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INTRODUCTION
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out by the term Vibhāşā which stood side by side as subdialects in corrupt form as the interpretation would justify. So if we understand by M, Ś, Mg etc. of dramas certain Pkt dialects as once actually spoken in the society, there is no point in confining Vibhāṣās to stage play alone. 88
41. Now the question arises, how far Vibhāşā differs from Ap. In GRIERSON'S words “the boundery between the two is fluctuatirg" as is evident from the view of Hariśdandra who treats Tākkī as an Ap but not a Vibhāṣā. Mk further adds that Hariscandra would justify his cause by taking A.p too as a character dialect along with the so-called Vibhāṣās.89 Rt expressly declares that though Sākārī, Audrī, Drāviļi etc. attain the nature of Ap, they are not to be taken as such when they are used in stage plays.9 Hariscandra's authority on Pakki, however, signifies that Vibhāşā or Apabhraņśa, whatever be it called, Tākkī in its essence was the language of Țakka country. A close observation of its peculiarities as given by Pu, Mk and Rt would show that it is akin to Ap which abounds in U. As will be observed from Mk's treatment Ap had its origin in Western India though later on it spread to
88. In fact Pu understands Vibhāṣā in the same sepse as he understands Bhāṣā and identifies the same with ordinary Pkt ; cf. Hariscandras tv imām ţakkabhāṣām apabkramsan icchati na prākrtam- PA XVI. 10.
89. See PS XVI. 2, cf. Pu XVI. 10. 90. The verse runs thus :
शकारकौडद्रविडादिवाचोऽपभ्रंशतां यद्यपि संश्रयन्ति ।
स्यान्नाटकादौ यदि संप्रयोगो नैता अपभ्रंशतया तथेष्टाः ॥ With this compare the remarks of Pș who treats Śákari as an Ap :
3793tqidang tertarunaraht Turga: 1. Intro. Mş, ...
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