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TULSI-PRAJNA, Oct.-December, 1991
highest and unparalleled one, in respect of quality, quantity and variety.
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It will not be wrong if we state that the first phase of Prakrit Research studies commenced with the publication of Hemacandra's Abhidhana Cintamani by Otto Bohtlingk in 1848. After Bohtlingk have shined scholars like Buhler, Weber, Jacobi, Pischel, Hertel, Leumann, Winternitz, Schubring, Alsdorf etc. in the galaxy of German scholars in the vast field of Prakrit studies. Among these scholars, several maintained an ideal teacher-pupil tradition (Gurusisya-paramparā) by dedicating their whole life to such studies. In these days scholars like Klaus Bruhn in Berlin, Gustov Roth in Goettingen and A. Mette in Munchen have sincerely and efficiently continued the work of Prakrit and Jainological studies. A few others, together with some of the Indian scholars Like Tripthi, Pande etc, are doing appreciable work within some of the Departments or Seminars of other German Universities5.
Now coming to A. Weber (Albrecht Weber-1825-1901j, we find that he was one such distinguished German scholar who cultivated Indological and oriental field with all dedication, reaped rich harvest and left it for posterity. He was the first to write a History of Indian Literature and that too mostly depending on manuscripts. He edited on scientific lines the Sukla Yajurveda, the Atharva Veda, Jaina Canonical works like the Bhagavati-sutra etc. He also wrote with authority on Panini. He visited India, travelled extensively by way of study-tours, collected several manuscripts, took with him a few of them, deeply studied them and published them on a systematized pattern.
Among such of his publications prominently luminates Hala's (Sātavāhana's) Prakrit Gāhāsattasai (Gāthāsaptasati) (c. 100 A.D.)Das Saptasatakam des Hāla. When European countries were caught with an impression that India was a lowly and backward country, filled with poor people, marked with recluses, beggars, snakecharmers etc., through the publication of Das Saptasatakam des Hāla, A. Weber showed them that even ancient rural India, (c. 100 A.D.) was well-cultured with people living a busy colourful life bubbling with love-notes of joy, mirth and tender sentiments and, thus, surprised the former followers of Kippling-philosophy: Oh! The east is east, the west is west.
Today happens to be for us a happy day of the year-1981the Centenary year of the maiden publication of the Das Saptasatakam
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