Chaupannamahapurischariyam

SR No.: 001442
Original Sutra Author: Shilankacharya
Author: Amrutlal Bhojak, Dalsukh Malvania, Vasudev S Agarwal
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2006
Total Pages: 464
Language: Prakrit, English, Hindi
Classification: Book_Devnagari, Literature, & Story
File Size: 14 MB

Page 40

INTRODUCTION
-§ 21 ]
[ 25
tradition (Avasyaka-Niryukti, Mulabhāṣya [§ 10]. JCu/HTI), and from there to the relevant portions of HTr. Any such undertaking would of course have to start with a close study of E. Leumann's published and unpublished contributions on the Avasyaka-literature (see § 21,4).
(3) A study of the evolution of the Kṛṣṇa-legends would enable us to coordinate the chronology of the Brahmanical works, of the traditions of the Jains and of the representations in stone. The story of Balarama's birth (with or without transplantation) is found in the vamśänucarita of the pufāņas, in the Kṛṣṇa-epic of the puriņas, [in the Mahavira-legend (transplantation-motif)], and in the Kṛṣṇa-epic of the Jains (see § 4). Kṛṣṇa's adventures in the gokul are related in the Kṛṣṇa-epic of the, puranas, in the Bălacarita, in the Mahavira-legend (single motifs), in the Tripṛṣṭha-carita (single motifs), and in the Kṛṣṇa-epic of the Jains; see SC/M p. 120. Two or more Kṛṣṇa-legends are represented at Mathura, Badami, Pattadakal, Deogarh, Paharpur, and on numerous medieval monuments like Abu etc.11). Comparative studies in individual Kṛṣṇa-legends are rare and deal as a rule only with a few closely related versions (see in particular Kirfel's fundamental article in the Jacobi Felicitation Volume, quoted above in § 4, note on p. 120).
(4) It is not certain that the studies in the UH which have been published so far took into account all the important versions which are at present available. It is possible that some works have come down to us which contain valuable information on the subject but have so far escaped our notice. The texts which may furnish such information can be grouped as follows:
(a) Canonical texts.
(b) Commentaries on canonical works.
(c) Works dealing with the entire UH or with a considerable part of it.
(d) Works dealing with a single mahapuruşa (or with a few mahāpurusas) and arranged as kathākośas.
That we cannot expect any useful information from the works listed under (d) is quite clear., As regards (c) we possess some later texts of this type which have so far not been studied very carefully (e. g. the Kahavali of Bhadreśvara); they are however not likely to contain much material which is not also found in HTr. Earlier texts (except those which are constantly being referred to) have obviously not been found so far. The names of some of them (like "Bhadrabahu's Vasudevacarita ") are however mentioned in our sources. The canonical texts (a) may contain here and there stories related to the UH which have not yet been noticed or not yet been recognized as such. Only recently L. Alsdorf discovered that the description of the janmabhişeka of the Tirthamkara, as contained in Jambuddivapannatti V, is based on the description of the abhişeka of the god Suriyabha narrated in Rayapaseņaijja (§ 21, 1). A few new references to the UH were noticed by A. Sen (§ 21, 3). The commentaries (b) are however most likely to contribute to our present knowledge of the UH. An analysis of the stories contained in the various bhāsyas, curnis, etc. would be extremely useful even if the number of stories dealing with the UH should prove smaller than expected. The reader may consult in connection with this paragraph A. N. Upadhye's Introduction to his edition of Harisena's Brhatkathakośa (Singhi Jain Grantha Mala No. 17, Bombay 1943). The sketch of the narrative literature 11. Mathura: Kala Nidhi Vol. I pp. 133 f.; Badami: Memoirs of the Archaeological Survey of India No. 25 (1928), Pl. XII bcd, XXIII d, XXIV bcd, XXV; Pattadakal: H. Cousens, The Chalukyan Architecture, Calcutta 1926, Pl. XLVI, XLVIII; Deogarh: Memoirs of the ASI No. 70 (1952), Pl. XVIII ff. and Indian Archaeology 1958/59, Pl. LXXV D; Paharpur : Memoirs of the ASI No. 55 (1938), Pl. XXVIII ff. Often only a single episode is shown, and this is in the earlier period almost invariably the uplifting of mount Govardhana; representations of this event are sometimes very rich in details (Maudor-stele; detached slab, Northern Fort Badami; Panca Pandava Mandapa, Mahabalipuram). See also JOI I p. 51 tf.