ધનપાલ : પાણિનિય ધાતુપાઠનો એક અપ્રસિદ્ધ વૃત્તિકાર
By Nilanjana S. Shah
Summary
This article sheds light on Dhanpala, a Jain scholar and grammarian who wrote an obscure commentary on Pāṇini’s Dhātupāṭha (the list of Sanskrit verbal roots). The author provides a biographical sketch of Dhanpala, situating him in the cultural milieu of medieval Gujarat and noting his connections with Jain monastic centres. By examining surviving manuscript fragments, the article reconstructs Dhanpala’s exegetical method: he groups roots according to semantic fields, provides etymologies and cites examples from both secular and religious literature. His interpretations reveal a keen awareness of the philosophical implications of verbal morphology and a desire to integrate Jain doctrinal concepts into the study of language. Comparisons with more famous grammarians show that Dhanpala offered original insights yet remained largely unrecognised in mainstream linguistic histories. The author argues that recovering such forgotten commentators enriches our understanding of the reception of Pāṇini and highlights the contributions of Jain scholars to Sanskrit philology.
Conclusion
By bringing Dhanpala’s work to light, the article demonstrates that the history of Sanskrit grammar includes voices beyond the canonical commentators. His commentary on the Dhātupāṭha illustrates how linguistic analysis can be informed by philosophical and religious concerns. Recognising scholars like Dhanpala broadens our appreciation of India’s intellectual diversity and invites further manuscript research.