Grammatical Riddles from Jain Works

Author(s): Nalini Balbir
Publisher: Z_Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_1_002105.pdf and Nirgranth_Aetihasik_Lekh_Samucchay_Part_2

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Nalini Balbir
Jambu-jyoti
* adivāri-sabdo vā kais tyaktah prāha grha-deśam ? vaih; JP 52)
Of which elements should the word adivārī be deprived to denote a part of a house ? - Ofi, i and a (i-1-a in the instrumental plural > yaih) : adiväri → dvār, a door'.
When the synonyms which are to be found out are not ordinary words, but typical ekāksaras, the effect of surprise and the pleasure of the discovery are even greater :
* asumeti-padam kidrk Kämam Laksmim ca bodhayati ? (avatamasam; JP 7)
How does the sequence asumeti refer to Kāma and Lakşmi in the vocative ? - Once it is deprived of the letters va (i.e. u and a), ta, ma and sa (a-v-a-ta-ma-sam) : asumeti → E, vocative of I, a frequent synonym of Käma, and 1, vocative of l, a frequent synonym of Laksmī. Both these monosyllables are well recorded in Ekāksarakosas and widely used by Jinavallabha in his Praśnottara.
On the other hand, there are riddles of this type implying two types of modifications, an addition combined with a suppression, in which case the answer can be expressed through two bahuvrihi-compounds :
* Hara-nikara-patha-svah-srsti-vāci narnaga-padam kidrg ? (bhavamāsvasādiśastanam; JP 16)
How does the word narnaga designate 'Siva', 'a collection', 'a path', 'the sky', 'creation'?—Once it starts (respectively) with bha, va, mā, sva or sa and is deprived of na (bha-va-mă-sva-sadi sasta-nam): narnaga Bharga, varga, marga, svarga and sarga.
* vadati javina-sabdah kidrśah sat-kavindrah
kathayata jana-śünyam kajjalam bhartsanaṁ ca ? (vyantarādivyastah; JP 27)
Good poets tell : how does the word javina denote 'deserted by people', 'collyrium' and 'threat' ?-Once it starts with vi, am or tar, and once vi has been thrown away (vy-am-tar-ādi-vy-astah) : javina- vijana, añjana, tarjana.
* ... kidsk/pūta-vāta-paritāpa-mlecchopăsti-nuti-grha-krīdā
homa-viśva-vegavato jalpati pavadanada-padam ? (pāpadayasestabhadehabhujādivipadam; JP 34).