Two Peculiar Usages Of Particle Kira Kiri In Apbhramsa

Here's a comprehensive summary of Hermen Tieken's "Two Peculiar Usages of Particle Kira/Kiri in Apabhramsa":

This paper by Hermen Tieken explores the particle kila (and its Apabhramsa forms kira/kiri), a topic that has been extensively studied in Sanskrit, Prākrit, and Pāli. Previous scholarship, notably by Emeneau, Ickler, and van Daalen, has identified various functions of kila, generally revolving around the speaker conveying information as if they are merely passing on a message or are expressing uncertainty about its origin or validity.

Tieken's contribution focuses on material from Apabhramsa, specifically drawing attention to two usages of kira/kiri that, while seemingly regular in their function, appear to be peculiar to this dialect.

1. Kira in Combination with an Interrogative Pronoun:

Tieken observes a striking frequency of kira appearing alongside interrogative pronouns (e.g., kim kira, ko kira, kahim kira) in Apabhramsa, particularly in the Harivamsapurāṇa. He provides several examples, such as:

• "How is it possible to entertain a passion for women, who are the crest-jewels of the brothels?" (rappijjai kiṁ kira kāminihim vaisiyamandiracūdāmaņīhiń)
• "What does one expect from a woman's belly, which is leaking blood and urine?" (parigaliyamullasoniyajaleņa kim kijjai kira soņiyalena)

In these cases, kira functions within the established meanings for Sanskrit and other Prakrits, often in rhetorical questions where the speaker expresses bewilderment or inability to understand a situation. For instance, asking "where does one find a good deed without Dharma?" implies the answer is "nowhere."

What Tieken finds peculiar is not the function of kira itself in these instances, but its frequency when combined with interrogatives. He suggests that previous studies on kila in other languages did not highlight this combination as being particularly common, implying that this feature is characteristic of Apabhramsa or at least the Harivamsapurāṇa.

2. Kira/Kiri in Comparisons:

Tieken identifies three instances of kiri used in comparisons within the Gurjararāsāvalī.

• In the Viraṭaparva, lines 337-8, kiri appears alongside jāṇe ("as if, as it were"): "In the meantime in Susarma's army the drums were beaten: it sounded like the thundering clouds in the month of Aṣādha" (etalai śuśarmā dali dhola vājaim / jāņe asāḍhū kiri meha gājai).
• In the Vidyāvilāsapavāḍu, lines 67-70, kiri is used on its own, functioning as a particle of comparison, in a stanza that also features other comparative markers like jisya ("like"), jāņe ("as if"), and jima ("like"): "her pair of thighs [like] (kiri) the stems of the plantain plant."
• Another instance from the Viraṭaparva (line 420) uses kiri in a comparative sense: "The earth has disappeared as if it has been submerged in the water" (disai nahir bhuim kiri niri būdi).

Tieken reiterates that the fundamental function of kiri in these comparative contexts aligns with its use in other languages, where it might emphasize the repetition of common poetic imagery or descriptions.

However, the peculiarity lies in the use of kiri as a direct particle of comparison, especially when used independently (as in the Vidyāvilāsapavāḍu and the second Viraṭaparva example). This suggests that kiri might have developed a new, distinct comparative meaning in Apabhramsa, potentially originating from its use in conveying "messages" or "reported speech." This usage, according to Tieken, could indicate the artificial and learned nature of Apabhramsa, similar to Sanskrit.

In essence, Tieken's paper highlights two distinct ways kira/kiri manifests in Apabhramsa:

• A significantly heightened frequency of its use with interrogative pronouns, seemingly characteristic of the dialect.
• A novel function as a direct particle of comparison, which might point to a creative semantic development within Apabhramsa.