Proceedings of the Seminar on Prakrit Studies 1973

Author(s): K R Chandra, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 26

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it; and there grew a small class of poets, often attached to the court and making their mark in the gathering of the learned : they are the Chappa. naayas, Vidagdhas or Sahrdayas. We have an anthology, Chappaņņaya-ga hao, which incorporates many ideas about the Dharma and Artha besides Kama. When authors of religious aptitude came to handle this Muktaka poetry, they used predominantly religious themes, because they were out to teach moral lessons. The Vajjalaggam is a good illustration. The Gathasahasri is not only religious, but full of dogmatic discourses. Just as Alankāra works quote Hala, one can find many verses of this type, generally arthantaranyasa, scattered throughout the narrative literature in Prakrit, for Instance, in the Kuvalayamala, etc.
Io the Prākrit commentaries, in stories, Dharmakathas, biographies of great men, etc., we find, in plenty, folk-tales, parables and allegories which show a deeper sense of understanding human weaknesses and strong points and attempt to convey some moral lesson that men might behave better and be worthy citizens. We get plenty of them in works like the Carnis, Samaraiccakaha, Kuvalayamala, etc. The Dhürtakhyana of Haribhadra is a unique satire in Indian literature. The author is a gifted satirist; and he is out to dispel the credulity with which the epic writers have fed the human mind. Haribhadra wants us to be rational to the core; and truth cannot be searched and reached without being rational. The technique is remarkable and the results achieved by the author are worthy of a great geplus and a benefactor of rationality. This branch of literature, later on, assumed the form of religious propaganda. The folk-tale therolo went on increasing, and they by themselves are interesting specimon of literature.
The Prakrit languages and literature essentially and basically preserve the common man's culture; and if the common man is to be addressed, the Prakrits are the best vehicle. That is why Mahāvīra, Buddha, Asoka and Kharavela chose Prākrit. Even in modern times, Mahatma Gandhi preferred simple Gujarati to speak to bis fellowmen. If one compares the percentago of Sanskrit words in the Gujarati, Marathi and Hindi Vorsions of the Atmakatha, the point will be quite clear. For detecting the common man's cultural traditions, perhaps Apabbramsa language and literature have greater value than other layers of Prākrits. When one scrutinises the proper names like Lacchide, Nābada, etc., found in Praśastis, apparently written in Sanskrit, one sees here the language of the people. If Prakrits were assigned to common characters in the plays, that was, to begin with, a reflex of the conditions in the society round about. Though a Brāhmaṇa, Vidūsaka speaks in Prākrit, that is an exception, because he is a caricatured chara. cter. If one carefully sees the Purānic tradition, one fods that the popular idlom is being gradually replaced by the Sanskrit. The village cults, and