[INDOLOGY] ळ in south Indian grantha sanskrit manuscripts

[Anna Aurelia Esposito]

Dear Harry Spier,
I found the same in drama manuscripts written in Malayāḷam script. In  
particular Sanskrit words intervocalic l is replaced by ḷ. This usage  
persevers not only in all manuscripts, but also in the editions  
printed in Malayāḷam script (see e.g. the edition of the “Trivandrum  
Plays” ascribed to Bhasa of Bhāskaran, 1987).

In Cārudatta ascribed to Bhāsa we find for example ḷ in I.2a  
dehaḷīnām, I.13b bahaḷa-, I.13b -kāḷā-, I.26.38 viḷambase, III.8b  
karāḷo, III.10b -kākaḷīṣu, III.12d nīḷa-, in Dūtavākya -kaḷaṅka-  
35.1, -praḷaya- 47c and *49c, -laḷitā- *47a.

So far, no one has been able to explain to me why the l has been  
changed to ḷ in these words, and consistently in every manuscript (and  
also in the printed edition). A possible explanation would be, as you  
suggest, that one scribe read the text and the other wrote it; but in  
some cases it is evident from the errors in the manuscripts that the  
text was copied and not written down by hearing. I am curious if  
someone from the list can give us an explanation.

Best wishes,
Anna Esposito


Zitat von Harry Spier via INDOLOGY <indology at list.indology.info>:

> Dear list members,
> I'm looking at the devanagari transcription of a south indian grantha
> manuscript.  most consonent l's are the classical sanskrit l i.e. ल but
> some words have the letter, ळ .
> Some examples are:
> प्रक्षाळ्य
>
> नाळिकेरोद्भवंपादौप्रक्षाळ्याचम्यमुकुळीकृतियपिण्गळायवामांघ्र्यब्जदळासह्रिताम्अण्गुळ्यग्रेणशुद्धविद्यातत्वव्याप्तसर्वमणळोपेतं
>
> I'm pretty sure this isn't from typist misprints because प्रक्षाळ्य
> occcurs many times always spelled with ळ
>
> Any explanations would be appreciated.  My understanding is that sometimes
> manuscripts were created by one scribe speaking the text and another scribe
> writing what he hears.  Is that a possible explanation for the occurance of
> this letter ळ .  I.e. local pronounciation creeping in.
>
> Thanks,
> Harry Spier



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PD Dr. Anna Aurelia Esposito
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Universität Würzburg
Lehrstuhl für Indologie
Philosophiegebäude, Zi. 8U6
Am Hubland
97074 Würzburg
Germany
Tel: ++49-(0)931-3185512
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https://www.phil.uni-wuerzburg.de/indologie/mitarbeiter/esposito/
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