Universal Values of Prakrit Texts

Author(s): Prem Suman Jain
Publisher: Bahubali Prakrit Vidyapeeth and Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan

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The heritage of Prakrit is an invaluable treasure of India. Innumerable works have been written in Prakrit for over 2500 years. These works in various fields of learning have greatly contributed to this treasure. The Prakrit language has a very significant place among the ancient languages of India. The history of Jainism after Lord Mahavira is recorded in the Jaina literature preserved in various Indian languages. The Jaina literature is a rich compendium of diverse subjects and is written in several Indian languages so as to reach all the people. The writings of Jaina acaryas are having "manifold attractions" not only for those in Jaina studies but for the lovers of literature, history, culture, philosophy, and comparative religion.
Prakrit developed very gradually. By the first centuries of the Christian era Prakrit began to be respected from the cottages of the villages to the assemblies of courts, so much so that it was adopted as a powerful medium of communication in the society. By compiling the gathas of various Prakrit poets in his Gathasaptsati, the great poet Hala made Prakrit a language which can be used not only to depict village life but also for aesthetics. Kalidasa and other distinguished poets gave a prominent place to the role of Prakrit speakers in their dramas because of the attraction of the common people towards the Prakrit language. The poetic beauty and sweetness of the language is inherent in all the works written in Prakrit, such as the Agama texts, the commentarial literature, the narratives and the biographies. In these works Prakrit has maintained a continuity of these qualities throughout its life of 2300 years.
The International Prakrit Seminar on "Universal Values of Ancient Prakrit Texts” was organized on 12th - 14th October 2010 at Shravanabelagola (Karnataka). This International Prakrit Seminar was organized jointly by the Bahubali Prakrit Vidyapeeth (R), Shravanabelagola and Rashtriaya Sanskrit Sansthan, Deemed University, under the Ministry of HRD, Govt. of India, New Delhi. The academic deliberations and research papers presentation by the Prakrit scholars of the world in this seminar have created a better understanding of the heritage of Prakrit languages and literature and its sound tradition.
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