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Instrumental and Locative in Ardha-māgadhi
The syntax of the Prākrit languages is important in more than one way. It forms the connecting link between the earlier syntax of Vedic and Classical Sanskrit and the later syntax of Modern Indian languages. Further it shows the transitionary period in a development of a synthetic language into an analytical one and as such shares the peculiarities of both. But the earlier Prākrits like Ardha-Māgadhi and Pāli do not show many traces of an
ytical syntax, the method of formation current in a synthetic language being the usual one in them. This early syntax has passed through a stage of vicissitudes in which the distinctions between the different cases were obliterated and the seven cases were ultimately reduced to two : the Nominative and the oblique case in the Modern languages. One important instance of such a case-mixture and case-confusion is investigated here.
In the older books of the Ardha-Māgadhi canon and the early works in Jain Māhārāstrī we find very often a confusion between the uses of the Instrumental and Locative cases where each one takes the place of the other besides their correct uses which are also preserved side by side. I collect below such instances where some kind of confusion between these two is found :
1. In the early works of the Ardha-Māgadhī canon there are many instances in which Instrumental is used in place of the regular Locative. eehi muni sayanehim samane asi patelasą vase, Ay. 1.. 9. 2. 4. "the sage was a monk for thirteen years in those places"; (Cp. Sīlārka, etesu pūrvoktesu śayaneșu sa munīḥ p. 279) sayanehi tassuvasaggā bhīmā āsī anegarūvā ya, Ay. 1. 9. 2. 7. "in those places he encountered many fearful obstacles"; sayanehim tattha pucchińsu egacarā vi egayā rāo Ay. 1. 9. 2. 11. "in those places he was asked why he was wandering alone and alone in the night”; (Śīlānka reads sa janehim probably to evade the difficulty). lādhehim tassuvasaggābahave Ay. 1. 9. 3. 3. "in the country of Lādha there were many obstacles for him";