Created by Lancepark
Last edited March 1, 2026
imported>Lancepark
too much variance, retain historical script
 
Aamir2580 (talk | contribs)
m Minor edits and structural improvements
 
(One intermediate revision by one other user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Short description|Written language of Ancient India}}
{{Distinguish|Ardhamagadhi Prakrit}}
{{Distinguish|Ardhamagadhi Prakrit}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2020}}
Line 13: Line 14:
| glotto          = none
| glotto          = none
}}
}}
'''Magadhi Prakrit''' (Māgadhī) is of one of the three [[Dramatic Prakrit]]s, the written languages of [[History of India|Ancient India]] following the decline of [[Pali]] and [[Sanskrit]]. It was a vernacular [[Middle Indo-Aryan language]], replacing earlier [[Vedic Sanskrit]].<ref>{{Citation| contribution=The historical context and development of Indo-Aryan | editor1-last=Cardona | editor1-first=George | editor2-last=Jain | editor2-first=Dhanesh | title=The Indo-Aryan Languages | publisher=Routledge | place=London | year=2003 | series=Routledge language family series | isbn=0-7007-1130-9 | pages=46–66}}</ref> Magadhi Prakrit was spoken in the eastern [[Indian subcontinent]], in a region spanning what is now [[East India|eastern India]], [[Bangladesh]] and [[Nepal]]. It was spoken in present-day [[Bengal]], [[Bihar]], and eastern [[Uttar Pradesh]], and used in some dramas to represent vernacular dialogue in Prakrit dramas. It is believed to be the language spoken by the important religious figures [[Gautama Buddha]] and [[Mahavira]]<ref>{{Cite book|last=Beames|first=John|url=http://ebooks.cambridge.org/ref/id/CBO9781139208871|title=Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India: To Wit, Hindi, Panjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, and Bangali|date=2012|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-139-20887-1|location=Cambridge|doi=10.1017/cbo9781139208871.003}}</ref> and was also the language of the courts of the [[Magadha]] [[mahajanapada]] and the [[Maurya Empire]]; some of the [[Edicts of Ashoka]] were composed in it.<ref>Bashan A.L., ''The Wonder that was India'', Picador, 2004, pp.394</ref>
'''Magadhi Prakrit''' (''Māgadhī'') is of one of the three [[Dramatic Prakrit]]s, the written languages of [[History of India#Classical period (c. 200 BCE – 650_CE)|Classical]]-[[Medieval India]] following the decline of [[Pali]]. It was a vernacular [[Middle Indo-Aryan language]], replacing earlier [[Vedic Sanskrit]].<ref>{{Citation| contribution=The historical context and development of Indo-Aryan | editor1-last=Cardona | editor1-first=George | editor2-last=Jain | editor2-first=Dhanesh | title=The Indo-Aryan Languages | publisher=Routledge | place=London | year=2003 | series=Routledge language family series | isbn=0-7007-1130-9 | pages=46–66}}</ref>
 
==History and overview==
Magadhi Prakrit was spoken in the eastern [[Indian subcontinent]], in a region spanning what is now [[East India|eastern India]], [[Bangladesh]] and [[Nepal]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Prasad |first1=Balaram |last2=Mukherjee |first2=Sibasis |title=Magadhi / Magahi |url=http://lsi.gov.in/MTSI_app/DraftReport/Bihar/11.%20MAGADHI%20MAGAHI.pdf |website=lsi.gov.in |access-date=24 February 2022}}</ref><ref name="Chatterjee'>{{cite book |last1=Chatterji |first1=Suniti Kumar |title=The Origin and Development of the Bengali Language |date=1926 |page=vi |url=https://archive.org/details/OriginDevelopmentOfBengali/CHATTERJI_Origin-Development-of-Bengali_Vol-1/page/n3/mode/2up?q=magadhi+prakrit+bengal |language=English}}</ref> Associated with the ancient [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]], it was spoken in present-day [[Assam]], [[Bengal]], [[Bihar]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Odisha]] and [[Eastern Uttar Pradesh|eastern]] [[Uttar Pradesh]] under various ''apabhramsha'' dialects,<ref>{{cite book |last1=Grierson |first1=Sir George Abraham |title=The Languages of India: Being a Reprint of the Chapter on Languages |date=1903 |publisher=Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India |pages=57–58 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L65DAAAAYAAJ&q=magadhi+prakrit+bengal |language=en}}</ref> and used in some Prakrit dramas to represent vernacular dialogue. It is believed to be the language spoken by the important religious figures [[Gautama Buddha]] and [[Mahavira]]<ref>{{Cite book |last=Beames |first=John |url=http://ebooks.cambridge.org/ref/id/CBO9781139208871 |title=Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India: To Wit, Hindi, Panjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, and Bangali |orig-year=1879 |year=2012 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-20887-1 |location=Cambridge |doi=10.1017/cbo9781139208871.003}}</ref> and was also the language of the courts of the [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]] [[Mahajanapadas|Mahajanapada]] and the [[Maurya Empire]]; some of the [[Edicts of Ashoka]] were composed in it.<ref name="Chatterjee'/><ref>{{cite book|last=Bashan |first=A.L. |title=The Wonder that was India |publisher=Picador |year=2004 |page=394}}</ref>
 
Magadhi Prakrit later evolved into the [[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages]], categorised into four groups:<ref name=Claus2003>{{cite book |last1=Claus |first1=Peter J. |last2=Diamond |first2=Sarah  |last3=Mills |first3=Margaret Ann |title=South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India  |publisher=Routledge |year=2003 |page=203}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cardona |first1=George |last2=Jain |first2=Dhanesh K. |title=The Indo-Aryan Languages |date=26 July 2007 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-79711-9 |page=445 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OtCPAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA445}}</ref>


Magadhi Prakrit later evolved into the [[Eastern Indo-Aryan languages]]:<ref name=Claus2003>South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, By Peter J. Claus, Sarah Diamond, Margaret Ann Mills, Routledge, 2003, p. 203</ref><ref>Ray, Tapas S. (2007). [https://books.google.com/books?id=OtCPAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA444 "Chapter Eleven: "Oriya"]. In Jain, Danesh; Cardona, George. ''The Indo-Aryan Languages''. Routledge. p. 445. {{ISBN|978-1-135-79711-9}}.</ref>
*[[Bengali–Assamese languages|Bengali–Assamese]]
*[[Bengali–Assamese languages|Bengali–Assamese]]
*[[Bihari languages|Bihari]]
*[[Bihari languages|Bihari]]
*[[Halbic languages|Halbic]]
*[[Halbic languages|Halbic]]
*[[Odia language|Odia]]'''
*[[Odia language|Odia]]


==References==
==References==
Line 25: Line 30:


==External links==
==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150214085724/http://jainworld.com/literature/jain_agams.asp Jain Agams]
 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140810115344/http://jainfriends.tripod.com/books/jibljainismliterature.html Jainism in Buddhist Literature]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150214085724/http://jainworld.com/literature/jain_agams.asp Jain Agams] (archived)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140810115344/http://jainfriends.tripod.com/books/jibljainismliterature.html Jainism in Buddhist Literature] (archived)
* {{cite thesis|type=PhD|first=Mathew W S|last=Toulmin|title=Reconstructing linguistic history in a dialect continuum: The Kamta, Rajbanshi, and Northern Deshi Bangla subgroup of Indo-Aryan|url=https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/45743|publisher=The Australian National University|year=2006}}
* {{cite thesis|type=PhD|first=Mathew W S|last=Toulmin|title=Reconstructing linguistic history in a dialect continuum: The Kamta, Rajbanshi, and Northern Deshi Bangla subgroup of Indo-Aryan|url=https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/handle/1885/45743|publisher=The Australian National University|year=2006}}


Line 35: Line 41:
[[Category:Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Indo-Aryan languages]]
[[Category:Prakrit languages]]
[[Category:Prakrit languages]]
[[Category:Formal languages used for Indian scriptures]]
[[Category:Magahi language]]
[[Category:Magahi language]]
[[Category:History of the Bengali language]]

Latest revision as of 23:55, 1 March 2026


Magadhi Prakrit
Māgadhī
Brahmi: 𑀫𑀸𑀕𑀥𑀻
RegionIndia
Extinctdeveloped into the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3
GlottologNone

Magadhi Prakrit (Māgadhī) is of one of the three Dramatic Prakrits, the written languages of Classical-Medieval India following the decline of Pali. It was a vernacular Middle Indo-Aryan language, replacing earlier Vedic Sanskrit.[2]

History and overview[edit | edit source]

Magadhi Prakrit was spoken in the eastern Indian subcontinent, in a region spanning what is now eastern India, Bangladesh and Nepal.[3][4] Associated with the ancient Magadha, it was spoken in present-day Assam, Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and eastern Uttar Pradesh under various apabhramsha dialects,[5] and used in some Prakrit dramas to represent vernacular dialogue. It is believed to be the language spoken by the important religious figures Gautama Buddha and Mahavira[6] and was also the language of the courts of the Magadha Mahajanapada and the Maurya Empire; some of the Edicts of Ashoka were composed in it.[4][7]

Magadhi Prakrit later evolved into the Eastern Indo-Aryan languages, categorised into four groups:[1][8]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Claus, Peter J.; Diamond, Sarah; Mills, Margaret Ann (2003). South Asian folklore: an encyclopedia : Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India. Routledge. p. 203.
  2. Cardona, George; Jain, Dhanesh, eds. (2003), "The historical context and development of Indo-Aryan", The Indo-Aryan Languages, Routledge language family series, London: Routledge, pp. 46–66, ISBN 0-7007-1130-9
  3. Prasad, Balaram; Mukherjee, Sibasis. "Magadhi / Magahi" (PDF). lsi.gov.in. Retrieved 24 February 2022.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Chatterji, Suniti Kumar (1926). The Origin and Development of the Bengali Language. p. vi.
  5. Grierson, Sir George Abraham (1903). The Languages of India: Being a Reprint of the Chapter on Languages. Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, India. pp. 57–58.
  6. Beames, John (2012) [1879]. Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India: To Wit, Hindi, Panjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, and Bangali. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/cbo9781139208871.003. ISBN 978-1-139-20887-1.
  7. Bashan, A.L. (2004). The Wonder that was India. Picador. p. 394.
  8. Cardona, George; Jain, Dhanesh K. (26 July 2007). The Indo-Aryan Languages. Routledge. p. 445. ISBN 978-1-135-79711-9.

External links[edit | edit source]

Template:Maithili language