Editing Sutra (section)

==Etymology==
[[File:Birch bark MS from Kashmir of the Rupavatra Wellcome L0032691.jpg|thumb|240px|A 17th-century birch bark manuscript of ancient Panini Sutra, a treatise on grammar,<ref>Max Muller, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofancient00mluoft#page/150/mode/2up History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature], Oxford University Press, pages 150–152</ref> found in Kashmir]]
The Sanskrit word ''Sūtra'' ([[Sanskrit]]: सूत्र, [[Pali]]: ''sutta'', [[Ardha Magadhi]]: ''sūya'') means "string, thread".<ref name=monierwilliamssutra/><ref name=winternitz249>M Winternitz (2010 Reprint), A History of Indian Literature, Volume 1, Motilal Banarsidass, {{ISBN|978-81-208-0264-3}}, pages 249</ref> The root of the word is ''siv'', "that which sews and holds things together".<ref name=monierwilliamssutra/><ref>{{cite book |last=MacGregor |first=Geddes |author-link=Geddes MacGregor |title=Dictionary of Religion and Philosophy |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofreli00macg |year=1989 |publisher=Paragon House |location=New York |isbn=1-55778-019-6 |edition=1st}}</ref> The word is related to ''sūci'' (Sanskrit: सूचि) meaning "needle, list",<ref>[http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+suci&trans=Translate&direction=AU suci] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109073543/http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?script=HK&beginning=0+&tinput=+suci&trans=Translate&direction=AU |date=2017-01-09 }} Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany</ref> and ''sūnā'' (Sanskrit: सूना) meaning "woven".<ref name=monierwilliamssutra/>

In the context of literature, ''sūtra'' means a distilled collection of syllables and words, any form or manual of "aphorism, rule, direction" hanging together like threads with which the teachings of ritual, philosophy, grammar, or any field of knowledge can be woven.<ref name=monierwilliamssutra/><ref name=winternitz249/>

A ''sūtra'' is any short rule, states Moriz Winternitz, in Indian literature; it is "a theorem condensed in few words".<ref name=winternitz249/> A collection of ''sūtras'' becomes a text, and this is also called ''sūtra'' (often capitalized in Western literature).<ref name=monierwilliamssutra/><ref name=winternitz249/>

A ''sūtra'' is different from other components such as ''[[Shloka]]s'', ''Anuvyakhayas'' and ''Vyakhyas'' found in ancient Indian literature.<ref name=maxmullerhasl110/> A ''sūtra'' is a condensed rule which succinctly states the message,<ref>{{cite book|author=Irving L. Finkel |title=Ancient Board Games in Perspective: Papers from the 1990 British Museum Colloquium, with Additional Contributions |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B20NAQAAMAAJ |year=2007|publisher=British Museum Press |isbn=978-0-7141-1153-7 |page=203 }}</ref> while a ''[[Shloka]]'' is a verse that conveys the complete message and is structured to certain rules of musical meter,<ref>{{cite book|author= Kale Pramod |title=The Theatric Universe: (a Study of the Natyasastra) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yRdNBKIHnjkC |year=1974|publisher=Popular|isbn=978-81-7154-118-8 |page=8 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Lewis Rowell |title=Music and Musical Thought in Early India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h5_UCgAAQBAJ |year=2015|publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-73034-9 |page=135 }}</ref> an ''Anuvyakhaya'' is an explanation of the reviewed text, while a ''Vyakhya'' is a comment by the reviewer.<ref name=maxmullerhasl110>Max Muller, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofancient00mluoft#page/110/mode/2up History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature], Oxford University Press, page 110–111</ref><ref>[http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?beginning=0+&tinput=vyakhya&trans=Translate व्याख्या] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202000902/http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?beginning=0+&tinput=vyakhya&trans=Translate |date=2017-02-02 }}, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany</ref>