Wilson Philological Lectures on Sanskrit and the Derived Languages c8.51.1

c8.51.1

Another phenomenon characteristic of the Prâkrits is the dropping away of single uninitial consonants. Thus क् is dropped, as in सअद, कुम्भआर, for शकट, कुम्भकार, &c.; ग् as in नअ, नअर, साअर for नग, नगर, सागर, &c.; च् as in वअण, सूई, for वचन, सूचि, &c.; ज् as in रअअ, राआ, गअ, for रजत, राजा, गज &c.; त् as in विआण, पआवाई, गअ, for वितान, प्रजापति, गत, &c.; द् as in मअण, पाअ, कअल, for मदन, पाद, कदल, &c.; प् followed by any vowel except अ, as in रिऊ, कई, विउल, for रिपु, कपि, विपुल, &c.; यू as in वाउणा, णअण, for वायुना, नयन, &c.; व् as in जीअ, दिअह, for जीव, दिवस, &c. The vowel अ or आ that remains after the elision is when preceded by अ or आ pronounced like a light य. We find it written in Mss. also, as in सयढ, तित्थयरो, नयर, &c. In the same way, the mute element of the aspirates is dropped, except in the case of the palatals and of फ्, the हू or the heavy nâda or vocal sound being alone preserved. Thus we have मुह, लिह, सही, for मुख, लिख, सखी, &c., मेह, माह पाहुण, for मेघ, माघ, प्राघुण, &c.; नाह, मिहुण, कहा, for नाथ, मिथुन, कथा, &c.; बहिर, वहू, साहु, for बधिर, वधू, साधु, &c.; लाह, सोहग्ग, सोहा, for लाभ, सौभाग्य, शोभा, &c. The range of the operation of these processes is very wide; and the number of words transformed in accordance with them is very large. Now, the principle which is at the bottom of this elision of consonants is the same as that which brings about softening, viz., economy of exertion.