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INTRODUCTI N
alternatively with Śabari would, however, confirm the view of Mk who draws a little demarcation between the two dialects. It would have been all the more better
on his part to include Abhiri under Sabari as he has done in case of Audri. Of course the account of Rt regarding Abhiri compells us to admit a separate existence of this dialect But Mk, on the other hand, having given an individual status to this has done very little to convince the reader.
81
In all probability Abhiras, though originally an invading race, were a mixed tribe; and the language they used was Abhiri which was akin to Sabari and a subdialect of Mg. Their language was chosen by dramatists as a suitable idiom of herdsmen who were the characters of certain plays. The example given by Rt regarding this dialect probably refers to a drama in which cowherds talk of the murder of Kicaka by Bhima. These cowherds must have served under the king Virața, who we know, possessed a large number of cows and under whom the five Pandavas took shelter incognito in the thirteenth year of their exile (vide Viraṭaparva of Mahabharata ).
39.
The last but not the least is the Takki Vibhāṣā which according to both Pu and Mk is the language of the Takka country. Again both Mk and Rt tell us that this is used in a play by gamblers, knaves
95
81. For the meaning of Abhira see Monier Williams Skt. Eng. Dic. p. 145; also MS X. 15. Abhiri is again identified with Ap, see Intro. to Bhavisattakaha- H. JACOBI, pp. 53-81. Namisādbu remarks about Abhiri as follows:
तथा प्राकृतमेवापभ्रंशः । स चान्यैरुपनागराभीरग्राम्यत्वभेदेन त्रिधोक्तस्तन्निरसनार्थमुक्तम् । Also आभीरभापापभ्रंशस्था क्वचिन्मागध्यामपि दृश्यते ।
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