Apbhramsa Rachna Saurabh - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Apabhramsa Rachna Saurabh" by Dr. Kamalchand Sogani:

Book Title: Apabhramsa Rachna Saurabh Author: Dr. Kamalchand Sogani Publisher: Apabhramsa Sahitya Academy, Jainvidya Sansthan, Digambar Jain Atishay Kshetra Shrimahavirji, Rajasthan Catalog Link: https://jainqq.org/explore/002687/1

Overall Purpose and Significance:

"Apabhramsa Rachna Saurabh" (meaning "A Collection of Apabhramsa Compositions") is a pedagogical work aimed at teaching and promoting the study of the Apabhramsa language. Apabhramsa is highlighted as a crucial linguistic link in the evolution of modern Indian languages, particularly Hindi, and is considered the "lifeblood" of Hindi literature. The book emphasizes that understanding Apabhramsa is essential for a deep comprehension of Hindi and other North Indian languages, thus fostering national consciousness and unity.

Key Themes and Content:

The book is structured as a progressive guide to learning Apabhramsa grammar and composition. It systematically introduces grammatical concepts through various "Lessons" (Path). The content focuses on:

Grammatical Foundations: It covers fundamental aspects of Apabhramsa grammar, including:
- Alphabet: Vowels and Consonants, noting the usage of certain letters in combined forms.
- Grammatical Categories: Number (singular, plural), Gender (masculine, feminine, neuter), and Person (first, second, third).
- Cases: The eight cases (Karta, Karma, Karan, Sampradan, Apadan, Sambandh, Adhikaran, Sambodhan) and their Apabhramsa equivalents.
- Tenses/Moods: Present Tense, Future Tense, and Imperative/Subjunctive Mood (Vidhi evam Agya).
- Verb Types: Transitive (Sakarmak) and Intransitive (Akarmak) verbs.
- Word Types: Words ending in -a, -aa, -i, -u, etc.
- Verb Forms: Detailed explanation and examples of verb conjugations for different persons, numbers, tenses, and moods.
Sentence Construction and Usage:
- Nouns: Introduction to masculine, neuter, and feminine nouns, with declensions for different cases and numbers.
- Pronouns: Extensive coverage of personal pronouns in all persons, numbers, and cases.
- Verbs: The core of the book focuses on verb usage. It systematically teaches the formation of verb forms in the present, future, and imperative/subjunctive moods, with numerous examples using both intransitive and transitive verbs.
- Voice: The book introduces and explains Kartri Vachya (Active Voice) and Karma Vachya (Passive Voice), particularly for transitive verbs. It also delves into Bhava Vachya (Impersonal Voice) for intransitive verbs.
- Compound Verbs: The concept of Sambandhak Bhut Kridant (Gerunds/Absolutive Participles) is explained, showing how one action precedes another.
- Purposeful Actions: Hetvarthak Kridant (Infinitive of Purpose) is taught to express the reason or purpose for an action.
- Causal Verbs: Preranarthak Pratyay (Causative Suffixes) are introduced to form causative verbs, explaining how to create sentences where one person causes another to do an action.
- Affixes: Svarthik Pratyay (Diminutive/Affectionate Suffixes) are discussed, showing how they modify nouns.
- Adverbs: A section on adverbs (Avyay) and their usage is included.
- Pronoun Usage: Various types of pronouns, including relative and interrogative pronouns, are presented.
- Numerals: The book includes information on numerical forms.
Didactic Approach:
- The book follows a step-by-step learning process, building complexity from basic pronouns and verbs to more complex sentence structures and voices.
- Each lesson introduces new grammatical elements with clear explanations and numerous examples.
- The text includes exercises (Abhyas) at various stages to reinforce learning, often requiring students to translate sentences, correct errors, or fill in blanks.
- The language used in the examples is drawn from everyday life, making it relatable.

Dedication and Acknowledgements:

The book is dedicated to Dr. Harivallabh Chunilal Bhayani and the late Dr. Hiralal Jain, acknowledging their contributions to the field of Apabhramsa studies. The publishers, Apabhramsa Sahitya Academy, are part of the Jainvidya Sansthan at Shrimahavirji, Rajasthan. The book is a second edition, published in 2003.

Key Assertions by the Author and Publishers:

Apabhramsa's Historical Importance: Apabhramsa was the common vernacular for intercommunication and daily life across North India from approximately the 7th to the 13th century CE.
Mother of Indian Languages: Apabhramsa is identified as the source from which Sindhi, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Bihari, Oriya, Bengali, Assamese, Western Hindi, and Eastern Hindi, among others, originated.
Influence on Hindi Literature: The book cites scholars who emphasize the direct influence of Apabhramsa poets like Swyambhu and Pushpadanta on later vernacular literature, including works like "Prithviraj Raso," "Sur Sagar," and "Ramcharitmanas." Even poets like Tulsidas are noted as being influenced by Swyambhu's poetic style.
Importance for Hindi Learners: Learning Apabhramsa is presented not just as beneficial but as essential for understanding Hindi and its literary traditions.
Promoting National Consciousness: The study of Apabhramsa is linked to fostering national consciousness and unity through the shared heritage of Indian languages.
Accessibility: The book aims to make Apabhramsa accessible to students, even in the absence of a direct teacher, due to its clear and modern presentation. It is described as an "Apabhramsa teacher."

Structure of the Book (Based on the Index):

The extensive Table of Contents (Anukramanika) reveals the book's comprehensive coverage:

Introduction & Preliminaries: Prefaces, introductions, and basic grammatical information.
Pronouns: Detailed lessons on all persons, numbers, and cases of pronouns.
Present Tense: Extensive lessons on intransitive verbs in the present tense for all persons and numbers.
Imperative/Subjunctive Mood (Vidhi evam Agya): Lessons on forming verbs in this mood.
Future Tense: Lessons on future tense formations.
Noun Declensions: Introduction to nouns ending in -a, -aa, -i, -u, gender distinctions (masculine, neuter, feminine), and their case endings.
Verbs: Sections dedicated to intransitive and transitive verbs, including their past participles (Kridant).
Voices: Detailed lessons on Active Voice (Kartri Vachya), Impersonal Voice (Bhava Vachya), and Passive Voice (Karma Vachya).
Special Kridants: Sambandhak Bhut Kridant (Gerunds) and Hetvarthak Kridant (Infinitives of Purpose).
Causative Verbs: Explanation of causative suffixes.
Affixes: Swarthik Pratyay (Diminutive Affixes).
Miscellaneous Pronouns: Various types of pronouns.
Adverbs: Introduction to adverbs.
Verb Forms & Suffixes: A detailed breakdown of verb conjugations.
Noun Forms: Comprehensive tables of noun declensions.
Glossaries: A Hindi-Apabhramsa vocabulary (Sangya Kosh) and a verb glossary (Kriya Kosh).
Appendices: Likely containing supplementary material.

In essence, "Apabhramsa Rachna Saurabh" is a thorough and systematic textbook designed to equip learners with a strong foundation in Apabhramsa grammar and the ability to construct sentences, thereby connecting them to the rich linguistic heritage of India.