Jain Journal 1990 10

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

Page 14

OCTOBER, 1990
With regard to the sub-dialects, Prakrit grammarians are divided into two groups. One group, headed by Vararuci, Hemacandra, Trivikrama, Laksmidhara, Simharaja has not practically said anything on the sub-dialects of Prakrit. They have described mainly Prakrit (or Maharastri), Sauraseni, Magadhi, Paisaci and Apabhramsa. It is only Hemacandra who has added Culikapaisaci to the list. The other group, headed by Purusottama, Kramadisvara, Ramasarma Tarkavagisa and Markandeya has given the features of sub-dialects. Linguistically they all belong to the eastern school of Prakrit grammarians. The sub-dialects described by them are Sakari, Candali, Sabari, Takki or Dhakki. Audhri, Abhiri, Pracya, Avanti, Bahliki, Kaikeya, Paisaci, Saurasena Paisaci, Pancala Paisaci, Nagara Apabhramsa, Upanagara Apabhramsa, Vracada Apabhramsa, and so on.
It is difficult to get the features of these sub-dialects, particularly when there is hardly any inscriptions or any Sanskrit dramas where the features of minor sub-dialects are available. How could these eastern grammarians get these features in their respective treatises ? It is difficult also to verify them, if there is any form which seems to be irregular as far as Prakrit is concerned. It is to be noted also that the Prakrit grammarians who have described these features all belonged between twelveth and seventeenth century A.D. It is also to be noted that this period was the time when the modern provincial languages, today known as New Indo-Aryan languages, developed. These NIA languages did not, perhaps, get the modern names as they are today. As a result the features as described by these grammarians do not have any place in any Sanskrit dramas written after the 10th/11th century A.D. The names of the languages seem to be the names of places as were current at that time. For example, Dhakki could be the language of Dhaka, as Audhu, the language of Audhra, i.e. Orissa, and so on. The conception of Prakrit at that time was perhaps that any language debased from Sanskrit was regarded as Prakrit, and hence they have all included them in their treatises. In fact, some of the characteristics of these minor sub-dialects are very much akin to the older stages of the present NIA languages; e.g. cikhilla is regarded as a Prakrit word by Kramadisvara in his grammar (cikhilla picchille V. 99) and this cikhilla is found in the Caryāgiti (cikhila māghe na thāi, V. 2). So also keha for kidrśa and athi for atļhi, car for catur are all regarded by Ramasarma as Prakrit words, but they are found in fact in Bengali. Only this much can be said that these words are interesting either as the earliest forms of old NIA languages or as Prakrit words used in these languages.