Saral Gujarati Vyakaran

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Saral Gujarati Vyakaran" by Dr. Bharatkumar Thakar, based on the provided pages:

Book Overview:

• Title: Saral Gujarati Vyakaran (Simple Gujarati Grammar)
• Author: Dr. Bharatkumar Thakar
• Publisher: Shabdalok Prakashan (also mentions Adarsh Prakashan, Ahmedabad in one instance)
• Catalog Link: jainqq.org/explore/005811/1
• First Edition: 1999
• Reprint: 2004
• Purpose: The book aims to provide a comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide to Gujarati grammar. It emphasizes the importance of mastering Gujarati grammar as a foundation for studying ancient Indian literature and languages like Sanskrit, Ardhamagadhi, and Prakrit. The author also expresses the intention to fulfill the desire of Acharya Shri Vijay Kastursurishwarji Maharaj to propagate the study of Prakrit language through a strong Gujarati grammar base.

Key Themes and Content:

1. Dedication: The book is dedicated to the curious, the seekers of liberation, the aspirers of eternal happiness, and the knowledge-thirsty, including Muni Shri Samvegchandravijayji (aged 90).

2. Inspirational Figures: The text extensively features blessings and acknowledgments from numerous Jain Acharyas, Munis, and Sadhvijis, highlighting the spiritual and scholarly environment from which the book emerges. Notable figures include Acharya Shri Hemchandracharya Maharaj, and several Acharyas from the lineage of Acharya Shri Vijay Nemisurishwarji Maharaj, Acharya Shri Vijay Vigansurishwarji Maharaj, and Acharya Shri Vijay Kastursurishwarji Maharaj. The blessings often emphasize the importance of grammar for spiritual and linguistic understanding.

3. Linguistic Foundation:

   • Definition of Language: The book begins by defining language as humanity's greatest invention, crucial for thought exchange and progress. It distinguishes between description and definition, highlighting that language is a system of phonetic symbols for expressing thoughts and feelings, as supported by linguistic theories (Sapir, Sturtevant).
   • Phonetics and Sound Components: It delves into the classification of Gujarati sounds, discussing vowels (swar), consonants (vyanjan), semi-vowels (ardhaswar), and their articulation. The text explains the phonetic basis of language, the role of airflow, and the concept of "juncture" (jankyar) at the boundaries of utterances.
   • Alphabet and Syllables: It details the Gujarati alphabet (varnamala), the classification of vowels and consonants, and explains concepts like conjunct consonants (jodakshar/sanyuktākshar) formed by combining consonant sounds.
   • Sandhi (Phonetic Combination): The book explains the rules of sandhi, particularly vowel sandhi (swarsandhi) and consonant sandhi (vyanjan sandhi), providing numerous examples.
   • Samas (Compound Words): It covers various types of samas, including Bahuvrihi, Avyayibhav, Dvanda, Karmadhāray, Tatpurush, Madhyampadlopi, and Dvigu samas, with detailed explanations and examples for each.
   • Word Categories: The text elaborates on Tātsam (derived from Sanskrit without change), Tadbhav (derived from Sanskrit with changes), and Deshya (indigenous) words, explaining their origins and characteristics.

4. Grammatical Structures:

   • Gender (Ling) and Number (Vachan): The book explains the concept of gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and number (singular, plural) in relation to nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, noting irregularities and conventions in Gujarati.
   • Vibhakti (Case Endings): A detailed explanation of the seven Vibhaktis in Gujarati grammar is provided, along with their respective case endings and meanings, illustrated with example sentences.
   • Virāmchihno (Punctuation Marks): The proper usage of punctuation marks like the full stop (purnaviram), comma (alpaviram), question mark (prashnarthchinh), exclamation mark (āshcharyaviram), semicolon (ardhaviram), colon (gurutiram), and quotation marks (avtaranchihn) is explained with examples.
   • Prefixes (Purva Pratyay / Upasarg): The book lists and explains Sanskrit prefixes (upasarg) and their impact on word meaning, as well as common Gujarati prefixes (like a-, an-, na-, ku-, niḥ-, pra-, sam-, etc.). It also touches upon Arabic and Persian prefixes.
   • Suffixes (Par Pratyay): It thoroughly covers Taddhit and Krut suffixes, explaining their formation, types (associative, abstract noun, change, superlative, possessive, patronymic, collective, etc.), and application to Sanskrit and Gujarati words.
   • Nouns (Sangya): The text defines nouns and categorizes them into Proper Nouns (Vyativachak), Common Nouns (Jativachak), Collective Nouns (Samuhvachak), Material Nouns (Dravyavachak), and Abstract Nouns (Bhavvachak).
   • Pronouns (Sarvanam): It explains the different types of pronouns (Personal, Demonstrative, Relative, Interrogative, Indefinite, Reflexive) and their usage, including their gender, number, and case (vibhakti).
   • Verbs (Dhatu / Kriyapad): The book details verb conjugation, covering tenses (kaal – past, present, future), moods (arth – indicative, imperative, conditional, etc.), and voice (prayog – Kartari, Karmani, Bhave). It also distinguishes between root verbs and causative verbs (moolbhed and prerakbhed).
   • Adverbs (Kriyavisheshan): It classifies adverbs based on manner (riti), time (kaal), place (sthal), degree (pariman), and order (kram).
   • Sentence Structure and Transformation: The book explains sentence construction, the order of words, and how to transform sentences between different types (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, imperative) and structures (simple, compound, complex).
   • Prosody (Chhand) and Rhetoric (Alankar): While not exhaustive, the text introduces the concepts of meters (chhand - Aksharmed, Matramed, Gey) and figures of speech (alankar), providing basic definitions and examples of common ones like Anupras, Shabdanupras (Yamaka), Antyanupras, Upama, Rupak, Ananvay, Viyojanam, Viyojanam, Viyojanam, and Sajivaropan.
   • Avyay (Indeclinables): It defines and categorizes Avyay into Kriyavisheshan Avyay (Adverbial particles), Namayogi Avyay (Postpositions), Ubhayānvayi Avyay (Conjunctions), and Kevalprayogi Avyay (Interjections).
   • Verb Types: It distinguishes between Transitive (Sakarmak) and Intransitive (Akarmak) verbs and explains Krudant (verbal participles) and their various forms.

5. Spiritual Context: The book is imbued with a Jain spiritual context, evident from the numerous acknowledgments to Acharyas and Munis, and the dedication to spiritual seekers. The text emphasizes that linguistic knowledge, particularly of grammar, is essential for understanding religious scriptures and achieving spiritual goals.

6. Target Audience: The book is designed for learners of Gujarati, from students in religious schools to scholars aiming to master Sanskrit and Prakrit. Its "simple" approach makes complex grammatical concepts accessible.

In essence, "Saral Gujarati Vyakaran" serves as a foundational text for anyone wishing to delve into the nuances of the Gujarati language, with a strong emphasis on its grammatical structure and its connection to ancient Indian linguistic and spiritual traditions.