Introduction to Prakrit

by Alfred C. Woolner

Introduction to Prakrit provides the reader with a guide for the more attentive and scholarly study of Prakrit occurring in Sanskrit plays, poetry and prose-both literary and inscriptional. It presents a general view of the subject with special stress on Sauraseni and Maharastri Prakrit system.

The book is divided into two parts. Part I consists of I-XI Chapters which deal with the three periods of Indo-Aryan speech. The three stages of the Middle Period, the literary and spoken Prakrits, their classification and characteristics, their system of Single and Compound Consonants, Vowels, Sandhi, Declension, Conjugation and their history of literature. Part II consists of a number of extracts from Sanskrit and Prakrit literature which illustrate different types of Prakrit-Sauraseni, Maharastri, Magadhi, Ardhamagadhi, Avanti, Apabhramsa, etc., most of which are translated into English.

The book contains valuable information on the Phonetics and Grammar of the Dramatic Prakrits-Sauraseni and Maharastri. It is documented with an Index as well as a Students Bibliography.

Review:

The present book provides the reader with a guide for the more attentive and scholarly study of Prankrit occurring in Sanskrit Plays, Poetry and Prose-both literary and inscriptional. It presents a gerenal view of the subject with special stress on Sauraseni and Maharastri Prakrit system.