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THE ARDHAMĀGADHI LANGUAGE OF THE PRAKRIT GRAMMAR OF HEMACANDRA
-bhi' is found in older Pāli works. The feminine terminations -ya, yaʼand -ye’of the singular are found in the ancient inscriptions and in the Pāli language. The present participle with the affix '-mīna' occurs in the Ashokan inscriptions. The terminations -i'and -im’of the past tense (3rd person singular) occur in the Pāli, while the former is found in the Ashokan inscriptions. (c) Examples of Archaic Terminations of the Past Tense from
the Ardhamāgadhi : (1) -; - as in, abbavi ( Sen, No. 149, p.165); bhuvi =
abhūvit (Viyāhapannatti, Pischel, 516); (2) -im* as in, bhuviṁ ( Isibhā. Adh. 31, p. 69.18;
Namdīsūtra, Pischel, 516 ); (d) Examples of similar Archaic Terminations from the Pāli
literature : (1) -i - as in, agami, kari, vedi, (Sen, No.149, pp. 164
165 ) ; (2) -im*- as in, agamim, carim, (Sen, No.149, pp. 164
165 ); (e) Examples from the Ashokan Inscriptions : (1) -i . as in, nikhami (Dhaulī, 8.2), nikrami
(Shahabazgadhī, 8.17; Mānaseharā, 8.35). (2) *These may be compared with the Rgvedic usages
like akramīm, vadhim (Sen, No.149, p.165).
All theses peculiarities have somehow been preserved in the ancient works of the Ardhamāgadhî literature since the period of the initial inception of the Ardhamāgadhi literature is as old as that of the Pāli literature, and it took place in the Eastern region where Lord Mahāvīra and Lord Buddha preached; and such linguistic processes are found in the Ashokan inscriptions of this same region. In view of these evidences, therefore, it is important to note that the Ardhamāgadhī language is as archaic as the Pāli and the language of Ashokan inscriptions.
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