मन्त्रार्थवर्तन में यास्क एवं वेदकृतादिभाष्यकारों का वैचित्र्य
By Bharti Satyapal Bhagat
Summary
This Hindi article (whose title translates roughly as 'Variations among Yāska and other Vedic commentators in interpreting mantras') examines how early Indian scholars explained obscure Vedic passages. It opens by situating the Vedas as the primary source of Indian civilisation and notes that understanding Vedic mantras required the efforts of later exegetes, including Yāska, Śākalya and other *bhāṣyakāras*. The author outlines Yāska’s approach in the *Nirukta*, which analyses each word’s etymology and contextual meaning and relates it to ritual practice. He then surveys other commentators who, drawing upon grammar, lexicography and etymology, sometimes diverge from Yāska’s interpretations. Differences arise over whether a mantra should be interpreted literally or symbolically, whether the ritual context influences semantics, and whether post‑Vedic linguistic innovations should inform Vedic exegesis. The paper underscores that Vedic commentary was a dynamic dialogue rather than a monolithic tradition.
Conclusion
By comparing the exegetical strategies of Yāska with those of later commentators, the author illustrates how linguistic analysis evolved alongside ritual practice. The conclusion suggests that appreciating the plurality of Vedic interpretations can deepen our understanding of how ancient Indians grappled with sacred texts and may inform modern translations that seek to balance etymology with ritual context.