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One of the words occurring in an Aśokan inscription at Brahmmagiri in Kta, is 'Isila' (3rd c.b.c.) This word has been interpreted earlier as Pk. ‘risi', and the derivation of which was doubtful. Later in 1958, Prof. D.L.N. in his lecture of 'the oldest datable word in Kannada' has pointed out 'Isila' as a prakritised Ka. word. It is derived from Ka. esil (a fort): eyil is a cognate word in Tamil Ka. esil, Tamil eyil both come from a common dravidian verbal base ec-eccu-to shoot an arrow): eccu, ese, esuare the variant forms of the same meaning. Therefore the Pk. work ‘isila' from Ka.Ka. signifies only as a place for shooting (arrows) i.e. a fort from where arrows were shot. Prof. T.N.S. has also endorsed suggestion.
Scholars have discussed about some Ka. words used in gāhāsatta-sai of Hāla, who has styled himself as a cheif of the people of Kta. (Kuntalajanapadēśvara) Ka. nouns such as poțța (stomach) tuppa (“ghee') and verbs like pețţu (“to strike') tīr (to become possible) are freely used in this Pk. work.
Dr. A.N. Upadhe's paper ‘Kanarese words in Desi lexicons' exclusively deals with this aspect where he has very positively affirmed Ka. influence. It is but expected that Ka. must have infd. Pk. because of the closed contacts of these two las for nearly ten cs. Apart from linguistic findings, a study on literary impact of ka, lit. of Pk. is still a desideratum. All said and done, it should not be forgotten that there are matters which still await critical investigation.
Abbreviations а : about BA : Bhagavati Arādhana (Mūlārādhanā) BKK
Bhshatkhatākośā
Century, CS: Centuries CR
Cāmundarāya CRP : Cāmundarāya Purāņam
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