Date of Pāṇini

Ascertain a reliable historical date for Pāṇini, the Sanskrit grammarian, whose dating influences proposed external chronologies of the Vedic corpus.

Background

In discussing external chronological anchors for the Vedas, the paper notes that some arguments rely on linguistic developments framed relative to Pāṇini’s grammar. However, the authors emphasize that Pāṇini’s own date is not settled, undermining the certainty of such anchors.

Establishing a credible date for Pāṇini would strengthen or recalibrate external chronologies that attempt to position the Rig Veda relative to later Sanskrit developments.