Contributions of Sanskrit Inscriptions to Lexicography
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SHASTRI INDO-CANADIAN INSTITUTE 92, GOLF LINKS, NEW DELHM10003. INDIA CONTRIBUTIONS OF SANSKRIT INSCRIPTIONS TO LEXICOGRAPHY Contributions of Sanskrit Inscriptions to Lexicography S.P. TEWARI Allahabad Museum, Allahabad 1987 AGAM KALA PRAKASHAN DELHI-110052 First Published 1987 SHITALA PRASAD TEWARI (b. 1944) c* Published by : Dr. Agam Prasad, M.A., Ph.D., Diploma in Muscology for AGAM KALA PRAKASHAN 34, Central Market, Ashok Vihar, Delhi-1 10052, Phone 7113395 Printed by : Print India, A-38/2, Maya Puri, Phase I, New Delhi-1 10064 Nijopajna prajnd prasara parivisphara mukurl, Pad-arthanam s-arthah pratiphalati yesham-avitathah. Giram gramo ylsham-adharam-adhisetl svayam-ayam, Namas-tlbhyo sadbhyas-tilakita jagadbhyah kim-aparam. x x Indras-Chandrah Kasakritsn-Apisall Sakatciyanah, Paniny-Amara-Jainlndm Jayanty-ashtadi sabdikah. Dedicated as a tribute to the pioneering works of James Prinsep, George Biihler, E. Hultzsch, J.F. Fleet, F. Kielhorn, H. Liiders, D.R. Bhandarkar, V.V. Mirashi and D.C. Sircar. CONTENTS Page Preface ix 1. Introduction : Significance of Epigraphs in Relation to Lexicography 1 2. The Words Referred to in the Inscriptions but not Included in Dictionaries so far 3. The Words Used in the Inscriptions with a Different Shade of Meaning than Defined in Dictionaries 24 f 4. The desi Words Used in their Sanskritized Forms 75 5. The Words which have been Improperly/Mistakenly Deciphered by the Epigraphists 86 Appendix I : The Lexicographical Import of 93 Certain Words Explained in Bigger Details ; (0 Ashfapushpikd, 93 (ft) Chaturddanta, 96 (111) Choksha, 107 (/v) Dvirada-danava, 117 (v) Gurubhir-ahhyasta-naman, 12Q (v/) Harita-kalapaka, 136 (v//) Katiika, 142 (v///) Mlgha-dambara, 149 (tx) Niryyuha, 157 viii Contributions of Sanskrit Inscriptions to Lexicography Pages (x) ParivahamTdha-vidhanam, 164 (xi) Patyupurika, 169 (xii) Prati-nartaka, 174 (xiii) Puramdara-nandana, 178 (xiv) Sugnhita-naman, 184 (xv) Upakarika, 203 (xvi) Varika,2W Appendix II : An Alphabetical List of all the Words Discussed 212 Bibliography 218 Index 229 PREFACE In the day to day job of a professional epigraphist, the need for consulting dictionaries, various lists and indexes is such that jocularly many of them are known as the pandits of dictionaries and indexes \klchid-dictionarykechidklchid-indexpanditah. The reason behind this call for dictionaries and indexes in the job is that we come across so many words in the inscriptions which are some times not found in the dictionaries at all or, if they are included in the dictionaries, the shade of their meaning is different in the context in which the word has been used in the inscription. Many times, desi words are used in their sanskritized forms and in certain cases even well known Sanskrit words are used in their desi forms. But, the most troublesome words are those (and such words are never found in dictionaries) which come out as a part of the faulty reading made by the epigraphists due to the mutilat- ed defaced or the fragmentary nature of the inscription itself. All such words (broadly classified in four groups) scattered in the pages of the journals like Epigraphia Indica and others, have been collated and examined here in this monograph at some length. Although every editor of a record has tried to draw our attention towards the words and expressions of lexicographical interest occurring in that particular record, J.F. Fleet was most probably the first, who nearly a century back highlighted the occurrence (and also the need for collating and examining) of many words and phrases from the inscriptions which were not listed in any existing dictionary. This lacking on the part of existing dictionaries of Sanskrit and Prakrit was amply demons- trated by F. Kielhorn, in his introductory notes and comments of the inscriptions he edited. Let me put it here, even at the cost of sounding slightly irrelevent to the theme, that Kielhorn till today, enjoys an unsurpassed credit of editing the most difficult (yet beautiful) records composed in Sanskrit language and the job x Contributions of Sanskrit Inscriptions to Lexicography of editing does include the translation with explanation of every word he has deciphered including some of the hard nuts. Besides these pioneers of the early stages, it is possibly D.C. Sircar, who has contributed most to the field of Indian Epigraphy and Lexicography. As early as the year 1 949 he emphasized the need for such studies when he presented a paper on "Epigraphy and Lexicography in India" before the XVth All India Oriental Conference held at Bombay. Subsequently he also brought out the Indian Epigraphical Glossary which still remains as the only major work in the joint field of epigraphy and lexicography. Inspite of the usefulness of the glossary of Sircar to the great extent, the need for collating and examining such words and ex- pressions which do not figure in the modern Prakrit, Pali and Sanskrit dictionaries, rather independently, remains still a long felt desideratum. Likewise, the sphere of Sircar's paper on "Epigraphy and Lexicography in India'' requires further expansion from its exclusive treatment of the technical terms and expressions of only the charter of Vishnusena. Similar is the need, in case of the words and expressions of other groups out of the four I have specified above. An attempt is made here, probably for the first time, to collate and examine all such words which have been found of lexical interest by the eminent epigraphists and the editors of the records like, Blihler, Hultzsch, Fleet, Kielhorn, Sten Konow, Liiders, N.L. Rao, Mirashi, Chhabra, Sircar and many others. The original comments of these epigraphists, in case of such words, as and when found necessary, have been quoted. The big advantage of this compilation and our own perusal of the texts of the inscriptions published in the pages of nearly fourty volumes of the Epigraphia Indica has been that in many cases although the epigraphist who noted the rare occurrence of a parti- cular word from an inscription could hardly suggest anything (for want of help from the dictionaries) as to the exact meaning or even the broad sense of that word, we have been able to either explain the exact meaning of that word or at least suggest the broad sense of it in general. It has been possible by the scrutiny of the contexts in which such words have occurred for more than once. In some cases, a rechecking of the original writing of a record has also proved of great help. Inspite of all this, I admit Preface xi that in certain cases for want of more references and also on account of my own limitations, I have not been able to suggest anything and in such cases, that particular word is simply listed here with the remarks of that epigraphist who brought the word to light for the first time. All this has been done with the sole aim of drawing the attention of our linguists and lexicographers. It is really strange to note that although the bulk of literature in the form of so many new inscriptions has been growing for more than a century or so, hardly any of the dictionaries of the Sanskrit language and literature have taken cognizance of it. If this short monograph on the contributions of Sanskrit inscriptions to lexicography succeeds in catching the eye of our learned compilers of the dictionaries, I will consider my labour rewarded. In completion of this work I owe a great deal of gracitude to and friends. In my gurus, elders, the first instance, I recall the encouraging words of guidance I received from Prof. V.S. Pathak, University of Gorakhpur, Prof. J.G. de of The Casparis, University Leiden, Netherlands, Dr. S.D. Singh, University of Queensland, Prof. A.M. Shastri, Nagpur, Prof. S.H. Ritti of Dharwar and others. For the kind words of appreciation to my work I acknow- ledge with gratitude the names of Prof. G.C Pande, Chairman, Allahabad Museum Society, Allahabad, Dr. S.C. Kala, Shri R.C. Tripathi, D.G. A.S.I., New Delhi, Dr. S.P. Gupta, National Museum, New Delhi, Prof. J.S. Negi, Prof. B.N.S. Yadava, Prof. U.N. Rai, Dr. G.C. Tripathi, Dr. Om Prakash and others from Allahabad. Just like the word slddh im precedes the draft of each and every epigraph, I acknowledge with thanks the name of my senior Dr. K.V. Ramesh, Director Epigraphy, A.S.I. Mysore. I enjoyed his a the benefit of company for such long time that it is really difficult for me to assess as to how much of his scholarship has unknowingly got filtered into the pages of this work. From the long list of friends and admirers if I plan to record the favours I received from all of them, I may have to add an appendix to this monograph and that will be an unwanted burden on my readers. However, I feel duty-bound to acknow- ledge the help of those absence of which would have hampered xii Contributions of Sanskrit Inscriptions to Lexicography the very progress of this work. Being poor as I am in the field of formalities, I happily record all the help I received from Ms. Cynthia Talbot during her stay in Mysore and also later. I am for the of of the particularly beholden to her job proof reading manuscript and a very scholarly retouching of the draft of this monograph as a whole. If there is any credit due to me on account of this work she deserves the biggest chunk of it. For an indirect but timely boost to morality I received from the side of Di.