Paumchariyam Part 1

Author(s): Vimalsuri, Punyavijay, Harman
Publisher: Prakrit Granth Parishad

Page 12

PREFACE The current of Indian literature has flown into three main streams, viz., Sanskrit, Päli and Prakrit. Each of them witnessed an enormous range of creative activity. Sanskrit texts ranging in date from the Vedic to the classical period and belonging to almost all branches of literature have now been edited and published for more than a century beginning with the magnificent edition of the Rigveda by Prof. Max Muller. The Pali literature devoted almost exclusively to the teaching and religion of the Buddha was even more lucky in that the Pali Text Society of London planned and achieved comprehensive publication in a systematic manner. Those editions of the Pāli Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma. Pitakas and their commentaries are well known all over the world.
The Prakrit literature presents an amazing phenomenon in the field of Indian literary activity. Prakrit as a dialect may have had its early beginnings about the seventh century B. C. from the time of Mahāvira, the last Tirthankara who reorganised the Jaina religion and church in a most vital manner and infused new life into all its branches. We have certain evidence that he, like the Buddha, made use of the popular speech of his times as the medium of his religious activity. The original Jaina sacred literature or canon was in the Ardhamagadhi form of Prakrit. It was compiled sometime later, but may be taken to have retained its pristine purity. The Prakrit language developed divergent local idioms of which some outstanding regional styles became in course of time the vehicle of varied literary activity. Amongst such Sauraseni, Mahäräshțri and Paiśáchi occupied a place of honour. Of these the Maharashtri Prakrit was accepted as the standard medium of literary activity from about the first century A. D. until almost to our own times. During this long period of twenty centuries a vast body of religious and secular literature came into existence in the Prakrit languages. This literature comprises an extensive stock of ancient commentaries on the Jaina religious canon or the Agamic literature on the one hand, and such creative works as poetry, drama, romance, stories as well as scientific treatises on Vyakarana, Kosha, Chhanda etc. on the other hand. This literature is of vast magnitude and the number of works of deserving merit may be about a thousand. Fortunately this literature is of intrinsic value as a perennial source of Indian literary and cultural history. As yet it has been but indifferently tapped and is awaiting proper publication. It may also be mentioned that the Prakrit literature is of abiding interest for tracing the origin and development of almost all the New-Indo-Aryan languages like Hindi, Gujarāti, Marathi, Punjābi, Käśmiri, Sindhi, Bangali, Usiya, Assamese, Nepali. A national effort for the study of Prakrit languages in all aspects and in proper historical perspective is of vital importance for a full understanding to the inexhaustible linguistic heritage of modern India. About the eighth century the Prakrit languages developed a new style known as Apabhramsa which has furnished the missing links between the Modern and the MiddleIndo-Aryan speeches. Luckily several hundred Apabhramśa texts have been recovered in recent years from the forgotten archives of the Jaina temples,
With a view to undertake the publication of this rich literature some coordinated efforts were needed in India. After the attainment of freedom, circumstances so moulded themselves rapidly as to lead to the foundation of a society under the name of the Präkrit Text Society, which was duly registered in 1952 with the following aims snd objects: (1) To prepare and publish critical editions of Prakrit texts and commentaries and other works
connected therewith. (2) To promote studies and research in Prakrit languages and literature. (3) To Promote studies and research of such languages as are associated with Prakrit. (4) (a) To set up institututions or centres for promoting studies and research in Indian History
and Culture with special reference to ancient Prakrit texts. (b) To set up Libraries and Museums for Prakrit manuscripts, paintings, coins, archaeological
finds and other material of historical and cultural importance.