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6.1 Special features of Prakrit Language
The heritage of Prakrit is a valuable treasure of India.
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स्वाध्याय परमं तप
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1. Since it developed out of the language of the common people and since it continued to
be used by them, this language of the common people is called Prakrit.
2. Mahāvīra and Buddha used Prakrit in their teaching for the enlistment of the culture of the people.
3. It earned the status of state language during Aśoka's time, and fame continued for hundreds of years.
4. It was adopted as a powerful medium of communication in the society as almost all the characters in the major Indian dramas speak in Prakrit.
5. In their writings Indian literary critics have also preserved hundreds of Prakrit verses in
the form of quotations, because of their simplicity and sweetness.
6. Thus Prakrit language has been the preserver of Indian culture.
6.2 Prakrit Poetry Literature
1. Gāthāsaptasati:
This is the first available collection of stray verse in Prakrit literature. It is a compilation of 700 verses of poets and poetesses of that time.
2. Vajjalaggam:
The other work of stray Prakrit verses is the Vajjalaggam. In this work the poet Jayavallabha collected the 795 beautiful verses of several poets and divided them into 96 groups (vajja) on the basis of their subject matter.
6.3 Sanskrit and Apabhramsa Literature. The Jaina Literature in other Languages Jainas have been able to enrich their literature in different languages like Präkrta, Apabhramsa, Hindi, Rajasthani, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati and others.
1. Sanskrit Jaina Literature
The Jaina Saint-poets opened new vistas and newer dimensions in almost all the areas of poetic activities e.g. the Puranas, the Mahākāvyas, the Laghu Carita Kavyas, the messages poems, the poetic prose and the poetics, Campus the panegyrics and allegorical compositions.
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