अपभ्रंश संधि-काव्यो

Summary

R. M. Shah’s Gujarati essay Apabhramsa Sandhi-Kavya introduces readers to a unique genre of medieval Apabhramsha poetry focused on sandhi, the euphonic junctions between words. Shah traces the emergence of this genre within Jain literary circles, noting that medieval poets experimented with various grammatical junctions to create intricate verses that delighted both linguists and aesthetes. He surveys examples from Hemachandra’s Deśināmamālā and the commentaries of later scholars to show how sandhi-kavya developed from simple exercises in euphony into sophisticated poetic compositions. The essay catalogues different types of sandhi-poems, such as those using consonant conjuncts, vowel elisions and metrical variations, and cites numerous verses to illustrate each type. Shah explains that beyond their technical virtuosity these poems often carry devotional or didactic themes, praising tirthankaras, recounting moral tales or expressing philosophical reflections in a playful style. He emphasises the role of Jain monks and lay scholars in preserving and transmitting this poetic heritage through anthologies and oral tradition. The essay also discusses the linguistic significance of Apabhramsha sandhi, showing how its patterns illuminate the transition from Prakrit to early New Indo-Aryan languages. By drawing attention to a largely neglected corpus, Shah makes a case for further study of Apabhramsha literature and its contribution to Indian poetics and historical linguistics.