________________
16 : Scientific Contents in Prākṛta Canons
impact of Aryans in this country. It is only later that it was included in Aryan lands.
Forms of Literary Prākṛta
The various forms of middle Indo-Aryan Prākṛta have been critically examined by many eastern and western scholars. On this basis, the development of literary Prākṛta has been classified in three stages as below with their probable periods: (1) First Stage Pāli and Inscriptional Prākṛtas (600 B. C. - 100 A. D.) Normal Präkṛta Languages (100 A. D. - 600 A. D.) Modern Präkṛtas
(2) Second Stage
(3) Third Stage
(600 A. D. 1000 A. D.)
These stages suggest its living and growing nature. It has grown in different regions of India and adopted regional characteristics leading to various forms mentioned by many authors of different periods. Linguistically, the whole period of Indo-Aryan languages is called as Prākṛta period.
The different forms of Prākṛtas mentioned are based on regions, religions, literature and dramatics. They are given below
(a) Regional Basis
1. Bharata (300 B.C.)
2. Vararuci (300 A. D.)
3. Dandi (600 A. D.)
4. Hemcandra
(11th Century)
Jain Education International
7
4
4
7
Vahlika, Śaurseni, Māgadhi, Ardha-māgadhi, Avantikā,
Eastern (Pracyā) and Southern ( Dākṣiṇātyā)
Śaurseni, Magadhi, Paiśāci, Mahārāṣtri.
Śauraseni, Gauḍi, Lāți,
Mahārāṣṭri.
Sauraseni, Māgadhi, Paiśāci,
Mahārāṣṭri, Ārṣa ( Ardhamāgadhi), Apabhramsa, Culikā Paiśāci.
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
