A History of the Mahrattas v1.c5.s4.3

v1.c5.s4.3

The Marāthī language is now admitted to be the daughter of the Prākrit ‘Mahārāshtri,’ Prākrit signifying the ‘natural, unartificial’ vernacular dialect as opposed to the Sanskrit or ‘purified’ literary language. The influence of Mahārāshtri was centred in Berār (Vidarbha), which in early days was the seat of a powerful kingdom, whose rulers encouraged the growth of literature, both in Sanskrit and the vernacular tongue. Mahārāshtri was connected with another early Prākrit, Magadhi, and under the name of Saurāshtri it was once the language of Gujarāt, before that country was overwhelmed by invasion from other parts of India, where Saurasēni was spoken. Receiving culture at an early period, Mahārāshtri became in its native land the vehicle of charming lyrics, and was carried by its popularity over the whole of Hindustan, where it was employed by the writers of epic poetry, and also by Jain religious writers of a later age. As literary culture commenced to exercise its influence upon Mahārāshtri and other Prākrits, the popular vernaculars which formed the original basis of these polished literary dialects were styled Apabhramsa, i.e. ‘corrupt,’ ‘decayed.’ As in the case of the Prākrits these Apabhramsas also began in their turn to receive polish and to be employed in literature. Marāthī, the home language of the Marāthā people, is the direct descendant of the Apabhramsa of Mahārāshtri (I.G. (1908)).