Pk Alia Tied

Here is a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text excerpt, "Pk. ālia - 'tied'" by H.C. Bhayani, based on the provided pages:

The article "Pk. ālia - 'tied'" by H.C. Bhayani delves into the etymology and usage of the Prakrit word "ālia" (or variations like "khambalia"). The author primarily focuses on establishing its meaning as "tied" and traces its linguistic origins.

Key Points:

• "Khambalia" in Setubandha: The text begins by examining the expression "ek-khambalia" in the Setubandha (9, 85). This phrase describes elephants tied to a single post, a metaphor used to depict the simultaneous presence of all seasons in the forests of Suvela mountain. Commentators have interpreted "ālia" in this context in various ways, including ānita, ālāpita, ālina, or niyamita. A textual variant, "niaia" (meaning nigadita), is also noted. Goldschmidt's tentative correction to "kharibhallia," supported by the Paiasaddamiahannavo (PSM), is mentioned.
• Deśya Origin and Apabhramsa Evidence: Handiqui's observation that "ālia" is a Deśya word (a word of local or vernacular origin) is considered a significant lead. Bhayani then presents two Apabhramsa passages from Svayambhū's Paumacariya that reinforce this meaning. In these passages, the form "aliayau" (or similar) is used in conjunction with elephants and their tying posts.
  • One passage describes an elephant "tied to the tying post and fettered with chains."
  • Another mentions an elephant tied "to the tying post" with its trunk.
• Revisiting Previous Interpretations: Bhayani reflects on his own earlier work. In the glossary of Part 1 of Paumacariya, he incorrectly connected "aliayau" with Sanskrit ā + lī and translated it as "crouched." However, in the glossary to Part 3, he correctly translated the term as "tied" but, he now believes, wrongly referenced the PSM for its derivation from Sanskrit ālita and ālanita from ālānita.
• Sanskrit Etymological Considerations: The author discusses the Sanskrit word bandha (meaning "tying" or "binding") from the root bandh-. He suggests that a past passive participle like bandhita could have evolved into "ālia" in Prakrit. He finds it unsatisfactory both semantically and phonetically to connect "ālia" with Sanskrit ā + lī (to cling) or ā + lag (to attach).
• "Āla" in Jain Canonical Texts: The article also points to the occurrence of "āla" in the Jain canonical text Panhavagaranaim (1, 3). While the PSM derives this from Sanskrit ālāna, Bhayani notes that the phonetic transformation cannot be adequately explained.
• Derivation from "Āla": Bhayani concludes that "āla" is clearly an action noun derived from a root āl-, with "āli" (or similar) being its past passive participle. He hypothesizes that the verb āl-, meaning "to tie," might have been formed based on ālāna (a tying post), which in turn derives from ā + dā (to give or take, but in this context implying holding or securing).

In essence, H.C. Bhayani's article rigorously argues for the meaning of "ālia" as "tied" by examining its usage in significant literary works like the Setubandha and the Paumacariya, and by critically evaluating its potential Sanskrit etymological connections, favoring a derivation from words related to tying and securing.