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288
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1888.
the Prakrit grammarians of a later age [234] ascribed to the Apabhransa in this particular. In compounds the single members are either entirely without Samdhi, or the case termina- tion is lacking in the latur member, so that it stands, like the other members, in its pure thematic form. The pure theme especially is frequently found instead of the inflected forms in the karikás, which are inserted into the angas. The gender and number of the words which are associated, do not agree in a very large number of cases. The insertion of an inorganic m in the middle of compounds and at the end of a word, is a recognized practice. Corresponding occurrences or rather beginnings of such a use are found even in ancient times, and in fact in the Veda (cf. satamuti). The use of the particles tô (from ató) and 6, tu and u as mere expletives, is exceedingly com- mon. The indiscriminate variation of i and u with & and 8 before double consonants makes many passages obscure and difficult. If to these considerations we add the so-called ya. śruti it is apparent what a wide field is opened up for the disfigurement of words. There is, however, one circumstance more, and that of a very peculiar nature. By reason of the falling out at any time of a t in the frequently recurring forms of the 3rd pers. Singul. Pres., and of the Part. Perf. Pass., a misunderstand ing arose in the minds of the copyists, which is only to be explained from the fact that there was no absolutely established grammatical use. This misunderstanding arose from the belief of the grammarians that t was a sound [235] that could be omitted or inserted at pleasure. The insertion of such an inorganic t in time gained ground so extensively, that the recognition of the original form becomes a matter of exceeding difficulty. As a matter of fact it can be proved that this situation of affairs led even at quite an early date to grotesque misunderstandinge
As the result of all this many words of the texts are exceedingly corrupt. We find there. fore it almost beyond belief when we consider the nature of the licenses which modern Jain authors allow themselves when they write Prakrit. In the scholia all matter of this class is explained simply as chhandasa, or ársha. If now, despite the above great transformation of the constitation and condition of the text of the Siddhanta since Dévarddhigaņi, it is always difficult in a given case to demonstrate the posteriority of any definite text after him, there is nevertheless, [236] in the contents a sufficient number of dates which correspond exactly, or at least tally well, with the period in which he is placed by tradition, namely the fifth century A.D.
Of the evidence of this character we must first mention the astronomical and astrological conceptions, which are anterior to the anthori. tative influence of Greek astronomy, or at least in all essentials independent of it. There is as yet no knowledge of the Zodiac ; the planets are not arranged in the Greek order (as is the case in several of the Ath. Paris.), and play a very unimportant part. The nakshatras and the Vedic yugam of five years still hold sway. The nakshatras are often found, arranged after the old order, starting with ksittikd. At the same time we find in the upangas the change of the vernal equinox from krittika to bharani indicated by the commencement with abhijit, which is such favourite in the upangas." In this fact we have a sign that the influence of Greece had already become active. In general, however, the statements of the upangas still represent the stage of the so-called Jyotisham and of a part of the Atharvapari ishtas. The names of the karanas that have a foreign sound:-bava, bálava, etc. belong, it is true, to the upángas; horá is found however for the first time in painna 8, v. 60.
We must also mention the enumeration of
30 A perfect analogy is presented by the peculiar Sanskrit of the North Buddhistic texts Lalita vistara, Mahavastu, etc.
0 Just as in the texts of the Avesta, especially the Vendidad, which were collected at about this period.
• All sorts of false forms which had no claim to existence came gradually into use in this way. An interesting case of this, which, if my conception is correct, transplants us into a period before Vardhamihira A.D. 504-587, will be found in the name of the metre vaitallyam in anga 2, 1, 2. The title of the first updiga is incorrectly stated to be aupapatika instead of dika. The name Mbayya (Métayya) became Métarya, the
common form. In my treatise on the satrunjaya Mah. p. 3. 4, when I had no knowledge of this inorganic 1, I conjectured Métarya to have originated from Mévorya. The Schol, on anga 2, 2, 7 has, it must be confessed, Médarya. Furthermore the later Jains have been guilty of all sorts of wild misconceptions in reference to their own language : as for example, the completely erroneous explanation of the name nietha by nisitha. In this category we may perhaps place Lichhaki for Lichhavi.
So also in anga 3: in anga 4, 7 probably in an interpolation. The names of the nakshatras appear, we may notice in passing, here only in their secondary form, thus :- pushya, bhadrapada, eto.
