Hemchandracharyas Literary Accomplishment

Author(s): Kumarpal Desai
Publisher: Jaibhikkhu Sahitya Trust

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Hemchandracharya's Literary Accomplishment
Hemchandracharya's Literary Accomplishment
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the panchangi grammar of sutra, dhatu, ganapatha, Unadi pratyaya and linganushasana in one and a quarter lakhs of verses,
This grammar book has eight chapters. The total number of sutras is 4685. If we omit the Sutras of Prakrit grammer, there are 3566 verses of Sanskrit grammer. The special feature of this book that attracts students is that Hemchandracharya has written his grammer of Prakrit and Apabhransha-old Gujarati in the eighth chapter of Siddha-hem"as Panini has written Vedic grammar in the best gammar- book titled 'Astadhyayi'. Of all Prakrit grammars his grammar is most comprehensive and best organized. His Apabhramsha grammer truly introduces the wealth of humour in Apabhramsha grammar truly introduces the wealth of humour in Apabhramsha literature. Though this grammar is brief, it contains all angas. No other grammar of Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apabhramsha languages comparable to 'Siddhahem'has been written till today On account of its arrangement of subjects and terminology, F. Keplhorn calls it to be the best grammar of the Indian middle age.' For every student of ancient languages Siddhahem' is the inevitable gateway. This grammar spread the undying fame, of King Siddharaj and Acharya Hemchandra all over the country. With this book in the howda on an elephant a procession was taken out ceremoniously in Patan. Thus learning (vidya) began to
be esteemed in Gujarat. Siddharaj employed three hundred scribes to write its copies. He also sent the copies to distant places in the whole country such as Anga, Banga, Konkan, Karnataka and Kashmir and to distant countries such as Nepal, Shreelanka and IRan. The flame of Gujarat's scholarship shone so bright that for the first time its light went across the borders of the country. The Gujarati that went abroad for commerce now for the first time went abroad for the spread of knowledge. Vidyadharagani Devanand and Amarchandra Suri of Vayat gachchha have written their works on this book, Nearly 300 years after publiscation of Sidhhahem i.e. in 1492 Jinamandan gani wrote in his 'Kumarpal Prabandha', "How can we eulogize the intellect of Hemchandracharya, the traverser of the ocean of words, who singlehanded wrote 'Siddha- hem?' He then mentioned the following saying popular in his times, eulogizing Hemchandracharya's grammar.
"Brother Panini ! Stop prattling Vararuchi! Your Katantra grammar is like a garment of rags. What shall I, therefor speak to you? Shakatayana ! Don't utter your bitter words. Chandra! Your Chandra grammar is useless and so I do not mention your name. So long as Hemchandra's significant sweet speech wxists in the world, who would blunt his intellect by reading other