Prakrit Ke Kuch Shabdo Ki Vyutpatti

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Prakrit ke Kuch Shabdo ki Vyutpatti" by Vasant Rahurkar:

The article, presented by Dr. Vasant Gajanan Rahurkar at the Third Prakrit Seminar organized by the University of Bombay, attempts to derive the etymology of four specific Prakrit words. These words are identified as "Deshi" (indigenous) words in the 'Paiyasaddamahannava' (Prakrit word lexicon).

The author begins by examining the word 'ambadiūṇa' from the 'Gāmellayakkhaṇaya' (a tale within the 'Dharmopadeśamālāvivaraṇa,' a commentary on Jayasinghasuri's 'Dharmopadeśamālā'). The suffix 'ūṇa' indicates a past participial adverb derived from the root 'ambāḍa'. The 'Paiyasaddamahannava' lists 'kharaṇṭa' as a synonym for 'ambāḍa'. A quote from the 'Niśīthacūrṇi' confirms that the roots 'camḍha', 'kharaṇṭa', and 'ambāḍa' share similar meanings: to scold, to reprimand, or to blame. The root 'kharanta' specifically means to scold or to censure, while 'ambāḍa' is given the meaning of 'tirasaḥ + kṛ' (to feel malice, to pierce the mind with words).

The central problem discussed here is the origin of 'ambāḍa'. Dr. Rahurkar posits that it is not a native word but may have evolved from the Sanskrit word 'āmrataka'. 'Āmrataka' refers to the hog plum fruit (Spondias Mongiferra), known as 'ambāḍā' in Marathi. The juice of this fruit resembles mango juice (as it is derived from 'āmra + atati', meaning 'that which is like mango'). When extracting the juice from this fruit, it needs to be pressed forcefully, and the seed is pierced. Thus, the author suggests that through this symbolic association, the root 'ambāḍa' acquired the meaning of "to crush" or "to pierce the mind with forceful words."

Next, the article considers the Marathi verb 'ovāḷaṇē', which means to perform a ritual of waving a lamp near someone's face as a gesture of welcome or good wishes. Dr. Rahurkar notes the significant difference in meaning when comparing this to the Prakrit word 'ōmāliya' (beautiful, worshipped). However, he draws a connection to the Sanskrit word 'unmālaka' used in the first canto of Maṅkhaka's epic poem 'Śrīkaṇṭhacarita'. In this context, 'unmālaka' describes the fire of Shiva's third eye. The author explains that 'unmālaka' refers to the giving of a reward or gift to someone who is pleased by a good event or object, often accompanied by a ritualistic gesture. He traces the evolution of this word from Sanskrit to Prakrit as: unmālaka > unmālaya > ōmālaya > ōvāḷa.

The article then delves into the Marathi phrase 'hātcā mal' (literally, 'dirt of the hand'), used to describe something that is easily manageable or readily available. This phrase is also found in Hindi and Gujarati with the same meaning. The author argues that the etymology of this phrase lies in the Sanskrit word 'hastāmalaka', meaning "the Āmalaka fruit in the hand" or "a gooseberry on the palm." Because an Āmalaka fruit held in the hand provides a complete and easily observable view, the term 'hastāmalaka' came to symbolize something that is readily apparent or easily understood. This symbolic usage, the author suggests, migrated from Sanskrit to Prakrit and then to regional languages. During this transition, the 'ā' sound was naturally dropped. He provides an example from 'Kādambarī' where the world is described as being like 'hastāmalaka' for Jābāli, and compares it to similar phrases in 'Vāsudevaḥiṇḍi' and 'Kumārapālacariya'. The ancient Marathi form is cited as 'jaisā kī hātichā āmaḷe', which eventually became 'hātcā maḷ'.

Finally, the article examines the word 'jōhāra', used in 'Pravacanasāroddhāra' and 'Dharmopadeśamālāvivaraṇa' to mean bowing down in salutation. The Marathi language also uses 'jōhāra' with the same meaning. While 'Paiyasaddamahannava' and several Marathi dictionaries classify 'jōhāra' as a "Deshi" word and link it to the Persian word 'johār', Dr. Rahurkar proposes a different etymology. He believes the word is neither "Deshi" nor Persian, but rather more closely related to the Sanskrit word 'yōddha' (warrior). He explains that people would address kings as "O valiant one" or "O warrior" and then pay homage. The Sanskrit word 'yōddha' can be easily transformed into the Prakrit word 'jōhāra' (yōddha > jōhā > jōhāra) and thus connected to the act of salutation.

In conclusion, the article explores the linguistic connections between Prakrit and Sanskrit, offering plausible etymologies for several words that were previously considered "Deshi" or of uncertain origin. The author emphasizes the importance of Sanskrit as a source language for many Prakrit and vernacular terms, often through metaphorical or symbolic extensions of meaning.