... and when you throw in the fact that Panini formulated his grammar was formulated at a time when there was no written form of Sanskrit ... it truly baffles m

... and when you throw in the fact that Panini formulated his grammar was formulated at a time when there was no written form of Sanskrit ... it truly baffles me. So reliant on tools I am. Some authors have suggested that he likely used his students minds as "scratch pad" to hold temporary ideas expressed as succinct verses.