Etymology of kSatriya

[DR.S.KALYANARAMAN]

On Wed, 11 Oct 1995, Dominik Wujastyk wrote:

> finest such books, for example.  For me, this is the linguistic
> equivalent of Geertz's "thick description" in social anthropology.  It
> would be marvellous to have such subtle and searching studies for
> Sanskrit words and concepts.  Of course quite a lot has been done: I
> think immediately of van Buitenen's fine studies of "citta", "ahankara"
> and related words.

Dominik makes a beautiful point. A substantial part of the older works, such
as the Niruktam, for example, tend to make emphatic statements with little
sociolinguistic analysis. I can think of a more recent example. Madhav M. 
Deshpande's Sanskrit and Prakrit: Sociolinguistic issues. With undue emphasis
on grammar (pANiNi et al.), the bhASA is relegated to the lowly prakrt 
speaking comedians in a few dramas. I am sure our members of indology can
throw more light on the analytical works for the prakrts. 

Dr. S. Kalyanaraman