Studies in Jainology Prakrit Literature and Languages

SR No.: 001597
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: B K Khadabadi
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 460
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Literature, & Language
File Size: 22 MB

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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
instead of using such a devic, the particular description is repeated in similar contexts throughout the text. All or some of these tendencies might have also crept into this work from the sources which the author used for his stories :
The begining of each story in the Vaddarādhanc invariably prescnts the Jaina cosmographical setting : A particular town or city (potal) is in a particular contry (nād), which is situated in Bharataksetra in Jambūdvipa. Within the stories in the course of the narration, various references to the Vidyadhara śrenis on mount Vijayārdha (regions of demigods called Vidyādharas - holders of spells) (as on p. 42.3), Bhogabhūmi (where there is no work, and all enjoyment provided by the ten wish-yiclding trees) (as on p. 164.6), the mythical continent of (Purva-) Videha (as on p. 104.2), the seven regions of hell (as on pp. 172.15 to 179.2), the various divisions of Heaven (as on pp. 97.25 to 98.2) clc., alwaya maintain such cosmographical atmosphere. Moreover, the Vaddarādhane being an Aradhana Kavaca Kathakosa, the closing passage of each story* invariably contains the author's pious hope that other Aradhakas may follow the hero in all respects and attain heavenly happiness or cternal bliss.
In several stories in the Vaddāradhanc, specially in those which are longer, many sub-tales are emboxed. St. No. 1 is an cxample of super-emboxment-veritable 'Chinese box’, with fine the sub-tales and sub-sub-tales: The picture-story of the maiden (Kanne) is one of the three sub-tales incorporated in a single context to illustrate the two Anuvratas, viz.., satya and asteya. In this sub-lale is, again, emboxed the sub-sub-tale of Sudāme, with interesting folklore motifs. All these sub-tales and sub-sub-tales are narrated with such welath of details and in such an interesting manner that the reader, or listener, almost forgets the main story which lakes a "back-seat for a while. Similarly, the preliminary stories of accounts of the previous exixtences of the hero, and of the associate characters in some cases, also interrupt the main stream
of naltration. Moreover, incidental tales, anecdotes, episodes,