नामरूपज्ञानम् (Characterization of Medicinal Plants) /21

- IX -
 
che In the present book, the second strategy has been

adopted and an effort has been made to reconstruct

the images of plants designed long ago on the basis

of etymological derivation of names and synonyms.

This would illustrate how keenly sages and authors

observed the plants and left hints for future genera-

tion to identify them correctly in terms of names,

forms, properties and actions. This presentation is

based on study of one hundred and fifty midicinal
edicinal
plant covered by twenty nighantṇṭus and other texts.

In this way, other plants may also be studied.
 

 
Erudite scholars of Vyaākaraṇa may find, on strict

sctrutiny, some discrepancy here and there but I may

clarify that my emphasis has been more on extract-

ing relevant ideas hidden in words rather than un-

dergoing technical process of verbal refinement. Thus

I have been nearer to Nirukta (system of etymo-

logical derivations) than Vyaākaraṇa (grammear)

which emphasises on process of refinement of words.

In fact, their proper integration is needed as

Vyaākaraṇa itself is not complete unless supported by

Nirukta¹.
 
[^1].
 
Word is pregnant with numerous ideas and it is

upto the analyst how much meaning he derives
 
१
 
[^1]. तस्मात् स्वतन्त्रमेवेदं विद्यास्थानमर्थनिर्वचनम्, व्याकरणं तु लक्षणप्रधानमिति

विशेषः ।........

.....तस्मादपरिसमाप्तमेव व्याकरणं यावन्निरुक्तं नाधिगतमिति ।
 

 
-दुर्गवृत्ति, निरुक्त १.१५.