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RETENTION OF MEDIAL CONSONANTS IN THE GRAMMAR OF ARDHAMĀGADHĨ BY HERMANN JACOBI
The outline of the Jaina Prakrit (= Ardhamāgadhī) given by Hermann Jacobi' has special message of guide-line for Prakrit Scholars and particularly for the future editors of Śwetambara Jain canonical works. When we compare the texts of two editions of the Acaranga, Part I, one by H. Jacobi and the other by W. Schubring2 there is a great difference between the phonological aspects of the language. In the later edition the phonology of language is strictly regulated by the rules of Mahārāṣṭrī Prakrit, whereas in the former edition there are several usages retaining medial consonants like Pali. There is a clear indication of this fact in the grammar of the Jaina Prakrit given by Jacobi.3
K.R.CHANDRA*
Below we are reproducing the usages of Ardhamāgadhi quoted by Jacobi explaining its grammatical rules. They support the opinion of Muni Shri Punyavijayji' along with Prof. Ludwig Alsdorf that the medial consonants of the Amg. usages were not changed phonologically to that much extent (as in Mahārāṣṭrī Prakrit) as they are found in modern editions. Ardhamăgadhi is considered to be nearers and more akin to Pali. According to its time of prevalence and the place of origin it should resemble the dialect of Ashokan inscriptions of East India. Both Pali and Ashokan dialects are the oldest MIA dialects and in them the elision of the element of occlusion is perhaps very very rare. In this context the rule of usually always elision of medial consonants framed by Prakrit gram
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