Consider the following statements about the historicalinscriptions in ...
Justification: Statement 1: This is with reference to Epigraphical Studies in
India - Sanskrit and Dravidian – Language of the inscriptions.
• We are quoting verbatim from ASI’s website, “The language of the
earliest written records, viz., the Asokan edicts, is Prakrit. Besides
Prakrit, Asokan edicts are written in Greek and Aramaic languages
also. All the edicts of Asoka engraved in the Kharoshthi and Brahmi
scripts are in the Prakrit language.
• Thus, originally the language employed in the inscriptions was
Prakrit and Sanskrit was adopted in the inscriptions only at a later
period.”
Statement 2: After the period of Asoka, the use of the Prakrit language
continued in inscriptions for a few more centuries.
• In north India, Prakrit was replaced by Sanskrit about the end of 3rd
century A.D. while this change took place about a century later in
south India.
• From the 4th century onwards, with the rise of the Guptas, Sanskrit
became the predominant language of Indian epigraphs. So, 2 is
wrong.
• This is because Guptas were great patrons of Brahmanism and
Sanskrit language.
Learning: The contemporary rulers of the Guptas, in central India and
parts of the Deccan, like the Vakatakas, the Kadambas and later Gangas of
Karnataka and the Pallavas in south India also employed Sanskrit in their
inscriptions.
The copper-plate charters of the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Pandyas are
written in both Sanskrit and Tamil languages.
Q Source: Improvisation: Page 5: NCERT 6th History: Our Pasts-I
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Consider the following statements about the historicalinscriptions in ...
The correct answer is option 'A', i.e., only statement 1 is correct.
Explanation:
1. All the edicts of Asoka engraved in the Kharoshthi and Brahmi scripts are in the Prakrit language:
The edicts of Ashoka, the Mauryan emperor, were inscribed on pillars and rocks throughout his empire. These edicts were written in the Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts, which were the scripts used during that time. The inscriptions were primarily written in Prakrit, which was a vernacular language used by the people of that period. Prakrit was derived from Sanskrit and was used for everyday communication rather than religious or formal purposes. The edicts of Ashoka were meant to spread his messages of moral conduct, religious tolerance, and good governance to his subjects. The use of Prakrit in these inscriptions made them accessible to a larger audience.
2. With the rise of the Guptas, Prakrit became the predominant language of Indian epigraphs:
This statement is incorrect. The Gupta Empire, which existed from the 4th to the 6th century CE, saw the emergence of Sanskrit as the predominant language of Indian epigraphs. The Guptas patronized Sanskrit and promoted its use in literature, art, and inscriptions. Sanskrit, being the classical language of ancient India, was considered more prestigious and was associated with religious and intellectual pursuits. Although Prakrit continued to be spoken by the masses, it gradually lost its prominence in official and literary works. Sanskrit became the language of choice for royal inscriptions, religious texts, and courtly literature during the Gupta period.
In conclusion, statement 1 is correct as the edicts of Ashoka were indeed written in Prakrit using Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts. However, statement 2 is incorrect as Prakrit lost its prominence with the rise of the Guptas, and Sanskrit became the predominant language of Indian epigraphs during that period.
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