Question

Which is the oldest Indian linguistic text?
A. Nirukta
B. Mahabhashya
C. Ashtadhyayi
D. Kasikavritti

Answer 1

Hint: Written by Panini this set the standards of Sanskrit in the 6th to 5th century BCE. The name translates to ‘eight chapters’.

Complete answer: Let us go through the options-
Option A. It is one of the six Vedangas, ancillary sciences related to the Vedas and deals with the etymology and interpretation of Sanskrit words. The others are Jyotisha, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Channda and Shiksha. It was written by a successor of Sakatayana, Yaksa.
Option B. Written by Patanjali in 2nd century BCE, it touches upon Vyakarana (morphology) and Shiksha (phonology). He was one of the great three, others being Panini and his predecessor, Katyayana, whose work now only remains through inferences in Patanjali’s work.
Option C. He was the first descriptive linguist, lived in ancient Gandhara and refers to previous works like Ganapatha and Dhatupatha. This treatise has 4000 sutras. His demise is peculiar, with the Panchatantras saying he was eaten by a lion.
Option D. Its authors are Jayaditya and Vamana, who wrote this in the century as a commentary on Panini. It is considered the 4th great grammar, after option C, option B and Vakapadiya which is not mentioned here. This makes it a close option but an incorrect one.
Therefore, option c is correct.

Note: He is considered the founder of the language, and has been at the helm of its literature. A key contribution was its distinction between colloquial Sanskrit and that used in sacred texts.