Gaharayankosa

Author(s): Jineshwarsuri, Amrutlal Bhojak, Nagin J Shah, Dalsukh Malvania
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 9

3. The plam-leaf ms, bearing the serial No. 267 and belonging to the abovementioned Bhandara contains, among many works, the tiny work called Subbasiyapajjasangaho. The work covers first five folios. The size of the ms, is 33 cms x 5 cms. It seems to belong to the first half of the 14th century V.S.
Subhāṣitasangrahas The importance of the Subhāşitasangrahas consists in rescuing from oblivion a large numbe of fleeting and floating verses. Like anecdotes, Subhașitas are utilized by preachers in their didactic works or lectures. Mostly they utilized current Subhāşitas but at times they themselves composed them. Subhāṣitas are mostly employed to clarify and corroborate the point of discourse. They have great appeal to the common mind. They cover dive. Ise themes, present variety of sentiments and reflect acute observations. People take delight in memorizing them and in quoting them at proper time, Like idioms, they constitute the strength or power of language. Looking to the usefulness of Subhāṣitas, scholars of olden days have collected them and classified them subject wise. Thus they prepared anthologies or Subbāşitasangrahas.
Prāksta Subhāşitas In Sanskrit we find Subhāşitas in abundance. There is no doubt about it. But as Sanskrit was mainly confined to the elite, we almost miss in the Sanskrit Subbāşitas the wisdom, fancy and sentiments of the common man. Prakrit was the language of the people. So, Prakrit language and Prakrit writers had the opportunity to be in close contact with the people. The vista which was almost closed to Sanskrit language and Sanskrit writers was open to Prakrit language and Prakrit writers. This is the reason why those elements that capture the hearts of the common man predominate in Prakrit literary works. Elasticity or suggestiveness of Prakrit language is even greater than that of Sanskrit. This is to be considered a strong point in the world of poetry,
Today, it is not unusual to find common men reciting verses from Bihārisatasai, Vịndasatasai, etc. Similarly, in old days the verses from the Gatbāsaptaśate of that great Prakrit poet were current among the people. Even farmers, while ploughing their fields, took delight in reciting them. Their hearts got charmed by their recitation. This has been stated by Āc. Uddyotanasūri in the gathās devoted to the respectful memory of the previous poets, in the beginning of his well known Kuvalayamglakatha (saka Samvat 701 =780 A. D.) The gātha in point is as follows:
भणिइविसेसवइत्तणबोल्लिक्के जो करेइ हलिए वि । कन्वेण किं पउत्थे हाले हालावियारे व्व ॥