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Ardhamāgadhi has been mentioned by Bharata 39 and Markandeya40 as a separate dialect to be used by low characters in the drama; but they represent later tradition. The fragments of the Buddhist plays found from the Central Asia and ascribed to As’vaghoşa have been edited by Prof. Luders who says that they possess some passages of Old Ardha-māgadhi.41 It is all possible that As’vaghosa might have used a dialect of hybrid character but that does not affect the main issues raised by the language of the Jain Canon.
$ 5. The contents of Antagada-Dasão are given in the sūtra 27. Ant. Text. P. 64 1. 8-14. The whole scripture is divided into six divisions or Vaggas. It we look sl'arply at the contents, been treated in full in ETHEHEduat of Pundit Hargovinddas. Intro. P. 30–31. For want of space these things are not given in full here.
39. Bharat Natya. S'. XVII. 48; 50 Areifar प्राच्या शौरसेन्यर्धमागधी । वाल्हीका दक्षिणात्या च सप्त भाषाः प्रकीर्तिताः॥ चेटानां राजपुत्राणां श्रेष्ठिनां चार्धमागधी ।
40. m. of 9. Arroga ili aglarcharhari i
41. See. Intro. (Ardha-magadhi Dictionary of Ratnachandraji) by Prof. Woolner. P. vi.
