Studies in Desya Prakrit

Author(s): H C Bhayani
Publisher: Kalikal Sarvagya Shri Hemchandracharya Navam Janmashatabdi Smruti Sanskar Shikshannidhi Ahmedabad

Page 190

156
Manuals of Prakrit grammars had started to be composed from about the second century A.D. as shown by Vararuci's Prākṣta-prakāśa. Desya lexicography too seems to have its beginnings there-about. Among the earlier authorities on Deśya words cited by Hemacandra we find the name of Sālāhana, the famous royal poet and compiler of an anthology of Prakrit lyrics, the Saptašataka, who is generally assigned to the period of the second century A.D. From Hemacandra we also know that a dozen or more Deśya lexicographers preceded him, but their works are lost to us : we are completely in dark about them, excepting a few citations and allusions in later works.
The importance of the Jain writings for studying Deśya words is twofold. Some Jain writers have made direct contribution to Deśya lexicography. But the indirect contribution of the Jain literature in this regards is even much greater. In Sanskrit and Prakrit there is vast amount of literature, religious, exegetical and parrative, composed by the Jainas. It comprises canonical texts and their commentaries (Cūrņis, Bhāşyas, etc.), religious monograpbs (Prakaranas) and the enormous amount of narrative workslegendary biographies, tales, parables, anecdotes etc. The language of these works is marked by casual or liberal use of Desya words. Hence they are an invaluable source for studying the character, function and history of the Deśis. But so far very little work has been done in this regard. Hence, in the present short sketch, no precise or reliable account of the materials available from those sources can be given. We offer just a few observations and rather haphazard illustrations with a view to impress on the readers the importance of studying the Jain writings from this view-point.
[2]
We come across a considerable number of Deśya words in the language of the Jain canonical texts. The following few words casually gleaned from only two or three texts may serve to illustrated: अल्लिय to resort to
ईसत्थ archery अच्छभल्ल bear
उड्डाह censure