Universal Values of Prakrit Texts

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

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In understanding the beginning of Prākrits or M.I.A., some of the forms in the Aśokan inscriptions present difficulties; and Language of the Pāli and Ardhamāgadi canons has undergone changes in due course. The beginning of the modern Indo-Aryan has not started in all the areas at the same time and the same lines. This means that to understand the linguistic developments of our Modern Indo-Aryan Languages, we must give greater attention to Apabhraṁsa Language and literature, Most of the linguists are still guided by Pischel's grammar. That is natural, But now we have many more Apabhramśa texts published after pischel wrote his monumental grammar. Some of the Apabhramś works are written in the South, some in Madhya Pradesh, some round about Delhi, some in Haryana , some in Gujarat and some in Kashmir, They all show how Apabhramsa was a standard literary medium like Sanskrit and Prākrit. Of course, minor variations due to locality and dialect can be detected here and there. It was used in mystic couplets, bardic songs and epic poems. It is high time that we analyse the language of works of Puşpadanta, Svayambhū, etc. almost up to Raidhū more exhaustively and see how we get more light to understand the growth of Modern Indo-Aryan in its various phases. That is how our studies of Prākrit Languages and literature are valuable for understanding the growth of M.I.A.
Now, We might take into account the philosophical value of Prākrit Literature. Perhaps due to natural environments, leisurely living and subjective attitude towards life, our early philosophers laid more stress on knowing one's self than knowing objects outside. They started with the idea that it 'one' is known every thing else is known; but it was soon realized that to know 'one' fully all 'others' have to be known; and what is this knowing one's self after all? If the one's self is not known in its highest purity and
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