Review of Apabhramṣa Bhāṣā Kī Śodha‑Pravṛtiyā

Satya Ranjan Banerjee’s “Apabhramṣa Bhāṣā Kī Śodha‑Pravṛtiyā” (Research Trends in the Apabhramśa Language) is a bibliographic work that lists publications and manuscripts on the Apabhramśa language. The reviewer explains that the second edition greatly expands the first: whereas the original listed 817 works, the new edition contains roughly three thousand items, including printed books, articles and unedited manuscripts. The book is organised into five chapters and an appendix. The first chapter surveys linguistic problems associated with Apabhramśa. Subsequent chapters present annotated bibliographies of publications in Sanskrit, Hindi and English; detailed lists of books and articles (approximately 1,300 titles); and a catalogue of more than a hundred unedited manuscripts. The appendix adds new material and indices. The reviewer notes that the author consulted numerous libraries and archives, making the bibliography exceptionally comprehensive. To appreciate the importance of this work it is useful to understand Apabhramśa. Scholars view Apabhramśa as a literary language representing the final phase of the Middle Indo‑Aryan languages. When Prakrit dialects were formalised in literature, their later variations were called Apabhramśa, and scholars generally treat Apabhramśa separately from the non‑literary Prakrits. By the sixth century Apabhramśa was recognised as a literary language; kings and poets composed inscriptions and poems in it. Much of the surviving Apabhramśa literature is rooted in Jain mythology and ethics. As a bridge between the Prakrits and the New Indo‑Aryan languages, Apabhramśa is crucial for understanding the development of Gujarati, Hindi, Marathi and other vernaculars. The reviewer observes that Banerjee’s bibliography contextualises these linguistic transitions and provides researchers with an indispensable roadmap to the field. The reviewer praises the work’s comprehensiveness and scholarly apparatus. Each entry includes bibliographic details and, where relevant, brief annotations describing the content and significance of the work. The reviewer highlights the inclusion of rare manuscripts and notes that the bibliography corrects errors and omissions from earlier compilations. Such bibliographies are invaluable: by systematically listing books, articles and manuscripts, they guide scholars to reliable sources, save time and help researchers understand what has already been studied. The reviewer concludes that “Apabhramṣa Bhāṣā Kī Śodha‑Pravṛtiyā” will remain a foundational reference for linguists and historians of literature.

Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.