Shramarbhagat Bhasha Vichar
By Narayan M. Kansara
Summary
This long Gujarati essay offers a philological and historical investigation into the language used in a set of medieval Jain texts collectively associated with the Śrāmaraśāsan tradition. After a brief introduction outlining the dating of the manuscripts (ranging from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries), the author surveys the principal works of the corpus and their extant editions. Central to the discussion is a comparison of the Gujarati employed in these texts with both earlier Prakrit and later modern Gujarati. The author identifies phonological shifts, such as the treatment of intervocalic consonants and the assimilation of Sanskrit clusters, as well as morphological changes in verb conjugation and nominal inflection. Attention is also paid to the lexicon: many loanwords from Persian and Arabic are catalogued, alongside indigenous coinages. By juxtaposing these linguistic features with those of contemporary Jain scriptures, the article argues that the Śrāmaraśāsan texts occupy a transitional position between classical Apabhraṃśa and modern Gujarati. The essay also delves into stylistic matters, showing how the authors weave together didactic prose with verses in metres derived from Sanskrit kavya. Quotations from the manuscripts are reproduced with commentary, and the author provides a running exegesis of obscure terms. Beyond linguistics, the paper situates the texts in their socio‑religious milieu. It notes that the Śrāmaraśāsan literature emerged within monastic circles seeking to codify ritual practices and ethical codes for lay followers. References to merchants, pilgrimage networks and guilds suggest that the texts were meant to guide a lay community negotiating colonial modernity. Through a careful reading of colophons, the author reconstructs the patronage networks that sponsored the manuscripts and connects them to Jain communities in Ahmedabad and Saurashtra. The essay concludes by emphasizing the need for critical editions and modern translations of these works so that scholars of Gujarati language and Jain studies can appreciate their contribution to India’s vernacular literary heritage.
Conclusion
By analysing orthographic, phonological and lexical features across several Śrāmaraśāsan manuscripts, the author demonstrates that these Jain texts capture a pivotal stage in the evolution of Gujarati from Apabhraṃśa to its modern form. The study underscores the intertwined nature of linguistic change and religious community formation: vocabulary choices and stylistic devices reflect the concerns of merchants and monks navigating a rapidly changing world. Future editions and translations of Śrāmaraśāsan literature, as advocated here, will not only enrich Gujarati philology but also illuminate Jain social history.