________________
422
Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
Country) is a manuscript of a small work, a part of the Saktisangamatantra' (c.17th century A.D.), which belongs to the gazetteer literature in Sanskrit. Actually the work gives an account of the fifty-six countries lying in and on the boarders of India. Similar lists are found in some other medieval Tantric texts. The 'Sammohatantra' (c.1450 A.D.) contains two lists of fifty-six countries. The importance of the number fifty-six is not casily determinable. This number is found adhered to in a few other works of the class. The earliest work containing a list of fifty-six countries seems to be the 'Candragarbhasutra' composed or reedited (not later than 566 A.D.) in Central Asia. Hence, it is possible that the importance attached to the number fifty-six is essentially foreign.
Now scrutinizing Nagavarma's statement in the light of the nature of the commentators' lists of fifty-six countries and the findings of Dr.Sircar's Studies, I may deduce the following points: (i) The commentators add arbitrarily varied lists of fifty-six countries. That means they do not take Nagavarma's statement as based on linguistic or historical facts. Moreover the names of the countries in these lists represent all the familics of languages in India viz., Aryan, Dravidian and Austro- Asiatic. Even some foreign countrics like Turuska, Cina, Simhala etc. are included in them. Hence it cannot be accepted that among the fifty-six languages those like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada etc. belonging to one family could be derived from Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhrmsa and Paisacika belonging to another. Hence Nagavarma's statement has no linguistic value from the point of view of derivation.
(ii) To denote the linguistic divisions of the country, Nagavarma adopted the number fifty-six from some tradition which was known to hs commentators also.
(iii) This tradition was prevailent in different parts of ancient and medieval India commencing from about 566 A.D. but possibly having its roots outside India.
Now taking up the last fold of the problem of Nagavarma's statement, that the mother languages viz., Sanskrit, Prakrit,
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
Jain Education International
