The Principle of Suspension (Asiddhatva) in Paninian Grammar

The principle of suspension (asiddhatva) is one of the most important and unique devices employed by Panini in the Astadhyayi, which allowed for the temporary omission of certain rules in the process of grammatical analysis. Its precise function was heavily debated in the school of Vyakarana over the centuries yet its interpretation is by no means uniform. The present volume contains a translation and analysis of the Tripadi section of the Astadhyayi along with the relevant passages from the Mahabhasya by Patanjali. Patanjali’s role in elucidating the intricacies of Panini’s grammar cannot be emphasized strongly enough, yet he finds it difficult at times to navigate between various, seemingly similar, rule ordering principles in the Astadhyayi. The book concentrates on Patanjali’s understanding of asiddhatva and solutions he proposes to the question of rule suspension. Malgorzata Sulich-Cowley is an Indologist and Sanskritist. She graduated from the Oriental Faculty at the University of Warsaw (Poland) where she obtained her PhD in 2013. She also studied at the University of Pune and University of Lausanne. Her areas of research include the tradition of Sanskrit linguistics, the philosophy of language and historical linguistics. She is currently working on the concept of negation in the school of Vyakarana. She  has authored a number of publications on various topics from the earliest history of Indian linguistics, including a book on the endocentric taddhita formations.