1883.] 
G. A. Grierson— Essays on Bihari Declension. 
131 
See Hoernle §§ 367 and 369. As regards the Prakrit form, two 
derivations are plausible. One connects it with the Prakrit abl. plur. 
suffix f^T, and the other with Skr. abl. dual termination (see Hoernle 
l. c.), which would regularly change in Pr. to ^ or 
The following examples will show the process. Skr. ‘a horse 
abl. dual, ; or Pr. abl. plur. (Arsha) ^bsf^TT; Ap. Pr. gen. plur. 
: Bihari qtf : 
Skr. TifiT, ‘a sage;’ abl. dual, ; or Pr. abl. plur. (Arsha) 
wf*rf^3T; Ap. Pr. gen. plur. ; Bihari, 
Skr. 3T^, ‘ a teacher abl. dual, ; or Pr. abl. plur. (Arsha) 
'J ^ 
Ap. Pr. gen. plur. 3T^%; Bihari 
It is possible that these two derivations are not incompatible with 
each other. It will be observed, that when the Skr. has a long vowel 
before ikff, Arsha Prakrit has (and only then) a long vowel before 
It is possible therefore that the first three syllables of are directly 
connected with and that the syllable *TT is an additional pleonastic 
ablatival suffix. 
C. sJ. It is rarely used in the Ramayan, and probably only in the 
locative. It is evidently a weakened form of the Ap. Prakrit Both 
U and occur in all masculine and neuter nouns having ^ bases in Ap. Pr. 
Bases in % and <3 take only ^t. Feminine bases use ^ as the termination 
of the abl. and gen. plur. (IT. C. IV, 351). In Maithili ^ is used in all 
genders and with all weak bases. The use of these two terminations is 
as follows : 
Ap. Pr. (mase. and neut). 
Maithili. 
^ bases. 
^ and ^3 bases. 
Nom. (^1) 
Acc. (^t) 
Dat. 
Abl. (sJ, ^t) 
^rf 
Abl. 
Gen. (^ft) 
Gen. 
Loc. 
The use of these terminations has therefore been extended in Maithili 
to the locative and dative. The dative, it need hardly be pointed out 
does not occur in Prakrit. The origin of is obscure. Lassen, (p. 462) 
identifies it with an assumed Skr. suffix ^ ; while Hoernle (§ 368) connects 
it with the Skr. abl. plur, suffix through *«T. 
