________________
Prakrit Literature / 167
Ardha-Māgadhi, Mahārāstri and Saurasēni, inaugurating an Augustan age in those languages. But, Jaina men of letters never attached a slavish or sentimental sanctity to any particular speech. They gave a home to various languages. They fostered different languages and styles according to the regions and spirit of the age. Prakrit literature in general and Apabhramsa language in particular reached its efflorascense during the epoch making era of Krsna-III. His subordinates and general, Bharata and Nanna, helped Puspadanta to stay and compose his two classics and one Epic in Karņāțaka.
6.1.2.2. "... the linguistic influence of Pushpadanta can be easily seen on the later poets of Marăthi, Gujarāti, Hindi etc. In his kāvyas many words of Dravidian origin along with many Deśya words are found. Dr. Ratna Shriyan has critically studied these words in her thesis. Thus, the contribution of Pushpadanta in the study of linguistic field is enoromous (Prem Suman Jain : in Jainism and Karnatak Culture : 1977 : 157].
6.1.2.3. Vallabha, meaning lord, is one of the titles, with which the Rāstrakūța monarchs were often referred to. This appellation was an abbreviation of the fuller expression of Sri-Prithvi-Vallabha, a characteristic Sanskrit cognomen owned by the early Cālukyas of Bādāmi. Evidently, their worthy successors, the Rāstrakūtas rightly inherited the biruda and abridged it to vallabha. The word Balhaha in Prakrit language is borrowed from vallabha. Ancient Arab travellers have used the word Balhara, connotating the Rāșțrakūta monarch, apparently a contraction of Ballaharāya, Prakritised from Vallabharāja. Rāya was also a Prakritised form of Sanskrit rājan. Prakrit influence on some of the cognomen and nomen needs further analysis. Rāya, Gojjigadēva, Baddegadeva, Vaddigadeva are Prakatised and Kannadised nomens of Sanskrit Rājan,
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org