Indian Antiquary Vol 50

SR No.: 032542
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1985
Total Pages: 468
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 91

MARCH, 1921)
AVANTI PRAKLIT OF THE KARPORAMASJARI
It thus follows that Rajasekhara was, in Dr. Konow's opinion, a braggart who boasted of his knowledge of all languages without knowing the peculiarities of any Prakrit dialeot. Rajasekhara was, indeed, much given to boasting, as is evident from his describing himself as an incarnation of Valmiki, Bharttr-Mentha and Bhavabhūti. But though he had no scruples as to how paradosham iva hi svakain gunain khyapaye katham adhrshtatájadah, is it not too much to state that he had not even a rudimentary knowledge of the special features of the Prakrits in which he composed elegant dramas and that yet he styled himself as sarva-bhashd-vichakshaņa? In his recently published work, Kavyamimarisd, Rajasekhara Cliscusses the question of the use of various dialects as the vehicle of poetry and has solved it thus -Sabdarthau te (= kávyapurushasya) sarirai, Sanskrtan mukhan, Prakritan bahuh, jaghanam Apabhramal, Paibachai padau, uro Misram. Here he mentions Sanskrit, Prakrit. Apabhrana, Paibacha, and Mibra, as different dialects or languages. His Prakrit is thus identical with the Bhasha and Vibhashd of Markandeya. But what is this Mirra ? It is evidently & mixed language like the Gath of the Northern Buddhists or Senart's Mixed Sanskrit of inscriptions which is nowhere referred to in Sanskrit literature. Shall we treat him, who has thus preserved an information unknown to later Prâkrit authorities, as one innocent of Prakrit dialects? Probably his Prakṣit is an unknown dialect and as such it causes so much perplexity. So before charging him of using incorrect Prakrit. let us turn to the various Prakritic dialects and try to find out whether his Prakrit may be e different dialect.
Vararûchi (circa A. D. 500 ?) treats of the Maharash!ri, Paisachi, Magadhi and Saurasení. The first is characterized by the loss or change into h of all intervocal explosives (except the linguals) which are preserved and hardened in Paisachi. The Magadhi-Sauraseni group mainly differs from it in preserving (the softened) intervocal dental explosives Hence Rajasekhara has confused his dialects by his loss of the dental intervocals in udra, maürd, pdä, mai, raäņa, etc. in the prose portion which should be written in the Sauraseni Prakrit.
The later grammarions and authorities on Dramaturgy refer to a larger number of dialects-fourteen, sixteen or eighteen. Thus Märkandeya classifies the Prakrit dialects thus : -I. Bhasha-Mahardshiri, Saurasení, Práchyd, Avanti, Magadhi and Ardhamagadhi. II. VibhâshậSakári, Chandáli, Savari, Abhiri, Takki (? the dialect of Takka or the Punjab), Odri, Dravidi. III. Apabhramba. IV. Paisachi."
In the above list we find the mention of the Avanti dialect. According to Pithvidhara, Avanti is the dialect in which speak Viraka and Chandanaka of the Michchhakurika. He notes tatha Sauraseny-Avantija, Prachya. etdsu dantyasa karata. tatr - Avanttja repha-vali lokokti-bahula cha. [Dental 8 occurs in Sauraseni, Avanti and Prachyd ; Avanti retains (=l ip Magadhi) and it is full of colloquial (provincial) words ]. Markandeya remarks Avanti sydt Maharashtyi-Saurasenyos tu saúkarát. [Avanti is a mixture of Mahardsht, í and Saurasení.] $
Ås Avanti (Malwa) is situated midway between Maharashtra and Sûrasena (Muttra), it is naturalthat its language should be a mixture of Mâhârâsht, i ard Saurasení, and that has been
। बभूव वल्मीभव ऋषिःपुरा ततः प्रपद भाव मनृनष्ठनोम् | स्थितस्तावो भवमृतिरेखवा स वर्तते सम्प्रति राजशेखरः॥ बालयमावण प्रस्तावनावाम् |
6 Kdvyamantha (Gaekwad Banskrit Series), p. 6. 7 Pischel's Prikrit Grammar, $ 3.
Ibid., 26.