The term 'apabhramsa' was used in medieval Sanskrit texts to denote:
Last updated May 13, 2026
Correct Answer:
Option C —
Early forms of some of the modern Indian language
Etymological Meaning: The word 'Apabhramsa' literally translates to "corrupt" or "decayed" in Sanskrit. In a linguistic context, it was used by Sanskrit grammarians to describe languages that had "deviated" from the standard grammatical norms of Sanskrit.
Linguistic Evolution: It represents a specific stage in the development of Indo-Aryan languages, acting as a transitional bridge between the Prakrits (Middle Indo-Aryan) and the modern Indo-Aryan languages (like Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, and Marathi) that began to emerge around 1000 AD.
Literary Usage: While Sanskrit remained the language of the elite and formal scholarship, Apabhramsa was widely used in medieval texts to capture the evolving dialects spoken by the common people, eventually forming the foundation of many regional mother tongues in India.
Answer verified by Quintessence Classes faculty — Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
