Maharashtra HSC Ardhamagadhi key terms

The Prakrit language in which the Jain Agamas are preserved, named for its reputed origin in half of the Magadha region; it is the medium of most prescribed HSC prose and verse.

The family of Middle Indo-Aryan vernaculars used in ancient India, of which Ardhamagadhi is one; the term also means 'natural' speech as opposed to the refined Sanskrit.

The Prakrit spoken in the Magadha region, closely related to Ardhamagadhi; the name Ardhamagadhi literally means 'half-Magadhi'.

The canonical scriptures of the Svetambara Jain tradition, traditionally said to contain the teaching of Mahavira; the prescribed prose passages are drawn from them.

A ford-maker, one of the twenty-four Jain teachers who establish the path to liberation; Mahavira, the twenty-fourth, is the central figure of the prescribed texts.

The twenty-fourth Tirthankara of the present era, whose sermons in Ardhamagadhi form the basis of the Jain canon; a frequent subject of prescribed prose and verse.

Omniscience, the perfect knowledge attained by a liberated teacher such as Mahavira; described in the texts as the fruit of long ascetic effort.

Liberation from the cycle of birth and death, the final goal of Jain practice; achieved when all karma is shed and the soul rests in its pure state.

In Jain thought, subtle matter that binds the soul through actions of body, speech and mind; the texts describe its influx, bondage, stoppage and shedding.

Non-violence, the foremost Jain vow, requiring harmlessness towards all living beings in thought, word and deed; a recurring theme of prescribed passages.

A minor vow undertaken by a lay follower, such as abstaining from injury, falsehood and theft; distinguished from the stricter mahavratas of monks.

A lay Jain devotee who follows the teaching while living in the world; the prescribed texts often address such listeners in simple illustrative language.

An ascetic or monk who has renounced worldly life and observes the great vows; a common character type in the prescribed prose narratives.

The Jain doctrine of many-sidedness, holding that reality can be described from several valid viewpoints; explained in the texts through parables such as the blind men and the elephant.

The Jain theory of conditional predication, in which every statement is qualified by 'syat', meaning 'in some respect'; the logical companion of anekantavada.

The chief annual Jain festival of fasting and forgiveness, observed by Svetambaras; prescribed passages sometimes refer to its spiritual significance.

The aesthetic sentiment or relish evoked by a poem, such as compassion, wonder or peace; candidates are asked to identify the dominant rasa in prescribed verses.

A poetic ornament or figure of speech, including simile, metaphor and alliteration; identifying these in prescribed verses is a standard examination task.

Simile, a figure in which one thing is compared to another using words such as 'iva' or 'va'; one of the most common ornaments in Ardhamagadhi verse.

Metaphor, an ornament in which the object of comparison is identified with the subject without a word of comparison; contrasted with upama in prescribed poetry questions.

A metrical pattern of a verse, defined by the number and arrangement of syllables; identifying the metre is part of poetry analysis in this syllabus.

A common Prakrit verse metre of four quarters, used in many prescribed stanzas; also a general word for a verse or stanza.

The phonological combination of a final and an initial sound across word boundaries, such as vowel merging or consonant assimilation; a core grammar topic in the syllabus.

A case ending of a noun or pronoun, marking its grammatical relation such as subject, object or instrument; declension tables must be memorised.

A nominal stem or word base to which case endings are added; the prescribed grammar covers common masculine, feminine and neuter stems.

Grammatical number, whether singular, dual or plural; Ardhamagadhi retains the dual, so verb and noun endings must agree in number.

The conjugated verb form, carrying tense, person and number; the syllabus requires recognition of present, past and imperative forms.

A participle or verbal derivative formed from a root, such as a past passive participle; frequently met in prose passages and tested in grammar exercises.

A secondary suffix added to a noun or adjective to form a new word, such as a patronymic or abstract noun; part of the word-formation section of the grammar paper.

A compound word formed by joining two or more stems, common in Ardhamagadhi prose; candidates are asked to split compounds and name their type.

Translation, the rendering of a passage from one language into another; the paper requires both Ardhamagadhi to Marathi and Marathi to Ardhamagadhi rendering.

Meaning or sense, as opposed to mere word-for-word rendering; a good translation preserves the bhava of the original passage.

The later Middle Indo-Aryan vernaculars that developed from Prakrit; knowledge of this sequence helps place Ardhamagadhi in the history of the language.

The classical refined language of ancient India, from which the Prakrits differ by regular sound changes; comparison of forms is useful in grammar questions.

The twelfth-century Jain scholar and grammarian whose Prakrit grammar describes Ardhamagadhi and other Prakrits; a key name in the history of the language.

A type of Prakrit explanatory verse composition in the Jain commentarial tradition; cited in discussions of Prakrit literary history.

Comparison or analogy used to explain a doctrine; unseen passages often require the candidate to state the point a comparison is meant to illustrate.

The Jain rite of turning back or repentance, in which past faults are confessed; sometimes mentioned in prescribed prose describing lay practice.