Maharashtri Prakrit Me Mul Va Varna Ka Abhav - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Maharashtri Prakrit me Mul va varna ka Abhav" by Sudarshanlal Jain, focusing on the absence of the original 'य' (ya) sound in Maharashtri Prakrit:

The text argues that Maharashtri Prakrit fundamentally lacks the original Sanskrit 'य' (ya) sound. Prakrit grammarians structured their grammar by considering Sanskrit words as their origin.

The author explains the transformations of the original Sanskrit 'य' in Maharashtri Prakrit:

'य' at the beginning of a word (pada-adi): It generally transforms into 'ज' (ja).
- Examples: yaśah > jaso, yugmam > juggam, yamah > jamo, yāti > jāi, yathā > jahā, yauvanam > jovvaṇam.
- There are exceptions to this rule, particularly when 'य' is not at the very beginning. Hemachandra provides examples like avayaḥ > avayavo and vinayaḥ > viṇao. In vinayaḥ, the 'य' is not at the start and is dropped because it's between two vowels. The 'य' in avayavaḥ is described as a 'shruti' (a sound that resembles 'य' but isn't the original 'य').
- Hemachandra also extends the rule of 'य' becoming 'ज' to prefixed (sopasarga) words, such as saṁyamaḥ > saṁjamo and saṁyogaḥ > saṁjogo. Vararuci gives the example ayaśah > ajaso.
- However, Hemachandra also notes a prohibition for prefixed 'य' not becoming 'ज', giving prayogaḥ > paoo as an example where 'य' is dropped.
- Arsha (ancient) usage also shows the dropping of initial 'य', as in yathākhyātam > ahakkhāyaṁ and yathājātam > ahājāyaṁ.
- The word 'यष्टि' (yaṣṭi) shows a specific transformation of initial 'य' to 'ल' (la), as in yaṣṭiḥ > laṭṭhī. This also occurs in compound words like khaḍgayṣṭi and madhuyṣṭi.
'य' between two vowels (swara-madhyavarti): It is generally dropped (lopa).
- Examples: dayāluḥ > dayāloo, nayananm > nayaṇaṁ (or ṇaṇaṁ), viyogaḥ > viogo.
- In examples like dayālū and nayaṇaṁ, the visible 'य' is not the original 'य' but a "shruti" (a soft, easily pronounced sound resembling 'य') that arises after the original 'य' has been dropped and an unstressed 'a' vowel remains. Hemachandra also categorizes these under 'yashruti'.
- The author emphasizes that while other consonants like 'क' (ka) and 'ग' (ga) might be optionally dropped between vowels, 'य' is almost always dropped if no other change occurs. Linguists consider 'य' a weak consonant, weaker than 'र' (ra). When 'य' and 'र' combine, 'य' is often dropped or undergoes samprasāraṇa (becomes 'इ'). Examples include bhāryā > bhajjā and saundaryam > sundari’aṁ.
- The use of "prāyaḥ" (generally) in Hemachandra's rule about dropping consonants between vowels is significant. In his explanation of "prāyaḥ," he provides no examples of 'य' not being dropped, while giving multiple examples for 'ग' and 'व'.
'य' Shruti (श्रुति): When consonants like 'क', 'ग' etc., are dropped between vowels, if an 'a' vowel remains, and another 'a' vowel precedes it, a soft, easily pronounced 'य' sound (shruti) occurs in place of the dropped consonant.
- Examples: tīrthakaraḥ > tithayaro / tiththaro, nagaram > rayaraṁ / naaraṁ, maḻaṉam > mayaṇo / ma’aṉo, dayāluḥ > dayālū, lāvaṇyam > lāyaṇṇaṁ.
- This rule primarily applies when an 'a' vowel remains. It's less common with other vowels. Examples: vāyuḥ > vāū, rajeevam > rāīvaṁ.
- Sometimes, 'y' shruti occurs even without a preceding 'a' vowel, as in pibati > piyai.
- This 'y' shruti is a characteristic and optional feature of Jain Maharashtri. It's noted that Vararuci did not create a specific rule for 'y' shruti and thus did not provide examples with 'य'. When Hemachandra uses 'y' shruti, Vararuci uses the unstressed 'a'. Since Vararuci predates Hemachandra, 'y' shruti is seen as a later development.
- The distinction between the original 'य' and the 'y' shruti is crucial. The latter is not the original 'य' but a sound that sounds like 'य', explained by Sanskrit grammarians for clarity.
Samprasāraṇa (सम्प्रसारण): 'य' is considered a semi-vowel, and in both single and combined forms, it can undergo samprasāraṇa, changing to 'इ' (i).
- Examples: chorayati > chorei, kathayati > kahei, vyatikrāntam > vīikkataṁ, saundaryam > sundari’aṁ.
Dropped Compound 'य' (Sanyukta 'य' ka Lopa): Compound 'य' sounds are dropped in Prakrit. Due to Prakrit's nature, dissimilar consonant clusters are not found. One consonant is dropped, and the other is doubled (samīkaraṇ) or a vowel is inserted (swara-bhakti).
- Examples of dropping: mantra > manta.
- Examples of swara-bhakti: smaraṇa > sumaraṇa.
Influence of Compound 'य' (Sanyukta 'य' ka Prabhav):
- (a) If the combined consonants have equal strength, the preceding one is dropped, and the following one is doubled. If they have unequal strength, the weaker one is dropped, and the other is doubled. Examples: utpalam > uppalaṁ, kāvyam > kavvaṁ, avashyam > avassaṁ, Chāṇakya > Chāṇakka.
- (b) If doubling occurs on the second or fourth consonant after dropping, the preceding consonant changes to the first or third, respectively. Examples: vyākhyānam > vakkhāṇaṁ, abhyantara > abbharaṁ.
- (c) Ushmadesha (ऊष्मादेश): When sibilants (sh, ṣ, s) and semi-vowels (y, r, l, v) combine, the semi-vowel may be replaced by a sibilant. If 'y', 'r', 'w' are dropped and are followed by 'ś', 'ṣ', 's', the initial vowel of that 's' sound is lengthened. Example: śiṣya > śīśo.
- (d) Tālavya-ādeśa (तालव्यादेश): Clusters like 'ty', 'thy', 'dy', 'dhy' change to 'ch', 'chh', 'j', 'jh', followed by doubling. Examples: atyantam > atyantaṁ, pratyakṣam > paccakkhaṁ, vidyā > vidyā, upādhyāyaḥ > uvajjhāo.
- (e) When the initial consonant is combined, the weaker consonant is simply dropped, not doubled. If the weaker consonant is not dropped, swara-bhakti occurs. Examples: nyāyaḥ > ṇāyo, svabhāvaḥ > svabhāvo, jyotsnā > joṇhā, śyāmā > śāmā.
Special Transformations (Viśeṣa Parivartan): The text lists numerous specific examples of how 'य' transforms into other sounds or is dropped. These include:
- 'य' > 'ज्ज' (jj): in suffixes like -anīya, -nīya, etc. (karaṇīyam > karaṇijjaṁ) and in words like dvitiyaḥ > bīijjo.
- 'य' > 'ह' (h): in the word chāyā (shadow), sometimes changing to 'h' (vṛkṣasya chāyā > vachhasasa chāhī). Not in the sense of radiance.
- 'य' > 'व' (v), 'आह' (āh): in the word katipaya (a few) which can become kaivāhaṁ or kaiavaṁ.
- 'य' > 'ल' (l): in yaṣṭiḥ > laṭṭhī.
- 'य' > 'त' (t): in the sense of 'you' with the pronoun yuṣmad (yuṣmādr̥śaḥ > tumhāriso). If not referring to 'you', it doesn't change to 't'.
- 'य' dropped with 'a' vowel: in kālāyaśam > kālāsaṁ / kālā’asaṁ.
- 'स्त्य' > 'ठ' (ṭh): in styānam > ṭhīṇaṁ / thīṇaṁ.
- 'न्य' > 'ज' (j), 'ञ्ज' (ñj): in Abhimanyu > ahimajjū / ahimañju.
- 'थ्य' > 'छ' (ch): before short vowels (pathyam > pacchaṁ, mithyā > micchā).
- 'थ्य' > 'च' (c): in Arsha Prakrit (tathyam > tacchaṁ).
- 'य्य', 'र्य', 'द्य' > 'ज्ज' (jj): Examples include jayya > yajjo, śayyā > sejja, bhāryā > bhajjā, kāryam > kajjaṁ, sūryaḥ > sajjo, maryādā > majjāyā, madyaṁ > majjaṁ, vedyaḥ > vejjo.
- 'र्य' > 'र' (ra): Exceptionally in brahmacarya, tūrya, saundarya, śauṇḍīrya. (saundaryam > sunderaṁ). If et precedes, it becomes peraṁ.
- 'र्य' > 'रं' (raṁ): Optionally in dhairya (dhairyam > dhīraṁ).
- 'र्य' > 'रिअ', 'अर', 'रिज्ज', 'रीअ': in āścharya (āścharyam > āśchariyaṁ).
- 'र्य' > 'ल्ल' (lla): in paryasta, paryāṇa, saukumārya. (paryastaṁ > pallaṭṭhaṁ).
- 'ध्य', 'ह्य' > 'झ' (jh): Examples: dhyānam > jhāṇaṁ, upādhyāyaḥ > uvajjhāo, badhyate > vajjhae, svādhyāyaḥ > sajjhāo, guhyam > gujjhaṁ.

Conclusion:

The author concludes that Maharashtri Prakrit is characterized by the complete absence of the original Sanskrit 'य' sound. The 'य' that appears is not the original 'य' but a 'y' shruti, which is a later development influenced by Jain Maharashtri. This 'y' shruti is a distinct sound that resembles 'य' and arises in place of a dropped vowel. Sanskrit grammarians recognized the difference between the original 'य' and this 'y' shruti.

Words with 'य' in Sanskrit become 'य'-less in Maharashtri Prakrit. 'य' is not found at the beginning or end of words, and if it appears between vowels, it's only in the context of 'y' shruti when an 'a' vowel precedes.

The text addresses potential doubts by:

Citing Hemachandra's examples of 'y' between vowels which actually represent 'y' shruti.
Highlighting Hemachandra's lack of examples for non-dropping of 'य' when explaining "prāyaḥ."
Noting that Vararuci's example of non-dropping of 'य' is a case of 'य' becoming 'ज'.
Emphasizing Vararuci's absence of rules or examples for 'y' shruti.
Mentioning the mention of soft 'y' in Sanskrit grammar.
Pointing out that early Maharashtri literature does not use 'y' shruti.
Explaining that "y's constant dropping" is not stated to allow for the description of various 'y' transformations and to keep the rules concise.
Referring to the weakening of 'य' when combined with 'र'.
Noting the absence of double 'य' (yy) clusters.
Observing that swara-bhakti never occurs with 'य'.

Therefore, the author asserts that the original Sanskrit 'य' is entirely absent in Maharashtri Prakrit. This contrasts with other Prakrit languages like Magadhi, which not only retains the original 'य' but also transforms 'ज' into 'य'.