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________________ PRAKRIT VERSES IN SANSKRIT WORKS ON POETICS 465 0, how marvellous ! The Prakrit, which is lovely like the moonlike face of the beloved, is fascinating. It sparkles with suktis (good sayings) imbued with nectar-like rasaso. (d) Ajnatakavih Away with Sanskrit poetry and the poets who composed it. For Sanskrit, when read, sounds like 'tad-tad-tatta' like a house of bamboos on fire21. The Pandita, who replies in Sanskrit when Prakrit poetry is recited, pelts stones at the bed of flowers and destroys it22. The topic which follows about "Praise of Prakrit Poets" is in a way related to the topic under discussion as it contains indirect praise of Prakrit poetry. 5. Poetry In Maharastri Prakrit : Prakrit literature is vast and varied. It is composed in different languages like Ardhamagadhi, Maharastri, Jain Maharastri. Sauraseni, Jain Sauraseni, Paisaci and Apabhramsa. I confine myself to poetry in Maharastri Prakrit for writers on Sanskrit poetics mostly draw upon poetic works in Maharastri for their illustrations. The principal works in this Prakrit are : (a) Hala's Sattasai or Saptasatakam or Gahakoso or better known as Gathasaptasati (GS)23 (C. first century A. D., but according to some scholars second or third century A. D.) is the earliest known anthology of Prakrit, to be precise, of Maharastri verses comprising some seven hundred gathas. It is the most famous and best known of Maharastri works. Its value as an anthology is high and it also affords evidence to show that Maharastri literature was once very extensive and widespread24. Its popularity is attested by the large number of commentaries on it and scores of quotations from it in works on Poetics and the use made of it by the Prakrit grammarians. Eminent poets like Bana, Uddyotanasuri, Abhinanda and Soddhala25 bestow high praise on it. And if imitation is an index of popularity we have its imitation in Sanskrit in Govardhana's Aryasaptasati which is certainly modelled on Hala's Gathasaptasati. The work is divided, as is clear from the title, into seven satakas, centuries, collections of hundred gathas each, which however differ very much in various MSS. This anthology is mostly erotic. Each gatha presents a miniature picture complete in itself. These gathas mainly depict village life and the peasantry. The family life of the lower strata of the society is portrayed in its various contexts, but the erotic aspect dominates. These gathas are not Stud.-59 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 001868 |
| Book Title | Studies in Jain Literature |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | V M Kulkarni |
| Publisher | Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre |
| Publication Year | 2001 |
| Total Pages | 114 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Literature, & Story |
| File Size | 14 MB |