Mahapurana of Puspdanta

SR No.: 001536
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ratna N Shriyan
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1969
Total Pages: 348
Language: English
Classification: Book_English & Literature
File Size: 21 MB

Page 43

32
DEŚYA WORDS FROM THE MAHĀPURĀŅA
Trivikrama's Prakrit Grammar : For all practical purposes, the volume of Trivikrama's grammar is the same as that of Hemacandra. He has compressed the subject matter of the two works, viz., Deśīnāmamālā and Siddhahema of Hemacandra into one. Hemacandra's work has greater clarity than Trivikrama's. Trivikrama's Sutrapātha contains 1036 Sütras divided into twelve fadas and three adhyāyas, as against 1119 in four padas of the eighth adhyāya of Hemacandra's Siddhahema. The subject matter covered by both is almost the same. Trivikrama has newly added a few sūtras, of which 17 relate to pew technical terms used by Trivikrama; four sūtras relate to the groups of Deść words for which Hemacandra has only one sütra in his grammar, and an entire work, the Deśināmamālā and the remaining sütras add a few new words not treated by Hemacandra. 1 Trivikrama's work contains about 1600 Deśl words. His special contributions are the topics 1, 3, 106; 1, 4, 121; 2, 1, 30; 3, 1, 132 and 3, 4, 72, in which he has collected together the words that cannot be regulated according to the rules of grammar, and in a great measure, belong to the category of Desi; thus for instance in 3, 4, 72 they are expressly designated deśyāḥ. ;
Trivikrama has classified the deść words into six groups. But he does not seem to follow any definite principle in giving Dhātvādesas; he has split them up into 2. 4. and 3.1 and also in 3. 4. Among the list of dest words, we find a few which are not traceable to Deśīpāmamālā. Such words may be treated as Trivikrama's contribution. He might have added them anew from contemporary sources or sources later than Hemacandra.3
The other two works, namely Prākstarūpāvatāra and Sadbhāṣācandrikā are meagre and less authentic compared to Hemacandra's and Trivikrama's grammar. Moreover they are mainly based on Trivikrama's grammar. Views of Modern Scholars on the Origin, Nature and Character of Desi and Their Contribution in this Field : Now, let us examine the modern efforts at studying the deśya material. A great controversy has raged anyong the modern scholars as regards the exact significance, origin, character and source of desz. Some scholars have studied these points and expressed their view regardnig dest at times basing their investigation on ancient authorities. Some scholars have done lexical work like collection of dest words and their interpretations, compilation of Pk. dictionaries, editing of Pk. and Ap. texts and similar studies and there, this has occasioned expression of their views on the problem of desi.
1. See Pk. Grammar of Trivikrama, Vaidya, P. L., Intro, p. XXVXI. 2. See Pischel § 38. 3. See Pk. Grammar of Trivikmra, Vaidaya, P. L., Intro, p. XXIX.