Book Title: Sanskrit Prakrit Jain Vyakaran aur Kosh ki Parampara
Author(s): Chandanmalmuni, Nathmalmuni, Others
Publisher: Kalugani Janma Shatabdi Samaroha Samiti Chapar
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Semantic Changes in the Kita, treta, Drapai and Kalı 71
Tretā when the remainder is three, Dräpai a when it is two and Kali when it is one
In the Pālı canonical literature also these words have been used in the context of the game of dice In the Vidhura Pandita Jātak Kața (Sanskrit Kyta) denotes the highest score in the game of dice and kalı occurs as its antonym 5 These words have also been used figuratively Thus Kaliggaha means unlucky and Kațaggaha lucky Here they are in compound with gaha (Sanskrit graha)=Score So the literal meanings will be 'one who scores Kali' and 'one who scores Kața' respectively lu the Theragatha (1 462) we come across the phrase 'ubliayattha kațaggaha' meanig lucky in both the worlds i e here and beyond Vinaya (6 93 360) uses 'Kaliñ āropeti in the sense of putting allegation on somebody
The lexicons have not recorded any use of these words in the sense of the ages (yugas) either in the Ardhamāgadhi Jaina canons or in the Pāli canonical literature But by this absence we should not be led to conclude that the four ages came to be denoted by these words at a date later than the compilation of the Pāli and Ardha māgadhi canons Utmost this can prove, is the comparative immunity of these conons from the Brahmanical tradition in which we find the above denotations occurring much earlier
In the late Brahmanas the words Krta, Tretā, Dvāpara and Kali have been used to denote the four consecutive ages The Sadyınıśe Brahniana mentions the four ages krta khārvā, Dvāpara and Pusya 6 Dvāpara as denoting the third age in mentioned in the Gopatha Brahmana As regards the mention of these pames in the famous 'Kalı sayāno bhavatı ?, verse of the Artareya Brahmana it may be noted that some scholars interpret them in the context of the game of dice while thus regard this verse itself as a later interpolation But the verse has been adapted in the manusmiti (1 x 302)8 and explicitly interpreted as the consecutive ages Commenting on ch 231 verses 19 onwards of the Mahābhārata Nilakantha refers to the Kalı sayāno bhavatı' verse of the Aitareya Brahmana and explains the words kyta etc.
