Arddhmagdhi Grammar - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of P. L. Vaidya's "A Manual of Ardhamāgadhi Grammar," based on the provided text:

Overview and Purpose:

"A Manual of Ardhamāgadhi Grammar" by Dr. P. L. Vaidya is a scholarly work designed to serve as a comprehensive guide for university students studying Ardhamāgadhi as a classical language. It aims to provide a systematic treatment of the language's grammar, phonetics, morphology, and syntax, drawing heavily from indigenous grammars like those of Hemacandra and Vararuci, as well as other relevant scholarly works. The book seeks to highlight the distinctive features of Ardhamāgadhi, differentiating it from other Prakrit languages, and make its study accessible without overwhelming the reader with overly technical philological terms.

Key Sections and Content:

The manual is structured into several key sections, offering a thorough exploration of Ardhamāgadhi:

I. The Prakrits and Ardhamāgadhi:

Introduction: Defines Prakrit languages as those related to Sanskrit and preceding modern Indian languages. It notes differing views on the term "Prakrit" but emphasizes studying them in relation to Sanskrit due to the tradition of grammars being written in Sanskrit.
Ardhamāgadhi's Significance: Ardhamāgadhi holds a special place among Prakrits. It is identified as the language of the Sacred Canon of Svetāmbara Jains, the language of Lord Mahāvira's discourses, and the speech of gods and great teachers. Hemacandra designates it as "Arṣa" (language of seers). Its geographical origin is speculated to be around the Magadha region.
Characteristic Features: This section details the unique characteristics of Ardhamāgadhi, including:
- Tendency for medial single k to change to g.
- Retention of medial single y.
- Medial t changing to d, and th to dh.
- Medial ś and ṣ changing to s.
- Medial single consonants often being replaced by y when dropped (haplology), with specific conditions.
- Initial n optionally changing to ṇ, and medial n to ṇ.
- Lengthening of a in certain expressions.
- Specific representations of iti.
- Dropping or change of initial y in certain contexts.
- Insertion of m or anusvāra in compounds.
- Peculiar declensional endings (e.g., Genitive plural in āṇaṁ, Locative singular in si).
- Specific finite verb forms.
- Unique indeclinable past participle (absolutive) forms.
- Infinitive formed with ittae or ettaae.
- Past passive participle ending in ḍa for certain roots.
- Comparative termination tarāja, tarāya, tarāga.
- Peculiar vocabulary.

II. Phonetics:

Vowels: Lists the Ardhamāgadhi vowels and notes the absence of certain Sanskrit vowels. It discusses changes in vowels like ṛ, ḷ, ai, and au, and other vowel substitutions, often detailing their behavior before conjunct consonants.
Single Consonants:
- General: Mentions which Sanskrit consonants are not present or are substituted. Discusses the handling of final consonants, visarga, and the optional use of anusvāra.
- Initial and Medial: Explains that initial consonants are generally unchanged, with exceptions in compounds. Discusses the dropping of medial single consonants and the insertion of y. It critically examines the practice of using a in place of vowels, deeming it ungrammatical.
- Specific Consonant Changes: Details the changes of medial k to g, t to d, d to d, ṇ to ṇ, y to j, ś and ṣ to s, and s to ś or ṣ in certain contexts. It also notes isolated changes.
- Syllable Elision and Metathesis: Explains the tendency to drop syllables (haplology) and the phenomenon of metathesis (change of syllable position).
- Conjunct Consonants:
  - Initial: Explains that initial conjuncts are avoided by dropping one member, sometimes compensated by changes, or by prothesis (adding a vowel).
  - Medial: Discusses assimilation where one consonant assimilates to another, often resulting in doubling. It details how aspirated consonants, certain class consonants, and semivowels are handled in conjuncts, leading to specific Ardhamāgadhi conjuncts. A detailed table of Ardhamāgadhi conjuncts and their Sanskrit equivalents is provided.
  - Conjuncts of Three Letters: Briefly addresses how three-consonant clusters are handled.
  - Doubling: Explains how single consonants can be doubled in Ardhamāgadhi, sometimes to maintain word quantity.

III. Sandhi:

General: States that vowel coalescence in Ardhamāgadhi is optional, unlike in Sanskrit.
Types of Sandhi:
- Between words in a compound: Details various vowel combinations and their resulting changes (e.g., a + a = ā, a + i = e).
- Lengthening/Shortening: Explains the optional lengthening of short ending vowels or shortening of long ones in compounds.
- Insertion: Discusses the insertion of anusvāra or other sounds in compounds.
- Within words: Notes that vowels within a single word generally do not coalesce.
- In a sentence: States that sandhi in a sentence is optional.

IV. Declension:

Nouns and Adjectives:
- General: Covers the two numbers (singular and plural) and categorizes noun declensions based on their endings (masculine ending in a, i, u; neuter in a, i, u; feminine in ā, i, ī, u, ū).
- Specific Endings: Provides detailed declension tables for masculine, neuter, and feminine nouns, highlighting peculiarities in cases and forms.
- Irregular Declension: Discusses irregular forms derived from Sanskrit, particularly for nouns ending in ṛ, n, s, vat, mat, and nt.
- Pronouns: Details the declension of personal pronouns (aham, tvam), demonstrative pronouns (tat, etad, idam), and interrogative pronouns (kim).
- Numerals: Explains the declension of cardinal numbers, noting their singular or plural usage and gender agreement. It also covers ordinal numbers, fractions, and multiplicatives.

V. Conjugation:

Roots and Tenses: Categorizes roots and discusses the conjugation in active and passive voices, present, past, and future tenses, and imperative, potential, and conditional moods.
Present Tense: Provides conjugation paradigms for common roots like pāsa (to see), kare (to do), hu (to be), etc.
Past Tense: Explains the less frequent use of the past tense and its conjugation.
Future Tense: Details two ways future tense is formed and conjugated.
Imperative and Potential Moods: Shows the conjugations for these moods.
Conditional Mood: Explains how the conditional mood is formed.
Causal and Denominative Forms: Discusses the formation of causal verbs and denominative verbs.
Passive Voice: Explains the formation of the passive voice base.

VI. Verbal Derivatives:

Participles: Describes the formation of present active and passive participles, past passive participles, past active participles, and potential passive participles.
Indeclinable Past Participles (Absolutives): Details various suffixes used to form these forms.
Infinitives: Explains the formation of infinitives.
Other Derivatives: Mentions that other verbal derivatives are borrowed from Sanskrit with phonetic changes.

VII. Noun Derivatives:

Feminine Bases: Explains how feminine forms are derived from masculine bases.
Possessive Adjectives: Lists suffixes used to form possessive adjectives.
Abstract Nouns: Details suffixes used to form abstract nouns.
Swārthe Termination: Discusses the use of the suffix ka and its phonetic variations.
Comparative and Superlative Forms: Explains the formation of these forms.
Other Noun Derivatives: States that these are borrowed from Sanskrit with phonetic changes.

VIII. Compounds:

Types of Compounds: Identifies the four main types of Sanskrit compounds (Dvandva, Tatpuruṣa, Bahuvrīhi, Avyayībhāva) and their Ardhamāgadhi equivalents.
Detailed Explanation: Explains each type with numerous examples, including Karmadhāraya and Upapada as sub-varieties of Tatpuruṣa. It clarifies the formation and meaning of these compounds.

IX. Syntax:

Order of Words: Discusses the typical order of words in prose sentences, similar to Sanskrit.
Concordance: Explains the agreement of adjectives with nouns in number, gender, and case, noting exceptions and peculiarities.
Pronoun Agreement: Discusses the agreement of relative pronouns with their antecedents.
Use of Cases: Elaborates on the usage of different cases, noting the extensive use of the Genitive case and specific substitutions.
Dropping of Case Endings: Mentions instances where case endings are omitted.
Synonymous Words: Highlights the frequent use of synonymous words in the same sentence.
Peculiar Phrases and Expletives: Notes unique phrases and the common use of the expletive particle ca.
Economy of Space: Describes techniques used in Ardhamāgadhi literature to save space, such as "Varnaka" (typical descriptions), "Yāvat" (abridgments), and the use of numerals to avoid repetition of words or phrases.

Conclusion:

"A Manual of Ardhamāgadhi Grammar" by P. L. Vaidya is a foundational text for understanding the linguistic intricacies of Ardhamāgadhi. It meticulously details its phonological and morphological structure, offering a clear and systematic approach to its grammar. The book is essential for anyone seeking a deep understanding of this ancient Jain language.