Mahapurana of Puspdanta

Author(s): Ratna N Shriyan
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 42

NATURE OF DESVA ELEMENT
of dest words. Hemacandra in his work has taken the trouble of fixing the proper meaning of words by reference to the works of others, and pointing out the mistakes occurring therein,1 whereas the previous lexicographers assigned to the words meanings which they thought proper not always caring to refer to the others, and thus sometimes each differed from the other.2 In the same way Hemacandra by his vast knowledge of Pk. literature, fixes the forms and meanings of many words which have been wrongly quoted by other lexicographers. He thus fulfils the object with which he wrote his deśikośa, namely, "mohāpasaranam." In every case of difference of opinion, he takes care to point out the forms or meanings of words favoured by other authors,
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Buhler was the first scholar to notice the importance of Desinamamālā as the Deśināmamāla was discovered by him. He has given the first notice of it in the Indian Antiquary vol. II. pp. 17-21. He expresses the following view about Hemacandra's Deśināmamālā, More than once the example of his predecessors has moved the author to admit verbal derivatives which ought not to have been included. He discusses every one of these cases in the commentary, and tries to excuse his departure from his general rule. In this respect, as well as by the careful examination of the evidence regarding doubtful words, he shows his scholarly taste and raises himself far above the common book-makers." "
Many a times Hemacandra quotes words which the earlier authorities have considered as desi. But he tries to derive them from Sk.5 At times, when he includes some tadbhava words, he himself says that it is possible to derive from Sk. some of the words considered by him as Dest. He says that he has included them because they are not quite well known in Sk. or in order to enlighten people who are adept in Pk. but who do not know Sk. properly. Lastly, as Pischel remarks, the merit of the work lies in its alphabetical arrangement. (Pischel § 36).
Hemacandra's work in the field of Desi is so exhaustive that it superseded most of the earlier Desi collections, while most of the later works in this field have drawn largely upon Hemacandra's vocabulary. Among these we may mention the following: 1. Prakṛta Śabdānusāsana of Trivikrama (1236-1300 A. D. ). 2. Prakṛta-rūpāvatāra of Simharāja (1300-1400 A. D.) and 3. Sadbhāṣācandrikā of Lakṣmidhara (1541-1565 A. D. ).
1. See e. g. D. VI. 97, D. VIII and D. VIII. 17
2.
See Deśīnāmamālā, Ramanujaswami, P. V. Introduction, p. 4
Cf. e. g. D. I. 41 and D. I. 26.
See Indian Antiquary vol. II. p. 19.
Cf. e. g. D. I. 37.
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