chapter one a survey of sanskrit commentary literature in kerala

8divisions of the Br¡Åma¸a as vy¡khy¡na is the means of interpretation of the hymns:‘¨ÉxjÉÊ´É´É®úhÉÆ ´ªÉÉJªÉÉxÉÉÊxÉ* 1 ’As the Vedic literature became more and more ambiguious in the latertimes, the six ved¡´gas developed through oral teaching. Later on theseweredocumented as written works and the learning of these by heart became moredifficult. Then developed a system of s£tra literature where ideas are arranged intoo brevity. Subsequently all the systems of philosophy came to be recorded in thesutra form, which is highly useful to grasp wordings and to recollect easily. JamesMill, the author of ‘The History of British India’ observes: “all their (of the Indians)compositions, with wonderfully few exceptions in general, are in verse. Their sacredbooks, and even their books of sciences, are in verse; and what is more wonderfulstill, their very Dictionaries 2 ”. N.V.P. Unithiri observes it as “The method of oralteaching through question and answer and subsequent discussions was revived. Incourse of time, this oral tradition had also to be put in writing. Thus came into1B¤had¡ra¸yakabh¡Àya, 2-4-102James Mill, The History of British India, vol.I, Associated publishing house,New Delhi, 1972 (IInd ed, reprint), Pp.365-66.