Some Topics in the Development of OIA MIA NIA

Author(s): H C Bhayani
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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khudia-/-khutta-, tuļia-/ tutta- etc. Following the pattern
muccai : mukka were formed
tudai/ tuttai : tutta
phudai/ phuttai : phutta- etc Note also Turner's view :
'Possibly the series started with an adjective *ksuta- used as a past passive participle (compare Pk. chuttha- 'thrown', ~ sittha>srsta-) and forming the basis of a present stem, after which were formed another intransitive present stem, *ksuta- and a transitive stem kṣuta- and a similar formation s.v. TRUT, SPHUT' (under the entry KŞUȚ in (IAL).
Prakrit was a literary language cultivated for more than a thousand years over various extensive regions. It had several varieties and abundance of variation. A substantial part of Prakrit literature is in verse. Hence we find some of the earliest and latest forms and usages, archaic and newly developed expressions, side by side.
If we look at a comparatively later stage, we have a picture of the Prakrit verb-system in which, as a consequence of the regularization of the earlier 'irregular' or 'strong' ppp., their bases were interpreted as verbal roots. Hence we find numerous verbal roots in late MIA. and NIA. which have been derived from what were originally past passive participles. In the following illustrative list the relevant entry number from Turner's IAL is given for MIA. and NIA. data.
dhukkai dhūkvũ (5592) mukkai mūkvũ (10157) (vajjai) vāgvũ (11513) (bhamjai) bhāgvũ (9351) baisai
H.baithnā (2245) uvvisai
ubithnă And at a comparatively later stage we have a situation in