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PREFACE.
The word kúvya in Sanskrit has a more extensive signification than the word poetry in English. Our ancient authorities paid greater attention to the spirit of the composition than to its external form. The rythmical structure of composition was not considered essential to its being classed among the kávyas. Thus the author of Sahitya Darpaua divides kávyas into two classes viz:-Drisya or what is to be seen (represented on the stage) and s'ravya or what is to be heard. All dramatic poems come under the former, while epic and lyric poems are included in the latter.
The Dșisyakávyas or dramas are of twenty eight varieties, of which ten are called Rupakas and the rest Uparupkas.
Every Dris'yakávya is composed partly in Sanskrit and partly in Prakrita.
It is needless to speak here about the Sanskrit. My remarks accordingly will be confined to the Prákrita. Prákrita, according to Hemchandra is derived from prakriti “the Sanskrit." Prakrita is a common name given to all the different dialects originally derived from the Sanskrit such as the Maharastri, S'aurasení &c.
Modern philologists have not yet satisfactorily solved the question whether these dialects are derived directly from the Sanskrit or (through) some of its corruptions. It is contended by some that Páli was the medium through which all the Prákrita dialects came into existence others, consider it more reasonable to hold that the Prákrita dialects have been directly derived from the Sanskrita. This question bas been discussed in the introduction to my Hindi Vyakarana in Bengali, and what I have said there I need not repeat.
So long as the Sanskrit speaking Aryans were confined to their favourite home of Brahinavarta,no great confusion of this language was possible. But when they began to emigrate into different parts of India the pure sanskrit Euphony became affected by the climatic and other influences of the several places to which they resorted. Thus several dialects differing from each other in minute points gradually sprang up under the common name of Prakrita.
Aho ! Shrutgyanam
