Kuvalayamala Part 2

SR No.: 002778
Original Sutra Author: Udyotansuri
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 368
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 12 MB

Page 116

ÎNTRODUCTION
the reference to Kāmaśāstra (78.9) has possibly Vātsāyana's work in view. Some symbolic gestures to indicate that one wants to meet the lady in private are noted (73.12; 74.23 f.). The Nītiśāstra (255.26) must be a Sanskrit text allied to the Pañcatantra, a recension of which known as Tantrākhyāna is mentioned and quoted in this work (236-7, lines 30 & 1). There is a mention of Samudra-Šāstra dealing with puruşa-laksana etc., which is too extensive but which is summarised here in one Sanskrit verse (129.3 f.), and when asked for, which is propounded in more details in Prākrit verses subsequently ( 216). There is a casual reference to Bhārata-śāstra (16.23), possibly the Nātyasāstra of Bharata. What are looked upon as two parts seem to be mentioned as two works, Vasudeva-himdi and Dhammilla-himdi, indicated by the plural (281.11).
9. LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS USED BY THE AUTHOR Uddyotanasūri presents, in this work, quite knowingly a vast range of linguistic material which has a special significance for the Indo-Aryan in particular and of Indian Linguistics in general. The author tells us that this work is composed in Prākrta-bhāsā, and the patterns of description (vannaya) are of the Mahārāştra-desī type. In some contexts, just out of curiosity, some passages are composed in Sanskrit by way of quotations, something, i. e., some portions or passages are written in Apabhram sa, and Paiśācībhāṣā is illustrated (4.11-2). He clearly recognises three literary languages : Prāksta, Samskệta and Apabhramśa; and bards reciting in these languages are introduced in the Asthāna of King Dụdhavarman (16.22). By Prākrta he means the standard Prākrit dialect, Māhārāstrī or Saurasenī; so other dialects are Apabhramsa, Paiśācī, Māgadhī, Rākşasī (Cūlikā-Paiśācī?) and some admixture of these (175.14). Besides he speaks elsewhere of Desa- or Desī-bhāsās (281.23), the Lāta-desa having the same in quite a charming form (185.8.). The traders from different territories (desavāņie) spoke in their various Desabhāṣās in the market place, and some eighteen of them the author illustrates by specifying their names ($ 246); and besides he refers to the languages spoken by Khasa, Pārasa and Barbara people (153.12). The languages spoken in the South India were also included among Desa-bhāṣās (149.4). The knowledge of Deśī-bhāṣās was looked upon as a cultural equipment (128.17). These appear to be territorial spoken forms of speech, as distinguished from the literary languages having cultivated styles of their own.
On the style and structure of Sanskrit, Prākrit and Apabhramśa, relatively viewed, Uddyotana has given his observations which are indeed classical and as such are presented here in free rendering. In his opinion, Sanskrit, with its manifold vocabulary, compounds, indeclinables, prepositions, cases and genders, is full of difficulties and dangers like a villain's heart crowded with hundreds of bad thoughts. The association with Prākrit, like that with the words of good people, is a happy one: it is an ocean of worldly information crowded with the waves of discussions about various arts; it is full of nectardrops that are oozing out on account of its being churned by great persons; and it is composed with a variety of nice arrangement of words. Apabhramsa is a balanced and pleasing admixture of the waves of pure and impure