Wilson Philological Lectures on Sanskrit and the Derived Languages c8.3

c8.3

There exist about six treatises on Prâkrit grammar, the most ancient of which is Vararuchi's Prâkritaprakâs'a. Next comes Hemachandra, a Jaina scholar of Gujarat, who lived in the twelfth century. His work on grammar is known by the name of Haimavyâkarana, the eighth chapter of which he devotes to the grammar of the Prâkrits. Hemachandra's treatment of these dialects is fuller than Vararuchi's; and his observation was wider. He shows a very intimate knowledge of the existing literature of these languages, both sacred and profane, Jaina or Brahmanical. His work and especially the last portion is full of quotations. He must have availed himself of the labours of former scholars, since he often mentions Pûrvâchâryas. Hemachandra also wrote a Kosha or thesaurus of the Des'î words existing in these languages. Vararuchi gives the grammar of four dialects, which he calls Mahârâshtrî, S'aurasenî, Mâgadhî, and Pais'âchî. The names of the first three themselves would show that they were the languages spoken or used in the provinces from the names of which they are derived, but doubts have been raised as to their genuineness, which will be hereafter considered. The Mahârâshtrî is called the principal Prâkrit. For instance, Daṇḍin in his Kâvyâdars'a says—