Suvarna Raupya Siddhi Shastra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 33

' XXVIII
Old Vrajaboli or old Hindi :
हाटे फूली वाटे फूली । gia etfer aia et, fai . . वाटे मासा तनकताड़ी । PinĂ 3 [ ] 7292 Ft antal 11 9. <lll
___इत्यादि There is an absence of self - persistent orthography of Prakrit, Apabhramśa and old Gujarati due to the effect of gradual entrance of the vernacular in which this work was written mostly and the spellings represent the original stratum, the most modern are representing the form immediately pending the composition of this alchemical text. So the core of the language of the Suyarņa - Raupya - Siddhi-Šāstra is old Gujarati, having its birth in Gujarat, although Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsa, Old Western Rajasthani or Rajasthāni, and Vrajabuli are found to be used in this work.
In its composition care was certainly taken by the author to retain a part of the old grammatical form of old Gujarati. But a change in the original form of language of the work took place, when it was written in the form which was taken by the language of the time and place of writing for its comprehension of the common people of Gujarat. This influence of an inevitable change in the spoken dialect was possible, as the purpose of the author was at least to make it understandable to the people of the period. A study of the language - old Gujarati and its contents lend support to the assignment of its date to the 12th century A.D.
Metres :
The metre of the verses of the first and fourteenth chapters of the Suvarņa - Raupya - Siddhi śāstra used in the presentation of their contents and treatment of their subject - matters is of varied characters; such as, Anuştubh, Vasanta - tilakā, Āryā - gāthā, Dohā, Pādakulakā, Vadanaka (a kind of Padakulakā), Bhujamga - prayāta; Mandākrāntā, Vamśastha, Mālini, Indravajrā, Upajati; Druta-vilamvita; Sragdharā, etc.
.
Anuştubh Chanda :
The first verse of the first chapter is composed in Prākrit with Anustubh chanda.
धम्मो मगलमुक्किल अहिंसा सजमो तवा । देवा वि त नमसति जस्स धम्मे सया मणो ॥१. १॥