Studies in Jainology Prakrit Literature and Languages

SR No.: 001597
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: B K Khadabadi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 460
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Language
File Size: 22 MB

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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
Rkṣa. The Kashmirian legend of the Nagas and Pisacas, preserved in the Nilamata Purana, is much more appealing with its geographical and linguistic background. That Pesavar has come down from Pisacapura is much convincing with similar background. Moreover the concept of a pisaca is different in different traditions and times: The Yaksas in the Buddhist literature correspond to the Pisacas of the Hindu legends, cannabalism being a common characteristic in both. So Kalhana, in his Rajatarangini (1.184), equates Yakṣas and Pisacas. Yāska does not consider Kambojas to be Aryans and they are mentioned together with Pisacas, Khasas, Dardas etc. The word Pisaca is derived from pisitasis (cannibals, eaters of raw flesh). There are several traditions about the ancient cannibalism in the neighbourhood of the Hindukush: Krodhavasa, one of the wives of Kasyapa, after whom Kashmir is named, was the ancestress of the cannibal Pisitasis or Pisacas. Similarly another wife of his was Khasa of Yakṣas and Rākṣasas. Another legend makes Pisacas the children of Kapisa and there was an ancient town called Kapisa at the southern foot of the Hindukush. All these traditions and legends, with convincing geographical and linguistic background, go to indicate that formerly there were some cannibal tribes that inhabited the area in the neighbourhood of the Hindukush. Later legends associated this area with cannibals, pisitāsis or pisacas And when other people like Sogdians moved in and built colonies there, their language came to be called Paisaci.15 Thus the original home of Paisaci has to be located in the North-Western region of India.
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(iii) That Culikā paisaci cannot be related with Coladesa, has been already shown above. And the argument that Dravidi (Prakrit) enlisted by Bharata or the Draviḍi Apabhramsa enumerated by Markandeya, was Paisaci can hardly be accepted. It is essential to note at this context that there is no agreement at all among the grammarians on the number as well as the nature of the sub- dialects of Paisaci: Vararuci, Canda and Namisadhu