Jain Journal 1985 01

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 35

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JAIN JOURNAL
Thus according to Pt. H. T. Seth vasi and vāsi-both the words are of feminine gender and denote a tool of carpenter called vasulā in Hindi, meaning an adze.37 He has quoted a verse from Dharma Samgraani38 which uses the word väsi in the sense of an adze. Again, he has given references of several Prakrit works such as Praśnavyākarna, Paumcaria,39 Kalpa Sūtra, Surasundaricaria40 and Aupapātika Sūtra making use of the word vāsi in the sense of an adze. Pt. H. T. Seth also mentions the word vāsimuha (skt. väsimukha) used in Uttarādhyayana Sūtra.41 Here also, according to Seth, vāsīmukha denotes an insect belonging to the class of beings possessing two sense-organs and having mouth like an adze.
(6) In masterpiece Sanskrit lexicon, sabda-kalpcdi uma the word väsi is explained as follows :42 vasi (stri) vāsayatiti väsi atta/ gauravāditvād dip. takşani. väisa iti khyātāstram iti trikāndaseșah.
iti
ij.
vāsih (pum) (vasa nivase vasivapiyati saniti) uņā 4/124 kuthāravedah vāisa iti bhāṣā. ityaņāpi koşah.
Here the lexicographer has etymologically derived vāsi in feminine gender from the verb vāsayati and given the Sanskrit synonym takşani and vernacular synonym vāisa. He has also explained the word vāsi in masculine gender deriving it from the verb ras (vas=to live): its mear is given as kuthārabhedah i.e. a kind of hatchet. The vernacular meaning is given as above. The word takasni corresponds to the adze.
(7) The well-known modern lexicographer V. S. Apte has wellexplained the word vast in his Sanskrit-English Dictionary. He
37 Cf. Bhargava's Standard Illustrated Anglo-Hindi Dictionary, compiled by Prof.
B.C. Pathak (11th Edition), pp.28. (See also the picture of adze given in it.) 38 A prakrit work by Haribhadra Suri, pub by Devachand Lalbhai Pustakod
dhar Fund, Bombay, 1916, v. 489. 29 It is to be remarked that Paumacaria by Vimal Suri is edited by Dr. H. Jacobi
and pub by Jain Dharm Prasarak Sabha, Bhavnagar, 1914. See canto XIV,
7.78. 40 Also known as Katha Surasundari, a love story in Prakrit written by Dhanesvar
Muni (V. S. 1905), ed by Muni Sri Rajvijay, pub by Jain Vividha Sahitya
Sastramata, Banaras, 1916, paricheda I, v.28. 41 Uttaradhyayana Sutra, 36/129. 42 Sabda-Kalpadruma by Sir Raja Radha Kanta Dev Bahadur, pub by Motilal
Banarasi Dass, Delhi, 1960, kanda IV, p.357.