Hemchandracharyas Literary Accomplishment

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

Page 9

Hemchandracharya's Literary Accomplishment 17
वायसू उहावंति पिउ दिल सहसति ।
अद्धा वलय महिडि गय, अद्धा कुट्ट तइति ।। While a woman (who was suffering separation from her husband) was causing a crow to fly, she saw her husband (coming). Half her bangles fell to the ground. (Her arms had become weak and thin in separation.) Half her bengles broke down. (Her arms had expanded for joy on seeing her husband.) Two different versions of this verse are found in folk literature.
कामन काग उडावती, पियु आयो जबकां, आथी पूड़ी कर गई, आथी गई तडकां ।
16 Hemchandracharya's Literary Accomplishment contributed to and improved upon. But Panini's fame as a grammarian remained undiminished for conturies. Hemchandracharya remains the last grammarian of the Sanskrit language. As a result of his contribution to the Sanskrit grammar tradition, the 'Hem school' arose. One sees special influence of his grammar on postarior Jain grammars. Some Acharyas of the Svetambar sect have written a number of books on the basis of Hemchandracharya's grammar. There are eight or ten such grammarieans.
Apabhramsha grammar will be regarded as Kalikalsarvagna Hemchandracharya's contribution of lasting significance. In the eighth chapter of Sabdsanushasan Hemchandracharya discusses six languages - Maharashtri, Shaurseni, Magadhi, Paishachi, Mulika, and Apabhramsha. The verses in Apabhramsha section have an attractive veriety. Hemchandracharya has written nearly 177 verses in the vritti of Sutras of Apabhramsha. There are didactic, heroic and Pauranic verses, love-verses and Jainistic verses. Some of these verses have become folk-verses.
These verses have come down to the Gujarati language. The transliteration of Apabhramsha verses into modern languages would be an interesting subject for researchers. In the eighth chapter Hemchandracharya cities an Apabhramsha verses :
“The beloved was causing a crow to fly. Suddenly her husband came. Halfher bangles remained on the arm and half her bangles broke down."
There is another version as follows:
काग ऊडावण थण खडी, आयो पीव भडक्क,
आधी चुडी काग-गल, आधी मुंय तहक्क । The beloved was causing a crow to fly. Her husband suddenly came. Half her bengles passed on to the nack of the crow and half her bangles broke down.
The hymns in this Apabhramsha grammar reveal poetic beauty,