Historical reference: Do not rely on this information. It is very old. About this collection
Magadhi, a Prakrit (vulgar Sanskritic) language, the mother tongue of Gautama Buddha, generally but wrongly supposed to be identical with the Pali of Buddhist literature; was formerly current throughout Berar, and may be regarded as the source of the eastern Gaurian languages (Bengali, Oriya of Orissa and Assamese).