Jain Journal 1985 01

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

Page 36

JANUARY, 1985
observes :43 "vāsi : m.f.=an adze, a small hatchet, chisel vas-ij (Un 4, 136). He also quotes the verse of Mahābhārata.44
(8) Another Sanskrit-English Dictionary published from Oxford and compiled by an eminent lexicographer Sir Monier Williams, well explains the word vāsi. He writes :45 "vāsi=yäsi or vāsi, f. a carpenter's adze, L. (cf. vāsī)."
The lexicographer has rightly explained the words vāsi and vāsi both of feminine gender and both denoting the carpenter's adze. But the abbreviation 'L', at the end of the explanation is erroneous. By 'L' the author means 46_lexicographers (i.e. a word or meaning of which although given in native lexicons, has not yet been met with in any published text). But as we have already seen authoritative texts such as Mahābhārata do use the word. It seems that the compiler of the Dictionary is not aware of this usage.
(9) An important Prākrit-Gujarati Dictionary47 composed by Satavadhani Muni Ratna Candra, also gives the same meaning. He writes :48 vāsi (stri) vāsi vānsalo, pharsi.
The Gujarati word vāmsalo or pharasi denotes an adze. Muni Ratna Candra also gives the meaning of the whole phrase vāsi candana kappa as follows : 49
"He who maintains equal attitudes towards two persons, even though one cuts it with an adze and the other anoints it with the sandalwood.”
The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary by V. S. Apte, ed. by P.K. Gode and C.G. Karve, Prasad Prakashan, Poona 2, 1957; also cf. The Students' Sanskrit-English Dictionary by V. S. Apte, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1959,
p. 504. 44 jivitam masanam caiva nabhinandana cadvisan vasyaikam taksato bahum candanenaikamuttatah/
---Mahabharata 12.9.25 ; 1.1115 *5 A Sanskrit-English Dictionary (etymologically and philologically arranged with
special references to cognate Indo-European languages) by Sir Monier Williams, new edition greatly enlarged and improved with the collaboration of Prof. E. Leumann, and Prof. C. Capller, and other Scholars, (Oxford University Press,
1889), pub in India by Motilal Banarasidass, 1963, p. 948. 46 Ibid., p. XXXV. 47 Jainagamasabda Samgraha, pub by Sanghvi Gulabchand Desaraj, Limbdi,
Kathiawar, 1926. 48 Ibid., p. 686. " vasicandanakappa (tri) (vasicandanakalpa), koi vasalathi chede ane koi candanthi
lep kare to pan banne taraf samabhav rakhnar.