Gujaratima Mahapran Vyanjanno Alpapran Thavo - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, focusing on the linguistic analysis of Gujarati words and their origins, as presented by H.C. Bhayani:

The book "Gujaratima Mahapran Vyanjanno Alpapran Thavo" (The Transformation of Mahapran Consonants to Alpapran Consonants in Gujarati) by H.C. Bhayani, published by ZZ_Anusandhan, delves into the phonetic evolution of Gujarati, specifically examining how aspirated consonants (mahapran) often become unaspirated consonants (alpapran) in the language. The text is rich with examples from Sanskrit (Sam. or Sa.), Prakrit (Pra.), and various Gujarati dialects, tracing the etymological roots of numerous words.

Key Themes and Observations:

The central thesis of the book is the systematic phonetic shift of certain aspirated consonants in Sanskrit and Prakrit to their unaspirated counterparts in Gujarati. This transformation is illustrated through various consonant pairs:

Kh > K:
- Examples like aśikha > aśikha > aśaka, kalushya > kalukkha > kālak, dhanushya > dhanukkha > dhānak, and santoṣa > santoṣa > sāntok demonstrate the change of 'kh' to 'k'.
Gh > G:
- Words like ḍuṅgha > ḍuṅgho, ḍuṅgo, sthādha/tādha > tāg, (a)thāga, śikhā > śighā > śagha > śaga, and siṁha (which can also refer to a lion and has a related 'gh' sound) showcase the transformation of 'gh' to 'g'.
Ch > Ch (as in 'ch' of church):
- bhr̥gukaccha > bharuaccha, bharūc and kapikaccha > kauvaca illustrate the shift of 'chh' to 'ch'.
Jh > J:
- siṁha > saṁga (as in 'abhesaṁga'), tujjh > tuj, mujjh > muj, saṁbudhyate > saṁbujjhai > samaje, saṁdhyā > saṁjñā > sāṁja, bāhya > bajjha > bāja (in Kheda dialect), and snigdha > siṇijjha > saṇijuṁ all show the reduction of 'jh' to 'j'.
Ṣṭh / Ṭh > Ṭ / Ṭh:
- kāṣṭha > kaṭu > kāṭh, kāṭ (in Māḷ), dhr̥ṣṭa > ghaṭṭa > dhīṭh, dhīṭ and yaṣṭi, laṭṭhi > lāṭh, lāṭ demonstrate the reduction of 'ṣṭh' and 'ṭh' to unaspirated 'ṭh' or 'ṭ'.
Ḍh > Ḍ:
- āṣāḍha > aśāḍa, ardha > addha > aḍa (e.g., sāḍa from sārdha, āḍa from aṣṭa, āḍatrīsa from aṣṭatriṁśat, aḍasaṭṭhi from aṣṭaṣaṣṭi), stabdha > ṭhaḍḍha > ṭhaṇḍu, śreṇi > śeḍi, śr̥ṣṭi, śr̥ḍhi > śīḍi illustrate the change of 'ḍh' to 'ḍ'. The text notes that in colloquial speech, the aspirated consonant after a vowel often becomes unaspirated, as seen in words like kāṣṭha, kaniṣṭha, śrēṣṭha, svādiṣṭa, avasta, āsta.
Th > T:
- śalyahasta > śellahatthya > śeltat, vitasti > vihaththi > vahēnta, nesatthī > nestī show the reduction of 'th' to 't'.
Dh > D:
- ardha > addha > ada (in adakacā, ācchēra), ekārdha > ēkādha > ēkāda, siddhi > sada (in place names like Bōrasada). Post-nasal 'dh' often becomes 'd' in colloquial speech, as in bādha (bādha), śīda, sarāda (śrāddha). Examples include āsaṁdh > āsaṁd, daśabandha > dasōṁdī, vālabandha > vāḷaṁda, varṣabandha > varasōṁda.
Ch > Ch:
- kaccha > kācabō shows 'ch' evolving to 'ch'.
Dh > D:
- adhika > adakuṁ.
Bh > B:
- abhilāṣā > abaḷakhā, adbhuta > adabada, abhakṣya > abhakṣya > avakho, abakhe. Post-nasal 'bh' also becomes 'b', as in atyadbhuta > atyabbhua > acambō, karaṁbha > karaṁbō, kusuṁbha > kasuṁbō, ḍiṁbha > ḍebu (comparable to Sanskrit laṁbha > lamba and ḍiṁbha, ḍiṁba), mallaskambha > mallakhambha > malakhambha > malakham, ḍambha > ḍābha > ḍāma.

Detailed Word Analyses:

The book goes into detailed etymological discussions of several Gujarati words, exploring their origins and semantic shifts:

Akaḍ: Analyzed in its various forms and meanings. It discusses its root possibly being ākkaḍa and its relation to Sanskrit stabdha (stiff, firm) and English "stiff." The author considers the possibility of a multiple origin or a shift from a Sanskrit root like ākr̥ta.
Akabandha: Explored in the context of compounds with "bandha" (tie, bond), like kaṭibandha, śikharabandha. It suggests that akabandha might mean "unbroken" or "unsevered," with "ak-" potentially deriving from Sanskrit akṣata (uninjured) or ekabaddha (bound as one).
Agharūm: Discussed in relation to Sanskrit agrāhya (unacceptable, difficult to grasp). The author suggests a derivation from agrahakaṁ > agrahauṁ > agharuṁ, tracing the phonetic shift of 'gr' to 'ghr' in semi-Sanskritized words, citing examples like grahaṇa > gharaṇa.
Agharṇī: Linked to the concept of "simanta" (a ritual for a pregnant woman). It is traced from Sanskrit agrahāṇikā > aggahaṇiyā > agharṇī. The text mentions its usage in historical literary works.
Chāl, Chīlaṭuṁ, Chōlavuṁ: These terms related to "bark" or "peel" are analyzed. Chāl is potentially derived from Sanskrit saṁchada + li > Prakrit challi (skin). The author discusses its possible Aryan origin and differentiates it from words like khāla (skin) which have a different etymology.
Ḍāṅga: Identified as a Gujarati word for "stick," with a Prakrit cognate ḍaṅga.
Ḍhōso: Described as a thick stick used for making dough, with parallels in Nepali and Bengali.
Ḍhag, Ḍhagara, Ḍhago, Ḍhabu: These words, often related to "heap," "swelling," or "bluntness," are analyzed for their various meanings and potential origins, with comparisons to Hindi and Punjabi. Ḍhabu is also discussed as a term for a thick coin.
Ḍhakavuṁ: Explained as "to bow down" or "to flow down," with related terms like ḍhāḷ (slope, flow).
Ḍhāḍhī: Refers to a professional caste that plays drums during religious festivals. It's linked to Prakrit ḍaḍḍa (drum).
Ḍhākaṇuṁ: Discussed in relation to the verb ḍhākaṇuṁ (to cover).
Ḍhīkō: Refers to a bruise or a blow.
Ḍhēkō: Meaning "hillock" or "mound," possibly originating from a root meaning "swollen part."
Ḍhīma, Ḍhīmacuṁ, Ḍhīmaṇuṁ: These words denote swelling or a raised part of the body due to injury, with related terms in other Indian languages.
Ḍhēbaruṁ: A type of flatbread, possibly derived from a root meaning "swollen" or "puffy."
Ḍhēsa: Refers to a lump or pile, possibly of excrement.
Ḍhōla (Ḍhōlakuṁ, Ḍhōlaka): The well-known musical instrument, with its Prakrit cognate ḍhōlla.

In essence, the book is a meticulous linguistic study of Gujarati vocabulary, showcasing the dynamic nature of language through phonetic shifts, semantic evolution, and etymological tracing from Sanskrit and Prakrit. It highlights how everyday Gujarati words carry a rich history of linguistic transformation.