Prakrit

Prakrit is a group of Middle Indo-Aryan languages used in ancient and early medieval India. The term, from Sanskrit prākṛta meaning natural or vernacular, contrasted with classical Sanskrit. Prakrits were spoken varieties, used in literature, inscriptions, and religious texts from roughly the 6th century BCE to the early medieval era.

Major Prakrits included Magadhi Prakrit (Magadha region), Ardhamagadhi Prakrit (Jain scriptures), Shauraseni Prakrit (a north-central group used in Buddhist texts and drama), and Maharashtri Prakrit (western India). Pali is often treated as a Prakrit by traditional classifications. These languages shared a common ancestor with Sanskrit but simplified its grammar and phonology.

Literary and religious significance: Prakrit languages appear in many religious works, including Jain Agamas in Ardhamagadhi and Buddhist Tripitaka in Magadhi and other Prakrits, as well as in classical Sanskrit drama where Prakrit was used for dialogue. Inscriptions such as the Edicts of Ashoka were written in Prakrit languages using Brahmi script.

Legacy: Prakrits gradually evolved into later Middle Indo-Aryan languages and contributed to the development of modern languages such as Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, and Braj Bhasha, as well as to Hindi-Urdu via the Apabhraṃśa stage. Pali remains a liturgical language for Theravada Buddhism and a key source for early Buddhist literature.