Prakritpaingalam

This Jain text, "Prakritpaingalam," is a seminal work on Prakrit and Apabhramsa metrics. Edited by Dr. Bhola Shanker Vyas of Banaras Hindu University and published by the Prakrit Text Society in Ahmedabad, it offers a comprehensive exploration of the complex world of Indian prosody.

Key Aspects of the Text:

• Scope: The book delves into both matra-vritta (syllable-timed meters) and varna-vritta (grapheme-timed meters), providing detailed analyses of their structures, variations, and historical development.
• Content: It covers a vast array of metrical forms, including:
  • Mātrāvritta: Gāthā, Vigāthā, Uḍgāthā, Gāhiṇī, Siṁhiṇī, Skandha, Dōhā, Rōlā, Gadhāṇa, Caupāiā, Ghattā, Chappaā, Ullāla, Adillā, Pādāakulaka, Cauōlā, Raḍḍā, Pauṁmāvatī, Kuṁḍaliā, Gaganāṅga, Dvipadi, Jhullana, Khaṁjā, Śikhā, Mālā, Cūlikālā, Sōḍhā, Hākali, Madhubhāra, Āhīra, Daṇḍaka, Dīpaka, Siṁhāvalōka, Plavaṅgama, Līlāvatī, Hariġītā, Tribhaṅgī, Dumila, Hīra, Jauhara, Maḍana, Marahaṭṭha, etc.
  • Varṇavrtta: Śrī, Kāma, Madhu, Mahī, Sāru, Tālī, Priyā, Śaśī, Ramaṇa, Paṁcāla, Mṛgendra, Mandara, Kamala, Tīrṇā, Dhārī, Nagāṇikā, Saṁmohā, Harī, Haṁsa, Yamaka, Śēṣa, Tillaka, Vijjōhã, Caurāṁsā, Manthāna, Śaṅkhanārī, Mālatī, Damanaka, Samānikā, Suvāsa, Karahaṁca, Śirōrūpaka, Vidyunmālā, Pramāṇikā, Mallikā, Tuṅga, Kamalā, Dīpaka, Nārāca, Śārdaūlasaṭṭaka, etc.
• Editorial Features: The edited text includes:
  • The original Prakrit text.
  • Variants (pāṭhāntara).
  • Hindi translation and commentary (hindī anuvāda, vyākhyā).
  • Scholarly annotations (ṭippaṇī).
  • Three Sanskrit commentaries (tīkāyāṁ).
  • A glossary (śabdakōśa).
• Significance: The text is crucial for understanding the historical development of Indian vernacular languages, particularly Old Hindi, and tracing the evolution of metrical patterns from Prakrit and Apabhramsa to later Indo-Aryan languages. It highlights the crucial role of Jain literature and temples in preserving these ancient linguistic and metrical traditions.
• Authorship and Dating: The preface discusses the likely compilation period of the Prakrita-Paingalam, suggesting it dates to sometime after Hammira (circa 1300 AD) and possibly the early 14th century AD. It also touches upon the potential author(s) or compilers, noting the possible involvement of Harihara, father of the commentator Ravikara.
• Palaeographical Basis: The edition is based on two earlier printed editions (Bombay and Calcutta) and further manuscript material, including newly discovered manuscripts.
• Linguistic Importance: The text is invaluable for the study of the Avahaṭṭa language, representing a Western Old Hindi dialect. It provides a rich source for comparative and historical linguistics, tracing the origins of modern Indo-Aryan languages.
• Metrical Importance: Its primary contribution is the systematic cataloging and explanation of numerous metrical forms, many of which are unique to Prakrit and Apabhramsa poetry. It bridges the gap between Sanskrit metric traditions and those found in medieval Hindi poetry.

In essence, "Prakritpaingalam" is a foundational text for scholars of Prakrit language, literature, and, most importantly, Indian classical metrics. Its comprehensive nature, detailed commentary, and inclusion of Sanskrit scholarly traditions make it an indispensable resource for understanding the evolution of metrical forms in the subcontinent.