Shabdamanidarpana

Shabhamanidarpana ( _kn. ಶಬ್ದಮಣಿದರ್ಪಣ), also spelled Śabdamaṇidarpaṇa, is a comprehensive and authoritative work on Kannada grammar authored by Kesiraja in 1260 CE.E.P. Rice – pp 111] cite web |url=http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/kar/literature/history3.htm |title=History of the Kannada Literature -III |work= Dr. Jyotsna Kamat|accessdate=2008-05-01] This work, which literally means "Jewel-mirror of Grammar", remains till now as the comprehensive and early authoritative work on Kannada grammar. The rules here are set forth in "kanda" metre and followed by a prose commentary in "vrutti" (illustrative commentary by the author himself) and is considered a writing of high value.Sastri (1955), p359] Though Kesiraja followed the model of Sanskrit grammar of the Katantra school and that of earlier writings on Kannada grammar, his work has an originality of its own.Sahitya Akademi (1988), p. 1476]

Shabdamanidarpana is the earliest extant work of its kind, and narrates scientifically the principles of old Kannada language and is a work of unique significance.Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol. 5, Sahitya Akademi (1996), pp. 3929]

Mention of early poets

The text of "Sabdamanidarpana" starts with an invocation of the great poets of earlier generations who are to be authorities of Kesiraja as cited by him.

Quote|The expert way (sumārgam) of Gajaga, Gunanandi, Manasija, Asaga, Candrabhatta, Gunavarma, Srivijaya, Honna (Ponna), Hampa (Pampa), Sujanōttamsa – these provide the illustrative instances (lakshya) in this work. In "Shabdamanidarpana", about twenty poets and 30 different works are cited, and almost every rule is explained with quotations. This work points out the Kannada language development through the preceding three centuries.|Kesiraja (translated)

Grammar topics

ignificance of grammar

In the very beginning of the "Shabdamanidarpana", in Preface section, Kesiraja explains the significance of Grammar in the context of a language and its learning.

Adjectives

In one of the aphorisms (sūtra) of "Shabdamanidarpana", Kesiraja has given a list of forms ending in /-tu/ and /-du/ labelling them as "guNavaachi" (ಗುಣವಾಚಿ), the adjectives. ["Word-structure in Dravidian" – By R. Śrīhari, B. Ramakrishna Reddy, Dravidian University, pp. 28]

Lexicography

"Shabdamanidarpana" is important from the view of lexicography. An attempt at lexicon-making is provided in several parts of the work. The work has the list of verbal roots and words containing ḷ and ḹ sounds. There is also a chapter called 'prayŌgasāra' where Kesiraja has quoted a number of rare words along with their meanings. Lexicography in India : Proceedings of the First National Conference on Dictionary Making in Indian Languages, By Bal Govind Misra, page 82]

ound forms

;Articulate sounds

;Inarticulate sounds

Notes

References

*cite book |last= Rice|first=E.P. |title=Kannada Literature|origyear=1921|year=1982|publisher=Asian Educational Services|location=New Delhi|isbn= 8120600630
*cite book |last= Various|first= |title= Encyclopaedia of Indian literature - vol 2|origyear=1988|year=1988|publisher= Sahitya Akademi|location= |isbn=8126011947
*cite book |last=Sastri|first= Nilakanta K.A.|title= A history of South India from prehistoric times to the fall of Vijayanagar|origyear=1955|year=2002|publisher= Indian Branch, Oxford University Press|location= New Delhi|isbn= 0-19-560686-8
*cite book |author=Various |title=Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol. 5|publisher=Sahitya Akademi |year=1996 |pages= |isbn=8126012218
*cite book |author=Ferdinand Kittel |title=A grammar of the Kannada language in English : comprising the three dialects of the language (ancient, mediæval and modern) |publisher=Basel Mission Book and Tract Depository |location=Mangalore|year=1903|reprint=1985 |pages= |isbn=3764808985