Will the word Isila lose its place as the earliest recorded Kannada word? An in-depth palaeographic study, based on research of edicts by renowned scholar, writer, and historian S. Settar, suggests it.
In his latest work Prakruta Jagadvalaya, which talks of the relationship between Prakrit, Kannada, and Sanskrit, Mr. Settar discusses whether Isila is indeed the oldest Kannada word, since its etymology is not clear. Other Kannada words of equal antiquity can be seen in edits, he argues. For example, Koopana (Koppala) and Vanavasika (Banavasi) are among nearly a dozen names mentioned in early Prakrit records, that survive to the present day in Kannada language.
Mr. Settar’s work on the convergence of the three languages in Karnataka, between the 3rd century BCE and 3rd century CE, is being released at the first meet of the Akhila Bharata Halegannada Sahitya Sammelan at Shravanabelagola on June 24. Mr. Settar is presiding over the convention.
A rock edict of 252 BCE of emperor Ashoka at Brahmagiri in Chitradurga district mentions the word Isila, which was assumed to be a Kannada word and the first one available on record. This was used to argue Kannada’s antiquity.
It was scholar and teacher D.L. Narasimhachar, who had argued in the 1950s that Isila could be a Kannada word, but he did not take a decisive stand on it. However his lectures on the word triggered a debate, even though earlier scholars like B.L. Rice or M. Govinda Pai, had not taken note of this. Professor Chidananda Murthy too, in 1972, argued that Isila was the first available Kannada word and was used even earlier than 3rd century BCE. Without venturing into further examination, other scholars accepted this theory.
However, Mr. Settar argues that the etymology of Isila cannot be established. But other words belonging to the same period are distinctly Kannada in their identity and have survived till today. He cites two place names — Koopana (present day Koppal) and Vanavasika (present Banavasi) that have equal antiquity. Both were Buddhist centres and the former was a major centre of administration during the time of Ashoka. “It is time to study names such as these that have got blended into the Kannada vocabulary,” Mr. Settar said.
Describing Prakruta Jagadvalaya as an invaluable study, noted Kannada poet and linguist K.V. Tirumalesh says the book is a thrilling read for those interested in the inter-connectivity of languages.
