Desi Nammalano Anuwad Tatha Adhyayan

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This document, titled "Desi Nammalano Anuwad Tatha Adhyayan" (Translation and Study of Desi Namamala) by H.C. Bhayani, is a scholarly analysis of Hemachandra's Desi Namamala. The author, Bhayani, highlights the significance of Desi Namamala as a lexicon of "desya" (indigenous) words.

Key Points from the Text:

• Nature of Desi Namamala: Hemachandra compiled Desi Namamala primarily based on earlier lists of desya words. He aimed to create a comprehensive, systematic, and authoritative dictionary by resolving ambiguities, inaccuracies, and inconsistencies found in previous works. The words are organized alphabetically and by syllable count, with examples provided. The original text is in Prakrit gathas (verses), with Hemachandra's own Sanskrit commentary (vritti) and original Prakrit examples.

• Definition of "Desya": Traditional grammar classifies Prakrit words into three types:

  1. Tatsama: Words directly borrowed from Sanskrit.
  2. Tadbhavas: Words derived from Sanskrit words through phonetic changes.
  3. Desya: Words that cannot be derived from Sanskrit based on phonetic rules. A "desya" word is defined as:
     • A word traditionally used in Prakrit literature.
     • A word whose form cannot be explained through loss, addition, or alteration of Sanskrit word elements.
     • Even if its form can be derived from Sanskrit, its meaning is distinct from the Sanskrit word. The author clarifies that "desya" words are not simply words from spoken, regional dialects, but rather words traditionally used in literary language and works.

• Challenges and Hemachandra's Achievement: Much of Prakrit literature has been lost, and Hemachandra himself had access to only a limited amount. Many desya words have fallen out of use, and existing desya lexicons contain various errors. Compiling a definitive reference work for desya words was a monumental task, which Hemachandra accomplished with great insight and a scientific, objective approach. Desi Namamala remains the sole surviving comprehensive lexicon for desya words. Dhanapala's Desi Nama Sangraha is considered introductory and includes tadbhavas, while Trivikrama's desya material is drawn from Hemachandra's work.

• Scholarly Reception and Editions: Khushe in 1874 first drew scholarly attention to Desi Namamala. With his inspiration and assistance, Pischel edited and published it in 1880. A second edition was published in 1938 by Paravastu Ramanuja Swami. Muralidhar Banerji also published an edition from Calcutta. Late Pt. Bechardasji prepared a Gujarati translation of the six sections of Desi Namamala with commentary in 1937 for the Forbes Gujarati Sabha, which was published as the first volume in 1940. Later, in 1974, Pt. Bechardasji published the entire work, including the original text, commentary, his translation, word meanings verse by verse, and detailed etymologies of desya words based on various sources.

• Value of Pt. Bechardasji's Edition:

  • Translation: The true value of Pt. Bechardasji's edition lies in its translation. He translated the original Prakrit verses, Hemachandra's commentary, and the examples within the commentary. This was a significant undertaking.
  • Cultural Significance: In his introduction, Pt. Bechardasji highlighted the cultural importance of Desi Namamala by drawing attention to words related to festivals, sports, customs, and more.
  • Correction of Errors: The author, Bhayani, notes that some English translations of "desya" words provided by Ramanuja Swami were inaccurate. Bhayani corrected about 180 such words, and Pt. Bechardasji's edition generally provides correct meanings.
  • Interpretation of Examples: Fitting the examples to the verses was a challenging task, with Pischel even criticizing the verses. Creating coherent and poetic meanings from words grouped by alphabetical order and syllable count often required significant effort. Despite these difficulties, the examples are valuable for clarifying the meanings of desya words and providing context. Pt. Bechardasji successfully provided satisfactory interpretations for many examples, making an important tool for understanding desya words accessible. The examples also demonstrate Hemachandra's exceptional creative ability, as illustrated by an example where the heroine's tear-stained kohl mixes into the food, turning it dark, showing Hemachandra's ability to achieve poetry even within linguistic constraints.
  • Etymology: Pt. Bechardasji's edition is also useful for its etymological analysis. He attempted to provide Sanskrit etymologies for many desya words, drawing on other Sanskrit lexicons, the Unadi Sutras commentary, and Vikramaditya. Where direct Sanskrit origins were not found, he provided comparisons with similar Gujarati words in terms of form and meaning. He followed the ancient tradition of deriving etymologies from roots and using processes like addition, loss, or modification, even for Sanskrit words of unknown origin. Pt. Bechardasji humbly acknowledged that linguistic principles might be violated in such etymological attempts. However, the key takeaway is that desya words have often been assimilated into Sanskrit with phonetic modifications at different times. It is also a fact that some words borrowed from Dravidian, Mundari, Iranian, Arabic, and other languages have become established as desya words. Ramanuja Swami and Ratnashriman have done some work in this direction.

• Future Research Directions: The author, Bhayani, emphasizes the need for further work:

  • Manuscript Research: More ancient manuscripts of Desi Namamala should be discovered and utilized to ensure the highest possible textual accuracy.
  • Modern Indian-Aryan Languages: Based on his experience, Bhayani believes that modern Indian-Aryan languages like Gujarati, Rajasthani, Hindi, Sindhi, Punjabi, Marathi, Kumouni, Nepali, etc., can provide significant help in clarifying the form and meaning of many words. There is ample scope for research in this area.
  • Eliminating Repetition: The Desi Namamala contains repetitions of words and meanings. Bhayani has begun identifying words with slight variations that are essentially the same, particularly where Hemachandra might have had differing opinions or faced difficulties in making a decision, leading to separate entries. He has addressed some of these in his "Studies in Hemacandra's Desinamamala," but it is a vast undertaking requiring extensive research into approximately four thousand words and twice that number of meanings. This work is crucial for understanding the history of Indo-Aryan vocabulary and the formation of Prakrit as a literary language.
  • Corroboration and Validation: Another significant task is to extract desya words actually used in Prakrit and Apabhramsa literature to refine, support, and validate the material in Desi Namamala. Some supporting material is found in Paiyasadamamaha, and Pt. Amritlal Bhojak has included some desya words in the appendices of books published by the Prakrit Text Society. Ratnashriman has identified desya words from Pushpadanta's Apabhramsa works, and Bhayani himself has done so from Swayambhu's Paumacariu, comparing them with Hemachandra's desya words. However, critical study of numerous works like Vasudevahindi, Kuvalayamala, etc., is still needed. Furthermore, investigating the extent to which these desya words have been adopted into modern languages like Gujarati is an independent area of study.

• Call to Action: The author concludes by urging readers to draw inspiration from Pt. Bechardasji's unwavering dedication to scholarship and his diligent work, and to continue the research he initiated.