panini

[N. Ganesan]

Thanks, Prof. Deshpande

*For some details on the history of this topic, see my recent article
*"Who Inspired Panini?  Reconstructing the Hindu and Buddhist
*Counter-Claims", Journal of the American Oriental Society,
*117.3 (1997), pp. 444-465.

Will check the article soon. From the title, I can tell
a parallel material from tamil.

Tamil texts usually attribute tamil's guru is "Siva,
he teaches them to Murugan who teaches in turn to
Agastya.

However, there is a 12th century grammar, ViiracOziyam.
Its author is puttamittiran2 (Buddhamitra), the
Chieftain of PonpaRRi naaDu.

He says in the forword (paayiram) of the book that
AvalOkitiisvara taught Tamil to Agastya first.

"Ayum kuNattu avalOkitan2 pakkal akattiyan2 kETTu
 Eyum puvan2ikku iyampiya taNTamiz IGku uraikka
 nIyum uLaiyO? en2il, 'karuTan2 cen2Ra nIL vicumpil
 Iyum paRakkum', itaRku en2 kolO collum! EntizaiyE."

I am told that no critical edition exists even for
this important grammar by a Buddhist author.

Regards,
N. Ganesan