Dr. Sudyumna Acharya

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1 PHONETIC TENDENCIES OF SOME PRAKRIT WORDS AS REFLECTED IN THE INSCRIPTIONS OF BHARHUT STUPA Dr. Sudyumna Acharya Director Veda Vani Vitan, Oriental Research Institute Bank Colony Road, Kolgawan, Satna (M. P) Website:

2 Stupa of Bharhut, a renowned Buddhist monument has played a pre-dominant role in preserving and displaying hectic commercial, social and religious activities of Central India. Situated at the cross-roads of northern and southern provinces, it has become mute testimony to bands of monks, nuns, religious preachers passing for a pilgrimage, to royal processions of the kings moving with the banners of victory, to multifaceted merchants with hundreds of bullockcarts transporting goods. For a long span of about 1500 years, its efflorescence cast glamour on Society and then due to the inclemency of weather, the whole structure tumbled down making all its glorious activities of times past. It has since then lain unknown and unnoticed for centuries until a great explorer, Lord Alexander Cunningham visited the place and managed to safeguard the remaining structure. None the less, its importance has not been ceased at all. As a matter of fact, it has been inviting attention continuously of band of scholars. For its art was regarded as a peculiar art, its sculptural representation was considered to be something unknown to others and at last, its language was thought of have some distinguishing features. General Tendencies of the Language Scholars rightly observed that the language of Bharhut inscriptions represents mostly western dialects, namely Prakrit of Maharashtra, Vidarbha and Avanti region. However, due to constant amalgamation of the artists from many parts of the country mainly from Magadh, the influence of Pali, Magadhi Prakrit cannot be ruled out. As the groundwork of this stupa has been completed under the patronage of Emperor Ashoka the Great, the influence of Ashokan Prakrit is visibly searched out. Uncommon Tendencies of the Language Now, we take notice of some uncommon tendencies creeping in some of the words to characterize the language.

3 l. In Sanskrit, we find surd or hard letter (aghosh akshar) changed to unaspirated sonant or soft (saghosha), when any soft initial letter follows. For example, vak+devi=vagdevi, vak+ishah= vagishah. In Pali, Prakrit too, this tendency amounted to a rule; hard letter is changed to soft, if it is placed in the middle of two vowels. For example kaka>kaga, shati>sadi. But, as far as Bharhut words are concerned, this rule seems, in some cases, to move into reverse order, say, soft letter is changed to hard. Vidur>vitur (viturapunakiya Jatakam) Kubera>kupir (kupiro yakho) Kubra was considered to be a famous Yaksha, portrayed as a guardian of northern region. 2. For all Prakritas, it is like a general tendency that the clusters are assimilated to two similar consonants or they are simplified with the device of anaptyxis. This tendency was set aside here with regard to some of the words. Prof. Mahendale rightly observed, in bharhut the tendency to preserve clusters is found only with regard to r, whereas in the Ashokan inscription, it is found also with other semivowels like y and v. The following are the examples where cluster kr is preserved, not assimilated Ukranti< utkranti bhagavato ukranti (=the conception of the Holy one) Braman<Brahman (yam bramano avayesi jatakam) 3. According to another general tendency of Prakritas, first or last letter of the cluster was subjected to elision. In addition to this, if short vowel precedes this cluster, it was lengthened. For example Putra>puta, dugdh>dudh, shunya>suna. This tendency has not been followed so much by Bharhut. In spite of first or last letter having been dropped, preceding letter has not been lengthened. Contrary to this, if already long vowel existed, it was shortened

4 Putra>puta, devaput (arahguto devaputo) gagiputasa Rajya>raja(suganam raje) Arya>raya, aryama>ayama (vedisa ayamaya danam) This tendency has left little impact on subsequent Prakit languages. Exceptional Tendencies Exerting Widespread Influence Now, we proceed to dwell upon some exceptional tendencies either followed or initiated by Bharhut Prakrit that have made impact upon other corresponding Prakrit words. l. First of all, here is a word 'shash' to be dealt with. We may trace this word as far back as Indo- European period, because corresponding forms are available in I.E. languages, such as 'six' in English. In these languages, initial letter was changed to dental sibilant letter's'. The same tendency held well in respect of Prakrit too. In a segment of time, however, in the western Prakrit, this letter was unusually changed to 'chh'. To make it justified, the scholars conceived a hypothetical word '*kshash' (A Dictionary of Indo-Aryan Languages-R.L.Turner). The language of Bharhut inscription bearing mainly the features of western dialect adopted this palatal cluster in the form of 'chhah' Chadant Jatakat This change satisfied the demand of simplicity and so it look roots so deeply that under vocabulary of all modern Aryan languages, the word 'chhah' is included invariably for 'six'. 2. Now, we proceed to another word apsara 'nymph'. The scholars put forward the view that cluster 'psa' of the word is changed palatal 'chh' to derive Bharhut prakrit word``achhara Misakesi achhara (mishrakeshi apsara) Sabhad achhara (sambhadra apsara)

5 However, the view does not seem to be on the balance of probability, because we have no example for this substitute. So it is but fitting to surmise that chh' will have taken the place of the cluster 'tsa'. To corroborate this presumption, we find out solitary example of this cluster Atsarabhih (Maitrayani Samhita ) Achalabhih (Taittiriya Samhita ) This example shows the prevalence of the cluster as far back as Samhita period. It came down through common parlance to the age of Bharhut Prakrit. 3. Another notable and interesting word is chulkok devata younger goddess. With this designation, a beautiful yakshini has been portrayed as a guardian of southern quarter of Bharhut Stupa. The previous part of her designation chul" is derived from Sanskrit word kshudra meaning small. Though; other Prakritas stored the word in the form of khudda' (see khuddaka nikaya), Bharhut Prakrit characterized by western dialects preserved it in the form of chudda or chulla'. Another cluster dra' is assimilated here to 'lla' such as bhadra > bhalla. It is, in fact, a pleasant reminiscence of ancient Paninian age. In those days too, this Prakrit formation became so popular that it has entered the domain of Sanskrit world. And the furthest point was reached when great grammarian Panini set a final seal on this word by this aphorism Kshullakashcha vaishvadeve (Ashtadhyayi Sutra, ) It is interesting to note that Bharhut Prakrit takes the credit for this formation that has come down from Paninian age. 4. Now, we take up another word stambh pillar' to attend to. In all Prakritas, the cluster 'sta' is assimilated to 'tha'. In Bharhut Prakrit, this tendency is accepted and additionally 'anuswar' is subjected to elision (such as Chandra> chada,chada yakhini) to make a specific word thabho

6 Karahakat samikasan dan thabho (karahakat-swamikasya danastambhah) The assimilation, mentioned above, is an expansion of a Sanskrit rule. In Sanskrit, such assimilation takes place when 'ut' precedes the cluster sta under the authority of Paninian aphorism Udah sthastambhoh purvasya (Ashtadhyayi Sutra, ). Prakrit tendency, however, allows the change of the cluster 'sta' and 'ska' to 'tha' and 'kha' respectively without any preceding 'upasarga' to make Prakrit words 'thabho' and 'khambha'. These examples suffice to show some notable and widely acceptable tendencies of Bharhut Prakrit.

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