Consider the following statements about the literary language Apabhramsha : 1. It appeared in recognizable forms by the sixth century. 2. It developed out of mixtures of regional vernaculars with the Prakrits and Sanskrit. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Both 1 and 2. Apabhramsha was a literary language that took recognisable shape by about the sixth century, formed from regional speech mixed with the Prakrits and Sanskrit.
The word means "corrupted" or "fallen away" speech, the name grammarians gave to forms that departed from Sanskrit. A sixth-century Valabhi grant already praises a king for composing in Sanskrit, Prakrit and Apabhramsha, and Jain writers such as Svayambhu and Pushpadanta later wrote epics in it. Apabhramsha is the bridge between the Prakrits and the modern north Indian languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali and Marathi.
A is wrong because statement 2 is also correct: Apabhramsha grew from regional vernaculars blended with Prakrit and Sanskrit. B is wrong because statement 1 is correct too, as it was in recognisable use by the sixth century. D is wrong because both statements are true.
Exam tip: the order to remember is Sanskrit, then the Prakrits, then Apabhramsha, then the modern Indo-Aryan languages.
Practice Questions
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1. Shiva is shown balancing himself on his right leg representing tirobhava.
2. Shiva is shown raising his left leg in bhujangatrasita stance, representing kicking away the illusion from the devotee's mind.
3. The main right hand holds the damaru, Shiva's favourite musical instrument.
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- B.2 only
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Show answer
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