History of Sanskrit Lexicography

Sanskrit Lexicography forms an integral branch of Sanskrit literature. Although for students of Sanskrit, especially those interested in the linguistic studies of Sanskrit language, it is most neglected branch of the Sanskrit literature. For the systematic and linguistic study of Sanskrit words, their origin and development the knowledge of Sanskrit vocables is as much necessary as that of its grammar. That is why in olden days the initiation in the study of Sanskrit started with the study of the Siddhantakaumudi, a work on Sanskrit grammar and the Amarakosa, one of the most important Sanskrit lexicons. The present work gives a bird’s-eye view of the vast literature on Sanskrit lexicography, namely the lexicons composed during the last several centuries. It is hoped that it would give an impetus to a more critical study of the lexical branch of Sanskrit which is considered to be one of the oldest and richest languages in the world.