What’s in a Verb?—Ākhyāta Revisited

Abstract

This paper examines the semantic characterisation of the Sanskrit term for a verb (ākhyāta) within the Indian grammatical tradition. By tracing its interpretation from early sources such as the Nirukta and the Ṛkprātiśākhya through Patañjali’s Mahābhāṣya and later commentators, the study highlights the shifting yet overlapping notions of dhātu, bhāva, and kriyā as central to verbal meaning. Attention is given to the relationship between verbs and verbal nouns, the distinction between process and entity, and some broader philosophical implications of these categories. The paper argues that, rather than yielding a fixed definition, the tradition nurtures a fluidity that leaves the question of verbal meaning open.