Prakrit (/ ˈprɑːkrɪt / [a]) is a group of vernacular classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 5th century BCE to the 12th century CE. [2][3][4] The term Prakrit is usually applied to the middle period of …

In addition to the maps on this page, please consult the Historical Atlas of South Asia, edited by Joseph Schwartzberg, on Chicago’s Digital South Asia Library.

The best known of this group is Pali, which still serves as the canonical language of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Other Prakrit languages such as Sauraseni, Maharastri, Magadhi and Gandhari embody various facets of the literatures of both the Brahmanical/Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

The most prominent form of Prakrit is Ardhamāgadhı̄, associated with the ancient kingdom of Magadha, in modern Bihar, and the subsequent Mauryan Empire. Mahāvı̄ra, the founder of Jainism, was born in Magadha, and the earliest Jain texts were composed in Ardhamāgadhı̄.

Ashokan Prakrit, also known as Asokan Prakrit or Aśokan Prakrit (IAST: Aśoka Prākṛta), is the Middle Indo-Aryan dialect continuum used in the Edicts of Ashoka, attributed to Emperor Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire who reigned 268 BCE to 232 BCE. [2]

Discover the dialects of the Prakrit languages and see the differences between Sanskrit and Prakrit. What is Prakrit? Prakrit (प्राकृत, prākṛta) is the name given to a group of...

"Language of the Snakes traces the history of the Prakrit language as a literary phenomenon, starting from its cultivation in courts of the Deccan in the first few centuries of the common era.

The general linguistic trend during this time was for kings to move away from Prakrit towards Sanskrit, with local languages being used quite sparingly (whether in the north or south). The real efflorescence of local literature and records happened much later, after the 11th century.

Prakrit is a group of vernacular classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 5th century BCE to the 12th century CE. The term Prakrit is usually applied to the middle period of Middle Indo-Aryan languages, excluding Pali.

Prakrit literature: By the 6th cent. BC the people of India were speaking and writing languages that were much simpler than classical Sanskrit. These vernacular forms, of which there were several, are called the Prakrits [Skt.,=natural].