecture the pre-Vedic beginning of linguistic studies with the help of common-sense judgment and the anumana pramana. If the Vedic language is what it is with all its richness of vocabulary, variety of forms, exact syntax, lofty thoughts, and high philosophy it must have taken a long period to evolve into its present state. Its linguistic studies also must have started and developed along with the development of the Vedic language, though we cannot produce a historical document in the form of writing of the pre-Vedic times to prove our point. The only evidence that we can cite is the mention of the many grammarians before Panini’s times in Panini’s grammar itself. The number of pre-paninian grammarians, according to Yudhisthira Mimamsaka is well nigh 60. This figure speaks for itself.
If the line of reasoning given above about the pre-Vedic beginning of linguistic studies is correct, then what follows is that this very activity provided a base-may be it rough or sound, scientific or otherwise to the post-Vedic linguistic activity in the form of the padapatha, the Pratisakhyas, the Nighantu, the Nirukta and the Siksas, and later on in the form of the grammars of sixty and odd pre-Paninian grammarians. We can see thus that the linguistic activity in India, which started from pre-Vedic times and was carried on by the post-Vedic grammarians and linguistics like Panini was further carried on even after Panini’s times even though Panini’s grammar was a masterpiece in grammar composition and threw back all the pre-Paninian grammars into total oblivion.
The number of Sanskrit grammars after Panini’s times is eleven. The latest grammar of Saupadma was written in about 1300 A.D-1350 A.D.
Besides the activity of proper grammar composition, there have been side-activities like the commentaries, adding supplements, etc. to the grammar. The Vartikas of Katyayana is a point in this connection. If all this literature swells into enormous size. The Indians have thus a very tradition spreading over about 4000-5000 years and a very vast literature running into thousands of pages on linguistics and grammar.
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