Bhavisayatta Kaha

SR No.: 032126
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kavi Dhanpal, C D Dalal
Publisher: Baroda Central Library
Publication Year: 1923
Total Pages: 402
Language: Sanskrit, Hindi
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 33 MB

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"Kāvya is word and sense together. That (Kāvya) is two-fold, proge and verse. It is again three-fold. Sanskait, Prākrit and morever Apabhramsa."
Bhāmaha's remark is important only as corroborating the existence of Apabhramsa at the end of the 6th century. But he does not mention either who spoke it or who should speak it. It were to be wished that like Dandin he had done so.
(5) Dandin. In his Kavyadarsa, Daņdin gives a fourfold division of literature, which was current amongst the literate of his days. There is thus an advance over Bhānaha's threefold division.*
"Learned men say that this literature is again fourfold namely Sanskrit, Prākri, Apabhramśa, and mixed. Great sages have defined Sanskrit as divine speech. There are varieties in Prākrit such as 'derived from it (Sanskrit),' similar to it,' and 'Desi' (i, e. belonging to vulgar speech).” etc. And further "The speech of Abhīras and others in literature is known as Apabhramsa. In the Śästras (however), Apabhramba means whatever is other than Sanskrit. Sanskrit (Kāvya) is divided in sargas (chapters), Prākrit in skandhakas (name of metre, according to commentator), Apabhramśa in Asara ets. Mixed (forth branch of literature) means Nātaka etc. Kathā (variety of mixed literature) is composed in all languages and also Sanskrit. Brhatkathā, of wonderfal meaning, consists of Bhūtabhāşā."
It will be clear from the above that Dandin is speaking of certain languages from the literature point of view and not from the linguistic one Hence the bad logic of segregating Apabhramśa from the Prakrits, of whom indeed it is only the youngest phase just as Pāli is the oldest, may be excused in his case.
Be that as it may, two points stand out clearly from Dandin's discussion on literature and its divisions: (1) that the Apabhramśa language must have already been put to considerable literary usage when Daņdin
1 Ed. Bibl. Ind. 1863.. 2 Op. lit. ataglazi 192: desdi giud ael
अपभ्रंशश्च मिश्रं चेत्याहुरार्याश्चतुर्विधम् ॥ १, ३२ संस्कृतं नाम देवी वागन्याख्याता महर्षिभिः । 259RIAI ait gaa: 1954:|| 9, 33 आभीरादिगिरः काव्येष्वपभ्रंश इति स्मृताः । शाने तु संस्कृतादन्यदपभ्रंशतयोदितम् ॥१,३६ संस्कृतं सर्गबन्धादि प्राकृतं सन्धिकादिकम् ।
भासारादीन्यपदंशो नाहकादि तु मिश्रकम् ॥ १, ३७ • The older Vägbhata also bas Dandina's forfold division Pischel, Grammalikider Prakrit Sprachen. p. 3.