On 12/30/08, Jim Anderson <jimanderson.on@...> wrote:
The hardest part, I
> find, is in the gaathaa at the beginning:
>
> Ito para.m pavakkhaami, sotuuna.m mati-va.d.dhana.m;
> kriyaa-pada-kkama.m naama, vibhatt'-aadiini diipaya.m.
>
I suggesst the translation should be on the following lines: "I
shall henceforth proclaim the order of the verb, which serves to
enhance the understanding of those who hear (the Pali texts),
explaining the case-endings etc."

sotu in this instance is the student, literally, "one who hears",
harking back to the oral tradition of textual learning and text
preservation.

kama.m: a commentator would gloss this with 'pa.tipaa.ti.m'. It means
order, method, the regular way of a thing.

naama: perhaps this indicates that "kriyaapadakkama" the name or the
theme of the chapter. May be dropped in translation?

diipaya.m: nom. sg. of the present participle of diipeti: explain,
clarify (literally throw light on).

Mahinda