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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Grammatical Riddles from Jain works
How does the word pavadanada denote 'fire', 'wind', 'scorching heat', 'barbarian', 'worship', 'praise', 'house', 'play', 'oblation', 'universe', 'quick'? Once it starts with pā, pa, da, ya, se, sta, bha, de, ha, bhu or ja and once it is deprived of pa and da (pa-pa-da-ya-se-sta-bha-de-ha-bhu-jādi vi-padam): pavadanada → pāvana, pavana, davana, yavana, sevana, stavana, bhavana, devana, havana, bhuvana and javana.
s
tvamaladaya-padaṁ vā āśrayābhāva-mūrcchā kataka-nagaviseṣān kīdṛg āmantrayeta ? (avipravamādyatvamadam;
281
JP 39)
How would the wordtvamaladaya refer to ‘abode', 'inexistence', 'fainting', 'bracelet' and a specific mountain in the vocative?-Once it starts withā, vi, pra, va orma and once it is deprived oftva, ma and da (a-vi-pra-va-mādy a-tva-madam) :tvamaladaya→→ ālaya, vilaya, pralaya, valaya and Malaya.
*
ura-sabdaḥ kalyāṇada-bala-hima-śṛngān vadati kīdṛk ? (adisyantaravaviśikhānuḥ; JP 11)
How does the word 'sheep' denote 'bestowing prosperity', 'army', 'cold' and 'summit' ?-Once it starts with si, has in the middle va, vi, si or kha, and once it is deprived of u (adi-si-antara-va-vi-si-kha-an-uḥ): ura → śivara (ra, agent noun built on the root rā 'to give'), sivira 'military camp', sisira and sikhara.
Finally, substitution of syllables is also one process at work. It can be expressed either through the pregnant use of the locative case in conformity with the process applied in the grammatical metalanguage or through a compound (va-na, JP 54, below; and ga-jam, JP 85, see above) :
* ravaravaka-varṇālī kīdṛg bravīti gatāratim? (aparāvaṇā; JP 54)
How does the sequence ravaravaka denote somebody who has no regret? Once it is preceded by a and once it has ṇā instead of va (a-parā va-ņā): ravaravaka → a-raṇaraṇaka.
*paścādudbhava-jānusambhava-narān daityāntya-daṁṣṭrāngajān
Mandam ca kramaso muja-dhvanir agāt kīdṛk kva kasmin sati? (ajamadahatabhäpūrvomene; JP 22)
How does the word muja denote respectively 'one who is born after', 'coming from the knee', 'man', 'demon', 'tusk', 'born from one's own body', 'Saturn', what being where ?-Once it starts with a, jā, ma, da, ha, ta, or