About the Book:

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.

CONTENTS

PREFACE
TABLE OF TRANSLITERATION

PART. I. CHAPTER I: SUBJECT DEFINED.
     Three periods of Indo-Aryan speech - Three stages of the middle period - Various uses of the word Prakrit

CHAPTER II: PRAKRITS
     Enumeration of the more important literary Prakrits

CHAPTER III: GENERAL CHARACTER OF PRAKRIT.
     Remains synthetic - Grammar simplified - Phonetic changes - assimilation - Parallel of Romance languages

CHAPTER IV. PHONETICS. SINGLE CONSONANTS.
     A. Initial - B. Medial - C. Final

CHAPTER V: COMPOUND CONSONANTS
     Assimilation - Two Mutes - Nasal and Mute - Mute and Sibilant - Semivowel and Mute - Two Nasals - Nasal and Sibilant - Nasal and Semivowels Sibilant and Semivowel - Two Semivowels - Svarabhakti

CHAPTER VI: VOWELS
     Substitutes for r - for ai, au - Change of Quantity - Lengthening - Shortening - Vowel for Vowel - Omission of Vowels - Samprasarana - Epenthesis.

CHAPTER VII: SANDHI.
     A. Consonants - Vowels

CHAPTER VIII: DECLENSION.
     A Stems - I stems - U Stems - Feminine declension - Variants - R stems - AN stems - IN Stems - AT stems - S stems - Pronouns - Numerals

CHAPTER IX: CONJUGATION
     Indicative - Imperative - Optative - Future - Passive - Causatives - Participles and Infinitive - Gerund - Irregualr Verbs - Past Participles - Irregular Indicatives - Irregualr Futures - Irregular Futures - Irregular Passives - Infinitives - Gerundives

CHAPTE X: CLASSIFICATION OF PRAKRITS
     Magadhi - Dialects of Magadhi - Ardha Magadhi - Jain Maharastri - Jain Sauraseni - Geographical classification - Paisaci - Old Prakrit (Asokan, Pali, Asvaghosa) - Apabhramsa

CHAPTER XI: PRAKRIT LITERATURE
     Jain Literature - Ardha Magadhi angas - Jain Maharastri - Kavya:- Setubandha - Gaudavaho - Hala - Dramatic Prakrits - Prakrit Grammars

PART II.

Extract No. 1.	Sauraseni. Ratnavali - (Dialogue) - Translation
Extract No. 2.	Sauraseni. Ratnavali - (The Picture) -Translation
Extract No. 3.	Sauraseni. Sakuntala - (Vidusaka) -Translation
Extract No. 4.	Sauraseni. Sakuntala - (Before the King) -Translation
Extract No. 5.	Sauraseni. Karpura manjari - (Heroine and Tunnel)
Extract No. 6.	Sauraseni. Same Play - (Puns)
Extract No. 7.	Sauraseni. Mrcchakatikam - (Scene with the child)
Extract No. 8.	Sauraseni. Same Play - (Jester admires the door)
Extract No. 9.	Maharastri. Verses from Sattasai of Hala.
Extract No. 10.	Maharastri. Five Songs from Sakuntala
Extract No. 11.	Maharastri. Three Verses from Mrcchakatikam
Extract No. 12.	Maharastri. Six Verses from the Camphor Cluster
Extract No. 13.	Maharastri. Ratnavali - One Song and Three Verses
Extract No. 14.	Maharastri. Setubandha - Building the Causeway - Rama's head - Sita's lament - Return to Ayodhya - Translation
Extract No. 15.	Jain Maharastri. Mandio the Robber -Translation
Extract No. 16.	Jain Maharastri. Domuha -King Doubleface -Translation
Extract No. 17.	Jain Maharastri. Kakkuka Inscription -Translation
Extract No. 18.	Jain Maharastri. Kalakacarya - Story of the Shahi -Translation
Extract No. 19.	Ardha-Magadhi. Udayana -Translation
Extract No. 20.	Ardha-Magadhi. Uvasagadasao - Saddalaputta the Potter -Translation
Extract No. 21.	Ardha-Magadhi. Kalpasutra - The King's Toilet -Translation
Extract No. 22.	Magadhi. Sakuntala. Fisherman and the Police
Extract No. 23.	Magadhi. Mrcchakatikam. Sthavaraka on the roof.
Extract No. 24.	Magadhi. Same Play. The King's brother-in-law
Extract No. 25.	Magadhi. Same Play. Sakari verses.
Extract No. 26.	Magadhi. Lalita-Vigraharaja. Two Tutushka Prisoners and a Spy.
Extract No. 27.	Avanti and Daksinatya. Mrcchakatikam. Viraka and Candanaka
Extract No. 28.	Pravacanasara
Extract No. 29.	Bhasa
Extract No. 30.	Early Prakrit. Asoka
Extract No. 31.	Pali. Jataka (308)
Extract No. 32.	Pali. Jataka (339)
Extract No. 33.	Pali. Mahavamsa
Extract No. 34.	Old Prakrit. Hathigumpha Inscription
Extract No. 35.	Late Prakrit. Apabhramsa

INDEX AND EXAMPLES
STUDENTS' BIBLIOGRAPHY

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