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PRAKRIT ILLUSTRATIONS IN WORKS ON
POETICS R. P. PODDAR
It is often felt, and not without justice, that Prakrit has been neglected in the study of ancient Indian Language and literature. In early times Grammarians of Sanskrit prescribed Sanskrit for the elite and put a discount upon the use of Prakrit. The advocates of Prakrit also condemned Sanskrit as the language of the coterie in contrast with Prakrit which they described as the universal language comprehensible even to birds and beasts. The dichotomy persisted and it persists even today as evidenced in the syllabi of our universities in general and in the establishments of isolated Institutions for the study of Prakrit, Pali and Sanskrit, in particular.
In this context it is encouraging to note that the dramatists and the critics have given due share to the Prakrits in their works and treatises, though their later commentators underlined the chāyā vis-a-vis the original Prakrit passages. The dramatists represented different strata of characters by putting into their mouths different sort of languages--Sanskrit or someone of the Prakrits. So with the dramatists use of Prakrit was sort of a necessity which in some cases does not seem to have been relished. With the critics of poetry it was otherwise. They must have been overwhelmed with the exuberance of Prakrit poetry and thus tempted to illustrate their points with Prakrit verses. Hence these illustrations are capable of giving a glimpse into the variety and excellence of Prakrit poetry.
Among the critics of poetry such eminent masters as Anandavardhana and Mammața have quoted abundantly from Prakrit poetry. Most of these quotations pertain to the domain of love poetry and delineate subtle nuances of feelings. A young woman deceived in love bids her lover go to his new love and let her alone with her sighs and lamentations, lest he also suffers the same, in staying away from his new love, just in showing curtsey towards her:
वच्च महविन एक्के इहोन्तु णीसास रोइअव्वाई । मा तुज्झ वि तीन विरणा दक्विण्णहस्स जाअन्तु ॥
1. Read in the Seminar on Prakrit and Pali held at Bodh-Gaya from 22-3-71
to 25-3-71, 1971. 2. Dhy. 1-4, gātha 5.
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