In Search of the Original Ardhamagadhi English Translation

Author(s): K R Chandra, N M Kansara, Nagin J Shah, Ramniklal M Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

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RECONSTRUCTION OF THE ORIGINAL ARDHAMĀGADHI
evolutionary developments in the Prakrit language, nor having taken into consideration the nature of the teacher's speech as prevalent at the time and place), and under the influence of the rules of the Prakrit grammarians (which being not historical chronologically, do not explain the peculiarities of the Ardhamāgadhi language). Consequently, there are found the variants in their readings. It is necessary to understand properly the how and why of this imparity.
(1) Some editors have changed the 'e' to 'i' when it pre
cedes the conjunct consonant, as in samicca (for samecca). (2) Some editors have effected the elision of medial 'r' or of medical 'd', as in niie (for nityah) paveie (for praveditaḥ).
(3) Some editors have changed the initial dental 'n' to cerebral 'n', as nitie, niie, (for nityaḥ).
(4) Some have elided the medial 'k', by 'y' while some other has voiced it to 'g', as in loyam, logam (for lokam); in loyam there is 'y' -śruti of the residual vowel.
(5) Some have changed the medial ‘¡ñ' to 'nn' and some others to 'nn' as in kheyanna, kheyanna (for kṣetrajña). (6) Some have changed the 'tr' to 't', while some others
the 't' to further 'y'
(7) Some have changed the medial 'd' to 'r' (from khedajña), while some others to 'y'.
It seems, from these variants, that each editor had his own particular assumption about the Ardhamāgadhi language. The main reason for this situation is that no Prakrit grammarian has given us a compact grammar of the Ardhamāgadhi language.
If we consider all these variants, and examine as well as review them critically, we will realise to some extent at least as to how such a difference has occurred in them. It seems, from the phonetic changes found in these words, that :
(1) Some editor may have felt the likeliness of the intrusion of Pāli language in the word 'pavedita', and hence thought it proper to adopt 'pavedia' only;
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