A Grammar of the Prakrit Languages

Prakrit has a vast literature but it had no systematic comprehensive grammar. Scholars like Vararuci, Hemacandra, Trivikrama, Markandeya, Laksmidhara, Krsna Pandit, Ramasarana Tarkavagisa had indeed their own grammars but they differed immensely in respect of their contents. Lessen was the first who tried to systematize Prakrit grammar but he wrote in Latin. Then came Pischel who nalysed not only the exgtant Prakrit grammars but studied minutely the whole of extant Prakrit literature and collected first hand information about this important language. As a result of his study he brought out a systematized comprehensive grammar of Prakrit language in German. His voluminous work has continued for decades to be the only reliable authority on Prakrit grammar. The present volume is an English translatioin of the German original of Pischel and contains a complte index of Prakrit words. The translator has taken keen interest in the comparative study of the grammars of Prakrit languages in the light of several Prakrit grammars available. The present revised edition is the result of his life-long interest ini Prakrit language and literature.