Studies in Jainology Prakrit Literature and Languages

Author(s): B K Khadabadi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 19

Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
its general nature, we may deduce the following points; (1) Mahāvīra taught in the Ardhamagadhi language. (2) It was a rich and powerful language as to be understood by his audience who could be from different regions as well as different social grades. (3) And a corollary from these two points can be drawn that Mahavira taught in the leading popular language of his time and region of his spiritual activities.
That the Ardhamagadhĩ language spoken by Mahavira changed or modified itself into the respective languages of all types of his listenersand that it could be understood even by the quadrupeds, birds, beasts etc, can respectfully be taken as s praiseful exaggerations ei., which have often been showered on divinities, great seers and eminent personages by their votaries in India or elsewhere. Moreover from the Bhagavi we learn that Mahavira's area of movements was between Eastern India (West Bengal) and Sindhusauvira. 13 Hence the South and West Indian languages reasonably do not come under 'sarvabhasa' Besides the Bhagavai tells us:
"Devā nam Addhamagahae bhasae bhāsamti
Sa vi nam Addhamāgahā bhāsā bhasi
jjamāni visissa."14
"Gods (also) speak in the Ardhamagadhi language and that Ardhamagadhi language, while being spoken acquires distinction" possibly, of being understood by all concerned. This statement in the Bhagavai signifies that even in the mouth of gods the Ardhamagadhi has some queer strength, capacity or distinction as it particularly has when being spoken by Mahavira15. Therefore this means that such queer strength lies in the natural language of the common masses itselft viz, the Ardhamagadhi which Mahavira, as a senior contemporary of Buddha, adopted as the medium of preaching and teaching the common people for the first time. Hence this language of the masses, which was unfettered by grammar, could naturally be qualified as Prakrt?