Ardha Magadhi Reader

Author(s): B D Jain
Publisher: Shri Satguru Publications

Page 42

languages--hence the statement that his language was understood by all classes of mankind and hence also the name Ardha-Mágadhi (i. e, half Mágadhi y implying thereby that it was not fully Mágadhi but that it contained a greater element of Mágadhí combined with smaller elements of other dialects. This use of a mixed dialect for preaching purposes is not without a parallel even at the present time. There are a few Hindu and Sikh preachers in the Panjab, especially at Amritsar, who use a mixture of Panjábí and Hindi in their preaching. This mixture is not used for ordinary purposes but for preaching alone by that class of men.
Another reason for Mahávíra's tampering with his vernacular scems to have been the early development of Máháráshtrí into a literary form, and the consequent superiority it had gained over other vernaculars. Naturally therefore, one would have liked to comform his vernacular to Mábárásh trí as far as couror properly be done.
• Professor Pischel has applied the term ArdhaMágadhí to the language of the Canonical scriptures of the Svetambar Jains as extant as present.? According to the above consideration one expects to find that Ardha-Mágadhi should have a greater resemblance to Mágadhí than to any other language. But this is pot the case. The language of the present canon resembles Mábáráshtrí more than it does Mágadhí. For this very reason Professor Jacobi called this
(1) AV ATTAT: 1 (2) Grammatik der Prakrit-sprachen. & 17.