Bhavana Sataka

Author(s): A S Gopani, Dharmshila Mahasati, Girishkumar P Shah Pandit
Publisher: Labhubhai P Mehta

Page 17

Though there are many works of literature, mostly spiritual, to his credit, I would mention only two which have placed him in the front row of the galaxy of the most accomplished writers of the world. He is, let me say, the Panini of the Ardhamagadhi literature. It is he, who first attempted to write a grammar of Ardhamagadhi called Ardhamagadhi in the manner of Siddhanta Kaumudi of Panini. He was, thus, the first and the last grammarian of the --- Ardhamagadhi language, though Hemacandracarya has dealt with it, but only passingly, in his Siddhahema. As he was the grammarian, first and last, of the Ardhamagadhi language, he was a lexicographer of it, first and last. Though Abhidhana Rajendra, Paiyasaddamahannavo, Abhidhana - Cintamani, Paiyalacchi and Des'inamamala are there, Ardhamagadhi S'abdakosa by Munis'ri is unique. Five thousand pages divided into five bulky volumes, containing meanings in five languages (Ardhamagadhi, Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati and English) fully supported by references from the whole canonical literature, illustrated where necessary and enriched with a brilliant, authoritative and thought - provoking introduction. I am very happy to refer to my association with this huge project of compiling a penta-lingual lexicon, in the sense that much of the English rendering of the meanings which was entrusted to me, was carried out by me to the utmost satisfaction of one and all. It is sufficient to state that the late Professor and Head of the Department of Sanskrit and Prakrit in the Allahabad
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