On the Eighteen Desi Languages
Summary
The article examines the concept of the Eighteen Desi Languages, a traditional grouping found within Jain literature. The main argument is that this number, originating in the *Nayndhammakahao* of the Ardhamagadhi Canon around 400 B.C., acquired conventional and traditional importance over time. Consequently, later authors adhered to this specific number even when their linguistic realities might have differed, illustrating a shift from a potentially historical linguistic grouping to a fixed cultural tradition. The author supports this argument by surveying evidence from various Jain texts. The *Nayndhammakahao* is cited as the earliest source, mentioning figures like Prince Megha and Devadatta as being well-versed in the Eighteen Desi Languages. Similar references appear in the *Vivtigasutta*, *Ovavaiyasutta*, and *Rayapaseiya*. Jinadasagani, in his seventh-century A.D. *Nisitha Curni*, mentions the Eighteen Desi languages in the context of Ardhamagadhi. The author then focuses on Udyotanasari's *Kuvalayamala* (778 A.D.), which not only refers to the Eighteen Desi Languages but also attempts to enumerate and illustrate sixteen of them, including Dravidian languages, though the author notes this list is arbitrary and does not fully reflect the contemporary linguistic picture. Other sources discussed include Camundaraya's *Adipurana*, which refers to eighteen languages spoken in various countries, and Bhattskalankadeva's *Karnatantracabdannutisanam* (1604 A.D.). The latter work refers to the "Eighteen Great Languages" alongside seven hundred dialects, explicitly stating their knowledge in the Agamas, even though the author notes no direct canonical reference to them as "Great." The article concludes that while the number eighteen likely denoted a group of regional languages in early times, it became a traditional standard perpetuated by later Jain authors across Prakrit, Sanskrit, and Kannada, eventually influencing cultural idioms like the Kannada "Hadinentu Jatis," which may reflect a transposition of linguistic importance onto social structures.
AI-generated summary, automatically checked against the article text.
Conclusion
The article demonstrates that the concept of the Eighteen Deh or Desi Languages held significant, enduring traditional importance within Jain literature, spanning from the 400 B.C. *Nayndhammakahao* to the 1604 *Karnataka Sabdanusanam*. While the earliest canonical texts likely referenced an actual group of eighteen regional languages, later authors consistently adhered to this numerical convention. Udyotana Sarasvati’s 778 A.D. *Kuvalayamala* notably attempted to enumerate and illustrate these languages, though it actually provided examples for only sixteen. The study reveals that later commentators, such as Camundaraya and Bhattskalankadeva, maintained the traditional number while adapting its context, the latter even adding seven hundred dialects for a more realistic linguistic picture. Ultimately, the number eighteen transformed from a linguistic descriptor into a powerful cultural tradition, eventually influencing Kannada idioms related to castes, thereby illustrating the profound and lasting impact of this early linguistic framework.