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श्री यतीन्द्रसूरि अभिनंदन ग्रंथ
longer syllabic metres current in Sanskrit. The Apabhramsa works, however, disclose altogether new paths in metrics. Nanditadhya fully discusses the varieties of gathā in his Gathālaksana. The Svyambhucchanda of Svayambhu not only discusses various metres but also gives many quotations mentioning the names of their authors, The Vrţtajatisamuccaya is also an exhaustive treatise. The Kavidarpaņa, Chandahkāśa of Ratnasēkhara and the Prākrta Paingala, also give us abundent details about Prākrit metres. Sanskrit texts like the Vrttaratnākara include Prākrit metres as well; but the Chandonuśāsana of Hēmacandra is of special value for Prākrit metres, Prof. Velankar has given us a systematic exposition of Apabhramśa metres.
Of cosmological and astronomical contents, we have the Jambuddiva-pahhatti-saingaha of Paumanandi. The Jonipahuda is a lost medicotantric text; its contents appear to have been included in the Jagaţsundari-yogamālā, with which are associated two authors, Herisena and Yasahkirti (co. 12 C. A. D.). The Haramekhaia (ca. 830 A. D.) of Mahuka is a medical treatise covering a wide range of topics, a talisman for all living beings. The Ritthasamuccaya of Durgadēva ( 11th C. A. D.) with omens and the like.
Prākrit literature has a many sided achievement to its credit. it records the noble thoughts of one of the greatest kings of the world; and it embodies the ideology of a religion most realistic in philosophy, ascetic in morals, humanitarian in outlook. It presents a valuable, though complicated picture of linguistic and metrical evolution in the last two thousand years; and the society depicted therein is more popular than aristocratic, Prākrit literature helps us to add important and significant details in the picture of Indian culture and civilization.
This being the first survey of Prākrit literature as a unit, its material is scattered in many works & tongues. Only a suggestion, of the most valuable works, can be given. R. Pischel, Grammatik der Prākrit-Sprachen ( Steassburg ), 199; M. Winternitz A Hist. of Indian Lit. ( Calcutta ), 1933; W. Schubring. Die Lehre der Jainas
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