Classical Newar

Classical Nepal Bhasa
Old Newar
पुलाङु नेपाल भास
A 14th century palm-leaf manuscript of the Haramekhala, a medical manual written in Classical Newar and the Bhujimola script.
Native toNepal, India, Tibet, Bhutan
EraDeveloped into Modern Nepal Bhasa in the 19th century
Early forms
Language codes
ISO 639-2nwc
ISO 639-3nwc
GlottologNone

Classical Newar or Classical Nepal Bhasa (Modern Newar: pulāṃ bhāy, 'old language') also known as Old Newar, is the vernacular and literary form of Nepal Bhasa used prior to the 19th century.[1] The term is most generally used to describe the form of Nepal Bhasa used in manuscripts and other sources from the Malla dynasty.[1][2][3]

The antiquity of the Newar language is not known. The Sanskrit stone inscriptions from the Licchavi Dynasty contains frequent use of Tibeto-Burman words, especially for proper nouns like names of person, settlements and rivers, suggesting the existence of a vernacular Tibeto-Burman language, which is believed to be an early form of the Newar language.[4][5]

History

Classical Newar language was the official language of Nepal from Licchavi era to Malla era of Nepal.

Licchavi period

Newar words appeared in Sanskrit inscriptions in the Kathmandu Valley for the first time in the fifth century. The words are names of places, taxes and merchandise indicating that it already existed as a spoken language during the Licchavi period (approximately 400–750 AD).[6] The inscriptions from the Licchavi period includes Newari words.

Thakuri period

The earliest known (dated) document in Nepal Bhasa is called "The Palmleaf from Uku Bahal" which dates back to 1114 AD (235 NS).[7]

छु पुलेंग कीत्य बिपार वस्त्र बिवु मिखा तिवु मदुगुन छु सात दुगुनव ल्है

chīna ḍhākō tr̥saṃghaṣa paribhōga, chu pulēṃga kītya bipāra vastra bivu mikhā tivu maduguna chu sāta dugunava lhai

The earliest dated stone inscription in Thakuri dynasty is in Newar, dated Nepal Sambat 293 (1173 CE).[8]

Malla period

The earliest important books of Classical Newar from the 14th century are Haramekhalā (1374), Mānava Nyāyaśāstra (1380), Amarkośa (1381), and Gopālarāja Vaṃśāvalī (1389).[9][10]

The language continued growing in the Medieval period and enjoyed royal patronage. Noted royal writers include Mahindra Malla, Siddhinarsingh Malla, Jagatprakash Malla etc. An example of the language used in that period is provided by lines of Mooldevshashidev written by Jagatprakash Malla which verse describes Shiva and the use of a tiger skin as his seat. [11]

धु छेगुकि पाछाव वाहान
dhu chēguki pāchāva vāhāna
तिलहित बिया हिङ लाहाति थाय थायस
tilahita biyā hiŋa lāhāti thāya thāyasa

ISO

Classical Nepal Bhasa was introduced in ISO 639-2 code list in 2004.

Grammar

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Malla, Kamal Prakash (2000). A Dictionary of Classical Newari. Kahtmandu, Nepal: Cwasa Pasa. pp. vii. ISBN 99933-316-0-0.
  2. ^ Acharya, Baburam (1952). Nepal, Newar and Newari language. Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal-Sanskritik Parisad.
  3. ^ Alan Hopkinson (2008) UNIMARC Manual: Bibliographic Format. Walter de Gruyter.
  4. ^ Shrestha, Purushottam Lochan (2001). Tripura ra Yuthunimama Durbara [The Royal Houses of Tripura and Yuthunimama] (in Nepali). Bhaktapur Offset Prints. p. 4. ISBN 99933-622-0-4.
  5. ^ Levy, Robert Isaac; Rājopādhyāya, Kedar Rāj (1990). Mesocosm: Hinduism and the Organization of a Traditional Newar City in Nepal. University of California Press. p. 36. ISBN 978-0-520-06911-4.
  6. ^ Tuladhar, Prem Shanti (2000). Nepal Bhasa Sahityaya Itihas: The History of Nepalbhasa Literature. Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Academy. ISBN 99933-56-00-X. Pages 19–20.
  7. ^ Malla, Kamal P. "The Earliest Dated Document in Newari: The Palmleaf from Uku Bahah NS 234/AD 1114" (PDF). Kailash. pp. 15–25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  8. ^ Malla, KP (1981). "Classical Newari Literature" (PDF). p. 1. Archived from the original on 22 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2014.
  9. ^ Tuladhar, Prem Shanti (2000). Nepal Bhasa Sahityaya Itihas: History of Nepalbhasa Literature. Kathmandu: Nepal Bhasa Academy. ISBN 99933-56-00-X. Pages 20, 25.
  10. ^ Lienhard, Siegfried (1992). Songs of Nepal: An Anthology of Nevar Folksongs and Hymns. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidas. ISBN 81-208-0963-7. Page 1.
  11. ^ Mooldevshashidev by Jagatprakash Malla, edited by Saraswati Tuladhar

A Course in Reading Classical Newari by Felix Otter Heidelberg: CrossAsia, 2021 ISBN 978-3-946742-94-4

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