Maharashtri
| Maharashtri | |
|---|---|
| महाराष्ट्री प्राकृत | |
| Region | Maharashtra and some parts of India |
| Era | 500 BCE – 500 CE; developed into Marathi, Konkani, Dhivehi (Maldives), and Sinhalese |
|
Indo-European
|
|
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | |
|
Linguist list
|
pmh |
| Glottolog | maha1305 |
Maharastri or Maharashtri Prakrit (Mahārāṣṭri Prākṛt), is a language of ancient and medieval India which is the ancestor of Marathi and Konkani, It is one of the many languages (often called dialects) of a complex called Prakrit, and the chief Dramatic Prakrit. Maharashtri was spoken for 1000 years (500 BCE to 500 CE). It was used in numerous works of literature, and its literary use was made famous by the Sanskrit playwright Kālidāsa.
Maharashtri Prakrit was commonly spoken until 875 CE and was the official language of the Satavahana dynasty. Works like Karpurmanjari and Saptashati (150 BCE) were written in it. Maharashtri Prakrit was the most widely used Prakrit language in western and southern India.
Maharashtri apabhraṃśas remained in use until the 13th century and was used widely in Jain literature and formed an important link in the evolution of Marathi. This form of Apabhraṃśa was re-Sanskritised and eventually became Marathi.
It is a subject of scholarly debate as to whether Sanskrit or the Prakrits are older with some scholars contending that Sanskrit was born out of the Prakrits. According to the Sanskrit scholar, Rajaramshastri Bhagawat, Maharashtri is older and more vivacious than Sanskrit.Vararuchi, the oldest known grammarian of Prakrit, devotes four chapters of his Prakrita-Prakasha (IAST: Prákṛita-Prakáśa) to the grammar of Maharashtri. Shauraseni, Ardhamagadhi, and Paishachi, the other popular Prakrits, merit only one each. In his Kavyadarsha, Dandin (fl. 6th–7th century) grants Maharashtri the highest status among all Prakrits.
...
Wikipedia