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{{Short description|Prakrit language of ancient and medieval India}} | |||
{{Infobox language | {{Infobox language | ||
|name=Maharashtri | |name=Maharashtri | ||
|altname=Mahārāṣṭri | |altname=Mahārāṣṭri | ||
|nativename = [[Brahmi]]: 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀭𑀸𑀱𑁆𑀝𑁆𑀭𑀻 | |nativename = [[Brahmi]]: 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀭𑀸𑀱𑁆𑀝𑁆𑀭𑀻, | ||
[[Modi script|Modi]]: 𑘦𑘮𑘰𑘨𑘰𑘬𑘿𑘘𑘿𑘨𑘲 | |||
|era=500 BCE<ref name="ReferenceA">V.Rajwade, ''Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte''</ref><ref name="The Linguist List">[http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh The Linguist List] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225003616/http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh |date=2009-12-25 }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">Dr.Kolarkar, ''Marathyancha Itihaas''</ref> – | |region= [[Maharashtra]], [[India]]. | ||
|era=500 BCE<ref name="ReferenceA">V.Rajwade, ''Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte''</ref><ref name="The Linguist List">[http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh The Linguist List] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225003616/http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh |date=2009-12-25 }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">Dr.Kolarkar, ''Marathyancha Itihaas''</ref> – 1000 CE; developed into [[Marathi language|Marathi]] and [[Konkani language|Konkani]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indianscriptures.com/Common/GeneratePDF?pkey=Languages+of+Lakshadweep&ano=1935 |title = Hindu Scriptures {{!}} Vedic lifestyle, Scriptures, Vedas, Upanishads, Smrutis}}</ref> | |||
|familycolor=Indo-European | |familycolor=Indo-European | ||
|fam2=[[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]] | |fam2=[[Indo-Iranian languages|Indo-Iranian]] | ||
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}} | }} | ||
'''Maharashtri''' or '''Maharashtri Prakrit''' (''{{IAST|Mahārāṣṭrī Prākṛta}}'') | '''Maharashtri''' or '''Maharashtri Prakrit''' (''{{IAST|Mahārāṣṭrī Prākṛta}}'') is a [[Prakrit]] language of ancient as well as medieval India.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.goakonkaniakademi.org/konkaniweb/language-literature.htm |title=Roots of Konkani |publisher=Goa Konkani Akademi |language=English, Konkani |accessdate=2009-09-03 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828171254/http://www.goakonkaniakademi.org/konkaniweb/language-literature.htm |archivedate=2008-08-28 }}</ref><ref name="The Linguist List" /> | ||
Maharashtri Prakrit was commonly spoken until 875 CE<ref name="ReferenceA">V.Rajwade, ''Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte''</ref><ref name="The Linguist List">[http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh The Linguist List] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225003616/http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh |date=2009-12-25 }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">Dr.Kolarkar, ''Marathyancha Itihaas''</ref> and was the official language of the [[Satavahana dynasty]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q3tAqIU0dPsC&q=official+language+Maharashtri+Prakrit+Satavahanas&pg=PA118|title=One Thousand Languages: Living, Endangered, and Lost|last=Austin|first=Peter|publisher=University of California Press|year=2008|isbn=978-0520255609|location=California|pages=118}}</ref> Works like ''Karpūramañjarī'' and [[ | Maharashtri Prakrit was commonly spoken until 875 CE<ref name="ReferenceA">V.Rajwade, ''Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte''</ref><ref name="The Linguist List">[http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh The Linguist List] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225003616/http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh |date=2009-12-25 }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">Dr.Kolarkar, ''Marathyancha Itihaas''</ref> and was the official language of the [[Satavahana dynasty]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q3tAqIU0dPsC&q=official+language+Maharashtri+Prakrit+Satavahanas&pg=PA118|title=One Thousand Languages: Living, Endangered, and Lost|last=Austin|first=Peter|publisher=University of California Press|year=2008|isbn=978-0520255609|location=California|pages=118}}</ref> Works like ''Karpūramañjarī'' and [[Gatha Saptashati]] (150 BCE) were written in it. [[Jainism|Jain]] Acharya [[Hemachandra]] is the grammarian of Maharashtri Prakrit. Maharashtri Prakrit was the most widely used Prakrit language in western and southern India. | ||
==History== | ==History== | ||
The rise of the [[Prakrit]]s is dated to the middle of the second millennium BCE when they existed alongside [[Vedic Sanskrit]] and later evolved into highly developed literary languages.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Dani|first1=A. H.|title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia|date=June 1993|publisher=Unesco Publishing|isbn=92-3-102719-0|page=357|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6lPzhfNRZ9IC&pg=PA357}}</ref> It is a subject of scholarly debate as to whether Sanskrit or the Prakrits are older with some scholars contending that Sanskrit was born out of the Prakrits.<ref name="EBPrakrit" /> According to the Sanskrit scholar, Rajaramshastri Bhagawat, Maharashtri is older and more vivacious than Sanskrit.<ref>{{cite web|title=Submission for Classical Status Of Marathi Language|date=November 2013|page=81|url=https://marathibhasha.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/pdf/english/main.pdf|accessdate=25 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411025852/https://marathibhasha.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/pdf/english/main.pdf|archive-date=11 April 2016|url-status=dead}} {{ | The rise of the [[Prakrit]]s is dated to the middle of the second millennium BCE when they existed alongside [[Vedic Sanskrit]] and later evolved into highly developed literary languages.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Dani|first1=A. H.|title=History of Civilizations of Central Asia|date=June 1993|publisher=Unesco Publishing|isbn=92-3-102719-0|page=357|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6lPzhfNRZ9IC&pg=PA357}}</ref> It is a subject of scholarly debate as to whether Sanskrit or the Prakrits are older with some scholars contending that Sanskrit was born out of the Prakrits.<ref name="EBPrakrit" /> According to the Sanskrit scholar, Rajaramshastri Bhagawat, Maharashtri is older and more vivacious than Sanskrit.<ref>{{cite web|title=Submission for Classical Status Of Marathi Language|date=November 2013|page=81|url=https://marathibhasha.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/pdf/english/main.pdf|accessdate=25 June 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160411025852/https://marathibhasha.maharashtra.gov.in/Site/pdf/english/main.pdf|archive-date=11 April 2016|url-status=dead}} {{blockquote|Through many evidences Ketkar and Bhagwat have demonstrated that Marathi has not originated from Sanskrit but it is as old as Sanskrit. While highlighting the conclusion of research of Rajaramshastri Bhagwat, [[Durga Bhagwat]] (1979, p. 2) remarks, "He showed that old Mahārāṣṭrī is older and more vivacious than Sanskrit." It is an important observation and view both as it comes from Rajaramshastri Bhagwat and Durgabai Bhagwat who were both scholars of Sanskrit and Marathi and their dialects, respectively.}}</ref> | ||
[[Vararuchi]], the oldest known grammarian of Prakrit, devotes four chapters of his ''Prakrita-Prakasha'' ({{IAST3|Prákṛta-Prakāśa}}) to the grammar of Maharashtri Prakrit. The other popular | [[Vararuchi]], the oldest known grammarian of Prakrit, devotes four chapters of his ''Prakrita-Prakasha'' ({{IAST3|Prákṛta-Prakāśa}}) to the grammar of Maharashtri Prakrit. The other popular Prakrits; [[Shauraseni]], [[Magadhi Prakrit|Magadhi]], [[Ardhamagadhi]], and [[Paishachi]], have only one each.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Verma|first1=C.B.|last2=Varma|first2=C.B.|title=The Prakrit Bloom|journal=[[Indian Literature (journal)|Indian Literature]]|date=2002|volume=46|issue=1 (207)|page=144|jstor=23344538}}</ref> Poet [[Daṇḍin|Dandin]] ({{floruit|6th–7th century}}) in his [[Kavyadarsha]] grants it the highest status among all Prakrits.<ref name="EBPrakrit">{{cite web|title=Prakrit languages|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Prakrit-languages|publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica}}</ref> | ||
==Demographics== | ==Demographics== | ||
Maharashtri is the most attested amongst all [[Prakrit]] languages.<ref>{{cite book|title=Introduction to Prakrit|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.531194|author=Alfred C. Woolner}}</ref> It was spoken from [[Malwa]] and [[Rajputana]] (north) to the [[Krishna River]] and [[Tungabhadra River]] region (south). Historians agree that Maharashtri and other Prakrit languages prevailed in what is now modern [[Maharashtra]].<ref name="ReferenceA">V.Rajwade, ''Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte''</ref> | Maharashtri is the most attested amongst all [[Prakrit]] languages.<ref>{{cite book|title=Introduction to Prakrit|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.531194|author=Alfred C. Woolner|date=1928 }}</ref> It was spoken from [[Malwa]] and [[Rajputana]] (north) to the [[Krishna River]] and [[Tungabhadra River]] region (south). Historians agree that Maharashtri and other Prakrit languages prevailed in what is now modern [[Maharashtra]].<ref name="ReferenceA">V.Rajwade, ''Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte''</ref> Maharashtri was widely spoken in [[Western India]] and even as far south as [[Kannada language|Kannada]]-speaking region.<ref>C. V. Vaidya, ''History of Medieval Hindu India, Being a History of India from 600 to 1200 AD,'' in 3 vols.: Vol. I, p. 317. {{ISBN|81-7020-438-0}}</ref> | ||
Maharashtri was widely spoken in [[Western India]] and even as far south as [[Kannada language|Kannada]]-speaking region.<ref>C. V. Vaidya, ''History of Medieval Hindu India, Being a History of India from 600 to 1200 AD,'' in 3 vols.: Vol. I, p. 317. {{ISBN|81-7020-438-0}}</ref> | |||
==Early literature== | ==Early literature== | ||
The ''[[ | ''"Paumachariyam"'', written by [[Vimalsuri]] is the earliest known [[Jainism|Jain]] version of the [[Ramayana]] and the oldest work of literature written in Maharashtri Prakrit.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Agrawal |first=Dr Mukta |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Rd3-EAAAQBAJ&dq=%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B2+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80&pg=PA137 |title=Vaishivk Paridrashya Main Ram - Sahaitya |publisher=Sadbhawana Publication |isbn=978-81-965928-2-0 |language=hi}}</ref> The ''[[Gatha Saptashati]]'' is attributed to King [[Hāla]] (r. 20-24 CE). Other Maharashtri Prakrit works include the Setubandha of [[Pravarasena II]], Karpuramañjarī and Sri Harivijay. The language was used by Vakpati to write the poem ''[[Gaudavaho]]''.<ref name="The Linguist List">[http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh The Linguist List] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225003616/http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=pmh |date=2009-12-25 }}</ref><ref name="ReferenceB">Dr.Kolarkar, ''Marathyancha Itihaas''</ref> It is also used in the dialogue and songs of low-class characters in Sanskrit plays, especially the famous dramatist [[Kalidasa|Kālidāsa]].<ref name="The Linguist List" /> | ||
== | ==Patronage== | ||
Maharashtri was the official language of the Satavahana dynasty | Maharashtri was the official language of the Satavahana dynasty.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q3tAqIU0dPsC&q=official+language+Maharashtri+Prakrit+Satavahanas&pg=PA118|title=One Thousand Languages: Living, Endangered, and Lost|last=Peter|first=Austin|publisher=University of California Press|year=2008|isbn=978-0520255609|location=California|pages=118}}</ref> Under the patronage of the Satavahana Empire, Maharashtri became the most widespread Prakrit of its time, and also dominated the literary culture amongst the three [[Dramatic Prakrit|Dramatic Prakrits]] of the time, Maharashtri, Shauraseni and Magadhi. A version of Maharashtri called ''Jaina Maharashtri'' was also employed to write Jain scripture.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} | ||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* [[Marathi language|Marathi]] | |||
* [[Malvani Konkani]] | * [[Malvani Konkani]] | ||
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[[Category:Prakrit languages]] | [[Category:Prakrit languages]] | ||
[[Category:Indo-Aryan languages]] | [[Category:Indo-Aryan languages]] | ||
[[Category:Southern Indo-Aryan languages]] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:47, 11 January 2026
| Maharashtri | |
|---|---|
| Mahārāṣṭri | |
| Brahmi: 𑀫𑀳𑀸𑀭𑀸𑀱𑁆𑀝𑁆𑀭𑀻, Modi: 𑘦𑘮𑘰𑘨𑘰𑘬𑘿𑘘𑘿𑘨𑘲 | |
| Region | Maharashtra, India. |
| Era | 500 BCE[1][2][3] – 1000 CE; developed into Marathi and Konkani[4] |
Indo-European
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | pmh |
pmh | |
| Glottolog | maha1305 |
Maharashtri or Maharashtri Prakrit (Mahārāṣṭrī Prākṛta) is a Prakrit language of ancient as well as medieval India.[5][2]
Maharashtri Prakrit was commonly spoken until 875 CE[1][2][3] and was the official language of the Satavahana dynasty.[6] Works like Karpūramañjarī and Gatha Saptashati (150 BCE) were written in it. Jain Acharya Hemachandra is the grammarian of Maharashtri Prakrit. Maharashtri Prakrit was the most widely used Prakrit language in western and southern India.
History[edit | edit source]
The rise of the Prakrits is dated to the middle of the second millennium BCE when they existed alongside Vedic Sanskrit and later evolved into highly developed literary languages.[7] It is a subject of scholarly debate as to whether Sanskrit or the Prakrits are older with some scholars contending that Sanskrit was born out of the Prakrits.[8] According to the Sanskrit scholar, Rajaramshastri Bhagawat, Maharashtri is older and more vivacious than Sanskrit.[9]
Vararuchi, the oldest known grammarian of Prakrit, devotes four chapters of his Prakrita-Prakasha (IAST: Prákṛta-Prakāśa) to the grammar of Maharashtri Prakrit. The other popular Prakrits; Shauraseni, Magadhi, Ardhamagadhi, and Paishachi, have only one each.[10] Poet Dandin (fl. 6th–7th century) in his Kavyadarsha grants it the highest status among all Prakrits.[8]
Demographics[edit | edit source]
Maharashtri is the most attested amongst all Prakrit languages.[11] It was spoken from Malwa and Rajputana (north) to the Krishna River and Tungabhadra River region (south). Historians agree that Maharashtri and other Prakrit languages prevailed in what is now modern Maharashtra.[1] Maharashtri was widely spoken in Western India and even as far south as Kannada-speaking region.[12]
Early literature[edit | edit source]
"Paumachariyam", written by Vimalsuri is the earliest known Jain version of the Ramayana and the oldest work of literature written in Maharashtri Prakrit.[13] The Gatha Saptashati is attributed to King Hāla (r. 20-24 CE). Other Maharashtri Prakrit works include the Setubandha of Pravarasena II, Karpuramañjarī and Sri Harivijay. The language was used by Vakpati to write the poem Gaudavaho.[2][3] It is also used in the dialogue and songs of low-class characters in Sanskrit plays, especially the famous dramatist Kālidāsa.[2]
Patronage[edit | edit source]
Maharashtri was the official language of the Satavahana dynasty.[14] Under the patronage of the Satavahana Empire, Maharashtri became the most widespread Prakrit of its time, and also dominated the literary culture amongst the three Dramatic Prakrits of the time, Maharashtri, Shauraseni and Magadhi. A version of Maharashtri called Jaina Maharashtri was also employed to write Jain scripture.[citation needed]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 V.Rajwade, Maharashtrache prachin rajyakarte
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Linguist List Archived 2009-12-25 at the Wayback Machine
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Dr.Kolarkar, Marathyancha Itihaas
- ↑ "Hindu Scriptures | Vedic lifestyle, Scriptures, Vedas, Upanishads, Smrutis".
- ↑ "Roots of Konkani" (in English and Konkani). Goa Konkani Akademi. Archived from the original on 2008-08-28. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ↑ Austin, Peter (2008). One Thousand Languages: Living, Endangered, and Lost. California: University of California Press. p. 118. ISBN 978-0520255609.
- ↑ Dani, A. H. (June 1993). History of Civilizations of Central Asia. Unesco Publishing. p. 357. ISBN 92-3-102719-0.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Prakrit languages". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ↑ "Submission for Classical Status Of Marathi Language" (PDF). November 2013. p. 81. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
Through many evidences Ketkar and Bhagwat have demonstrated that Marathi has not originated from Sanskrit but it is as old as Sanskrit. While highlighting the conclusion of research of Rajaramshastri Bhagwat, Durga Bhagwat (1979, p. 2) remarks, "He showed that old Mahārāṣṭrī is older and more vivacious than Sanskrit." It is an important observation and view both as it comes from Rajaramshastri Bhagwat and Durgabai Bhagwat who were both scholars of Sanskrit and Marathi and their dialects, respectively.
- ↑ Verma, C.B.; Varma, C.B. (2002). "The Prakrit Bloom". Indian Literature. 46 (1 (207)): 144. JSTOR 23344538.
- ↑ Alfred C. Woolner (1928). Introduction to Prakrit.
- ↑ C. V. Vaidya, History of Medieval Hindu India, Being a History of India from 600 to 1200 AD, in 3 vols.: Vol. I, p. 317. ISBN 81-7020-438-0
- ↑ Agrawal, Dr Mukta. Vaishivk Paridrashya Main Ram - Sahaitya (in हिन्दी). Sadbhawana Publication. ISBN 978-81-965928-2-0.
- ↑ Peter, Austin (2008). One Thousand Languages: Living, Endangered, and Lost. California: University of California Press. p. 118. ISBN 978-0520255609.