Summary: अमरकोषः
Sanskrit is very rich: one word can have many synonyms, and sometimes one word has many meanings. To make learning easy, अमरसिंह arranged synonyms in verse — the अमरकोष. A verse of praise wishes that this pure work, the नामलिङ्गानुशासनम्, may last as long as the moon and stars.
In the library, Nayan sees a large separate cupboard of dictionaries. The teacher says a कोष is a सङ्ग्रह (collection): just as a bank (वित्तकोषः) stores money, a language कोष stores words. The library has कोषs of culture, biography, world knowledge (encyclopaedias) and सुभाषितs.
A rich store of words is needed to master a language in speaking and writing and to learn many subjects. The अमरकोष is named after its author. In old times, students entering the गुरुकुल first learnt it by heart — and many still do.
Because it is in verse and can be sung, it is easy to memorise, like सुभाषितs. Learning it increases vocabulary, memory and retention, and makes pronunciation correct.
It has about 1500 verses in three parts (काण्डs), so it is also called त्रिकाण्डकोषः. Its other name, नामलिङ्गानुशासनम्, shows its special feature: it gives the gender of each word as well — which makes reading Sanskrit poems and plays easy.
Key points to remember
- कोषः = सङ्ग्रहः (a collection); a dictionary is a collection of words
- Kinds of कोष in the library: संस्कृतिकोषः, चरित्रकोषः, विश्वकोषः, सुभाषितकोषः
- Author of the अमरकोष: अमरसिंहः
- Written in verse (पद्यमयः) and singable (गेयः) — easy to memorise
- About 1500 verses (उपसार्धसहस्रम्)
- Three parts → त्रिकाण्डकोषः
- Also called नामलिङ्गानुशासनम् — gives words AND their genders
- Benefits: more words, better memory, correct pronunciation
- Students learnt it at the start of गुरुकुल study
