________________
In Search of the Original Ardhamāgadhi
K.R. Chandra the grammatic rule as it does not provide us with the
factual practice that was in vogue in the ancient times. 14. The conjunct consonants “jñ', 'nn', and 'ny 'should be
changed to 'nn', as is being done by the Western editors. Let it be specifically noted that the change of conjuncts -ny'and -rn'to dental 'nn'has been the peculiarity of
the Eastern India of the Ashokan period. 15. The arahā for arhat or arahanta; attā or ātā for ātman;
khettanna for kşetrajña; and akasmāt - all these are archaic - usages; hence they should be preserved. 16. Like pure for Samskrit puras, adhe for Skt. adhas should
be preserved. 17. If the case suffix '-e' of the Nominative Singular of
Masculine Noun ending in -a’is found, it should not
be changed to -0); it should be preserved as such. 18. If the case suffix '-ni’ is found in the Nominative and
Accusative Plural forms of Neuter Nouns, it should be
preserved as such. 19. If the forms with archaic suffix of the Instrumental Sin
gular of words ending in consonants e.g. manasā, vacasă, teyasā, tavasā, cakkhusā (Pischel 408), and if sometimes forms, like ātasā, kāyasă, pannasā, balasă, bhayasă (Pischel 364), with the termination sā'in the case of the words
ending in vowels, are found, they should be preserved. 20. If the termination bhi'of the Instrumental Plural is found,
as in thībhi, (Acā. Sū. 1.84), pasūbhi (Uttarā. 9.49), it
should not be changed to -hi'. 21. The terminations -āya' or 'ae, used for the Dative
Singular, of the Nouns ending in-a'should not be changed. 22. If '-e'is found in the place of -0, in the Ablative Sin
gular forms of Nouns and Pronouns ending in 'a', wherein a visarga occurs in the final position (- :') of Skt. forms it should not be changed. It is one of the peculiarities of the Ashokan inscriptions of the Eastern region. As
per this very ruie, the ine (for nan = asmākam) shouid • not be changed to 'no?
93
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
