deriv LSK ETT STT aSTA ALPH OLDHOMEPAGE NEWHOMEPAGE

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The work on grammar composed by /pANini is called the pANinIyam पाणिनीयम्, or pANinIyaM vyAkaraNam पाणिनीयं व्याकरणम्. It consists of

1. the /zivasUtra,
2. the /dhAtupATha,
3. the /gaNapATha,
4. and 3990 sUtras, some of which are explained in this website.

This last part of the /pANinIya is divided in eight books (/adhyAya, lessons). That is why it is called the /aSTAdhyAyI "the one with eight chapters".

Each /adhyAya is divided in four chapters (/pAda).

Or, if you like, the /pANinIya is divided in eight (/adhyAya) (chapters) each of which is divided in four /pAda (sections, quarters, of feet). The fourth part of anything is called a /pAda (foot) in Sanskrit because a cow has four feet.

The word /tripAdI means the last three /pAda of the eight /adhyAya.