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The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c3.s1: I.—Elisions

The Geographical Dictionary of Ancient and Mediaeval India c3.s1

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English

I.—Elisions

c3.s1.1

Many of the aforesaid changes, which are formed by a process of contraction, may be accounted for by the application of the well-known rule of elision of the Prâkṛita grammars : the consonants *k, g, ch, j, t, d, p, y* and *v* when non-initial and not compounded are elided.¹ I give only a few illustrations :—

c3.s1.2

¹ *Ayuktasyânddau kagachajatadapayavâṁ prâyalopaḥ* (Vararuchi's Prâkṛita-prakâśa, II, 1, 2).

c3.s1.3

Elision of *k*, as Kauśikî, Kusi ; Sûrpâraka, Supâra ; Aparântaka, Aparânta ; Sâkambharî, Sambhâr. " *g*, as Bhṛigu-kachchha, Bharu-kachchha, Baroach ; affix nagara, nâr, Trigartta, Tahora. " *ch*, as Chakshu, Akshu, Oxus ; Achiravatî, Airâvatî ; Chakshuṣmatî, Ikshumati. " *j*, as Bhojapâla, Bhopâl (Bhûpâl) ; Ajiravatî, Airâvatî ; Tuljabhavânî, Tulâbhavânî-nagar. " *t*, as Kuluta, Kulu ; Jyotirathâ, Johita ; Yayâtipura, Jâjpur. " *d*, as Meghanâda, Megnâ ; Arbuda, Abu ; Achchhoda-sarovara, Achchhâvat, " *p*, as the affix pura, ur ; Purushapura, Peshâwâr ; Gopakavana, Goa ; Gopâdri=(Gopâlâdri), Goâlior (Gwalior) ; Mâyâpura, Mayura. " *y*, as Ayodhyâ, Audh ; Nârâyaṇasara, Nârânsar ; Ujjayinî, Ujjainî ; Sañjayantî, Sañjân. " *v*, as Yavananagara, Junâgar ; Yavanapura, Jaunpur ; Karṇa-suvarṇa, Kânsoṇa.

c3.s1.4

Besides the above, the following letters are often elided :—

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(1) Final *a*, as the affixes Pura, Pur ; Nagara, Nagar ; Grâma, Grâm ; sometimes initial *a*, as Apâpa-puri, Pâpa.
(2) *i*, as Iriṇa, Raṇ or Runn of Cutch ; Irâvatî, Râvi ; Tâlikaṭa, Talkâḍa.
(3) *u*, as Uḍaṇḍapura, Daṇḍapura.
(4) *th*, as Mithilâ, Miyul.
(5) *n*, as Pratiṣṭhâna, Pratiṣṭhâ ; Kuntalapura, Kauttalakapura ; Kuṇḍagrâma, Koṭigâm ; Kaṇṭakadvîpa, Kâṭwâ ; Baruṇa, Bârâ ; Anamâ, Aumi.

c3.s1.6

(6) Non-initial m, as Ârâmanagara, Ârâ; Kumârî, Kuârî.
(7) Compound r,² including ṛ, as the affix Grâma, Gâma; Gayâśirsha, Gayâsisa Varendra, Barenda; Lodhravana (Kânana), Lodhmuna; Trikaliṅga, Tiliṅga Pṛthûdaka, Pihoâ, Pehoâ.
(8) l, as Mudgala-giri, Mudga-giri; Chaṭṭala, Chaṭṭa-grâma; Kolâhala, Kalhuâ.
(9) The sibilants ś, sh, s, especially when compounded with another consonant, as Śâlwapura, Âlwar; Śûkarakshetra, Ukhalakshetra; Peshṭhapura, Piṭhâpur; Kâshṭhamaṇḍapa, Kâṭmaṇḍu; Pushkara, Pokhrâ; Mânasa-sarovara, Mânsaro-vara; the affixes Sṭhâna, Sthala, Sthâna becoming Thâna, Thala, Thâna, respectively; Skhalatika-parvata, Khalatika-parvat; the affix Râshṭra, Râṭ; Hastisomâ, Hâtsu; Pâraskara, Thala Pârakara. In some cases of elision of the compound sibilants the preceding vowel is lengthened.
(10) h, as Varâha-kshetra, Bâramula; Hushkapura, Uskur; Hastakavapra, Astaka-vapra; Hṛishîkeśa, Rishikes; Hûṇadeśa, Undes; Praṇahîtâ, Praṇitâ.

c3.s1.7

² Sarvatra lavarâm (Prâkṛita-Prakâśa, III, 3).

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