Fragments of the earliest Eastern Prakrit Grammarians

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/250097/1

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Fragments of the earliest Eastern Prakrit Grammarians*
(Śakalya, Māṇḍavya, Kohala and Kapila)
DR. SATYA RANJAN BANERJEE
A
T the top of the Eastern School mention may be made of Śakalya, Maṇḍavya, Kohala and Kapila, the earliest reference to whom as Prakrit grammarians is found in the works of Purusottama1, Ramatarkavägisa1 and Mārkaṇḍeya1, who occasionally adopt their views in their treatises of Prakrit grammar. Markaṇḍeya, while referring, with warm admiration, to his predecessors on whom he depended mentions not only Sakalya and Kohala but also Bhara, Vararuci, Bhamaha and Vasantarāja in the preamble of his grammar PrākṛtaSarvasva.2 Māṇḍavya is mentioned only by Rāmatarkavagīśa. Kapila is referred to by both Rāmaśarma and Mārkaṇḍeya. As all these authors belong to the eastern school, it is, therefore, possible to surmise
Paper Read at the 22nd session of the All India Oriental Conference, 1960.

1
For all these references, vide Appendix.
2 Sakalya - Bharata - Kohala - Vararuci - Bhamaha - Vasantarājādyaiḥ/ proktan granthān nānālakṣyāņi ca nipuņam alokya// avyākīrņam visadam sāram svalpākṣara-grathitapadyam/Mārkaṇḍeya-kavindraḥ Prākṛta-ṣarvasvam ārabhate//

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FRAGMENTS OF EARLIEST EASTERN PRAKRIT GRAMMARIANS : 271
that Śākalya, Māņdavya, Kohala and Kapila may have also belonged to this school, or their views were accepted by the easterners.
We do not know anything of Sākalya, Māndavya, Kohala and Kapila as the authors of Prakrit grammar, nor do we know any Prakrit grammar, still extant, under their names. However, their views, culled out from the text of Puruşottama, Rāmatarkavāgisa and Mārkandeya with regard to some of the forms of Prakrit accepted and supported by them, are given below.
7.1. Formative Suffixes: (a) Consonantal feminine word is formed with i (Sa. 10) only; otherwise, with i or ā, e.g., māņiņi, mānamsiņi, but sohanā and sohani.
(b) "matup” is formed with ha (Śäs & Mā? 2); otherwise, alla or ella; e. g., ekkaho, but ekkallo, ekkello; puttaho, but puttallo, puttello.
(c) In the past participle ("kta"), in the infinitive ("tum") and in the indeclinable participle ("ktvā”) e or i is added (Śā & Má 5). (No example is given.)
2. Declension of the Second Personal Pronoun.
(a) Accusative plural-tumbhe (Śă & Mā 4), otherwise, tujjhe, tumhe.
(b) Locative plural.tumbhesu (m), tujjhesu (m) and tumhesu (m) (sā 11)
3. Future. It is formed with instead of hi; (Śă 1). (No example is given.)
4. Gerund: Ktvá is formed with tu, tum (or tumam) ($a & Má 3). (No example is given.)
5. Verbal substitute: (šā 6 & 7)
Skt. V tvar > Pkt. tuvara-i. , V bhid > „ bhinda-i,
✓ ✓ chid > chinda-i. 6. Sauraseni. Two verbal substitutes of this dialect are given.
Skt. V bhu þau. ho (Śā 9.& 12).
» V grah , gahi (not genha) (Kay 14 & 15) in tavy a and kta.
7. Magadhi. Māgadhi is spoken by demons (rākşasas), by religious mendicants (bhikṣu), by the Jainas (Kșapanaka) and by the menials (ceți) (K03 13).
3 Here śā, Mā, ko & Ka stand for Śākalya, Māņdavya, Kohala and
Kapila respectively; and the number after them refers to the text, for which, vide Appendix A.

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272 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
Appendix A. [Views of Sākalya, Māndavya, Kohala and Kapila as collected from the texts of Purusottama, Rāmatarkavāgisa and Mārkandeya with their English Translation] Purusottama on Sakalya.
1. Dhätorbhavisyati hiḥ// VI. 13.
ssasca Sakalyasya // VI. 14.
Eng. Tr. According to Sakalya ssa is used in the future tense, while generally hi will come before the terminations. Råmatarkavāgāśa' on Sakalya and Mändavya and Kapila.
2. Svārthe matau kevalam alla-ellau Sākalya-Māņdavya-mate ha-kāraḥ// I. V. 19.
cf. MK. IV. 48. Eng. Tr. In the sense of "matup" the suffixes alla or ella are used pleonastically; but according to sākalya and Māndavya ha can, however, be used in such a case. As for example:
ekkallo, ekkel!o, but ekkaho, puttallo, puttello, but puttaho. 3. Ktvārthe [tu-tum] śamsanti ke'pi dhiräḥ Sākalya-Māņdavyamate vilokya// I. V. 23.
cf. Pu. IV. 24. MK. IV. 38. Eng. Tr. Following the teachings of Śākalya and Māņdavya, some grammarians prescribe tu or tum (or tuman if Dolci's reading) in the sense of “ktya”.
4. tujjhe ca tushe sasi vo ca vacyāḥ Sākalya-Māndavya-mate tu tumbhe// I. VI. 25.
cf. Vr. VI. 28-29. MK. V. 83-84. Eng. Tr. tujjhe, tumhe and vo will be found in the accusative plural (sasi) [of the second personal pronoun]; but according to Sākalya and Māņdavya the form tumbhe also will be used.
5. Sākalya-Māndavya-mate tu eva bhavya kta-tum-ktvāpara editau ca// I. VII. 14.
cf. Vr. VII. 28. MK. VI. 7. Eng. Tr. According to sākalya and Māņdavya e or i may optionally be used in the past participle (kta), in the infinitive (tumun) and in the indeclinable perfect participle (ktvā); [while in general the suffix will be avi].

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FRAGMENTS OF EARLIEST EASTERN PRAKRIT GRAMMARIANS : 273
6. tvarestu to tuvarae Sakalya-mate. Vịtti under I. VIII. 1.
Eng. Tr. According to sākalya tvar will always be changed into tuvara.
7. kather hakāro'tha bhidi-cchidorndo
bhede ca Śākalyamate tayoḥ syāt// I. VIII. 14.
Eng. Tr. In the sense of piercing'(bhede) the roots bhid and chid will take nda in place of da, so says Sākalya; e. g.
V bhid > bhindai,
✓ chid > chindai. 8. Dhātu-svarūpānyaparāņi pakşe
Sākalya-Māndavya-matānugāni/ Kätyāyanasyāpi mate tathaiva
jñeyāni laksyānubhavakramena// I. VIII. 42.
Eng. Tr. Following the foot-steps of Sakalya and Mändavya there are, on the other hand, other forms of these roots; and similarly according to Kātyāyana there are other forms too. These are to be known from the usage.
9. bho ho ca Śākalyamate bhuvasca. II. I. 25.
cf. hośca Śākalyamate syát. MK. IX. 109.
Eng. Tr. (In Sauraseni) bho is substituted for the root bhū; but according to Śākalya ho can also be used. Märkandeya on Śákalya.
10. halantād id eveti Sakalyah. Vrtti under V. 30.
Eng. Tr. The feminine suffix i only takes place after a word ending in consonants-according to śākalya; (otherwise, à and i are irregularly interchanged as the final letter in feminine words ending in à]. cf. The sūtra in which he is mentioned.
āditau bahulam. MK. V. 30.
striyām nāmna uttare aditau bahulam syātām. sohaņā sohani/ suppanahá suppanahi/ rāhá rāhi/ kvacid adeva. piā/ vallahā/ asahaņā/ ahaņā/ māņiņi/ māņaṁsini/ halantād id eveti Sākalyaḥ//
cf. Vararuci aditau bahulam. V. 24 cf. also Vasantaraja's commentary where a couplet is quoted : adantāt paramākāra ikāro vyañjanād api/
ity evam vyavatişthante bahulagrahaņāt pare// GJ.V. 18

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274 : SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME 11. tujjha-tumhau supi syatam Sakalyasyata in mate. V.96. cf. RT. I. VI. 29. Eng. Tr. In the locative plural (of the Second Personal Pronoun), the forms will be tujihesu (m), tumhesu (m) and tumbhesu (m) (with or without a final anusvara). Then he adds--etat tu na bahusammatam. 12. hosca sakalyamate syat. IX. 109. (vide No. 9). Markandeya on Kohala. 13. Raksasa-bhiksu-ksapanaka-cetadya Magadhi prahur iti Kohalah. XII. 1. Eng. Tr. Magadhi is spoken by demon (raksasa) by religious mendicants (bhiksu), by the Jainas and by the menials. Ramatarkavagisa on Kapila. 14. Kapilasya tavya-ktayor gahih syat. II. 1. 28. Eng. Tr. Kapila does not want the substitute for the root grah into genha in the gerundive adjective (tavya) and in the past participle (kta). Cf. MK. IX. 130 (vide No. 15). Markandeya on Kapila. 15. na kia-ktavatu-tavyesu Kapile genham icchati. IX. 130. Eng. Tr. Kapila does not want the substitute for the root grah into genha in the gerundive adjective (tavya) and in the past participle (kta) cf. RT. II. 1. 28 (vide No. 14).