Education (4): Language and literature

A separate section called the Śabdādi varga in Amarakośa deals with aspects of language and literature such as–Brāhmī–goddess of learning, vyāhāra–language, śabda–word, vākya–sentence, Vedas and its ancillaries, itihāsa–epics, ānvīkṣikī–logic, daṇḍanīti–Science of Polity, ākhyāyikā–historical prose, kathā–fiction, purāṇa, pravahlikā–riddle, smṛti–code of laws, samāhṛti–compilation, samasyā–part of stanza, kimvadantī–rumour, vārtā–news, ākhyā–a summon, hūti–clamour, vivāda–discussion, upanyāsa–exposition, upodghāta–opposite argument, and so on including words representing various sounds. Some of the terms relating to this topic found in the commentary of Kṣīrasvāmin in the Nānārtha varga are also discussed here.

(a) Brāhmī (I. 5. 1; p. 42)–

[Goddess of learning:]

Of the various synonyms listed by Amarakośa^[1] Brāḥmī is one. Kṣīrasvāmin explains it as “The supreme” Braḥman is also said to be in the form of sound and his consort is Brāḥmī or Sarasvatī–śabdabrahmaṇo'dhiṣṭhātryāḥ paryāyā ete |

(b) Apabhraṃśa (I. 5. 2; p. 42)–

[Ungrammatical language:]

Amarakośa defines Apabhraṃśa as an ungrammatical word.

Kṣīrasvāmin compliments it with citation from Mahābhāṣya^[2] and also remarks that it is a corrupt form of Saṃskṛtam–

saṃskṛtādapabhraṣyata ityapabhraṃśaḥ'pabhraṣṭaḥ śabdaḥ gāvī goṇī gopotalikādiḥ |

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

brāhmī tu bhāratī bhāṣā gīr vāg vāṇī sarasvatī |

[2]:

Vyākaraṇa Mahābhāṣya, Vol. I, p. 14: "gaurityasya śabdasya gāvī goṇī gotā gopotalikā ityevamādayaḥ āpabhraṃśāḥ ||