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________________ SAMARAICCAKAHA (BHAVA-II) OF HARIBHADRASURI : A STUDY 409 This nidana on the part of Agnisarman is the underlying prinaple or basis of the whole of Samaraiccakaha. Samaraiccakaha : a dharmakatha Indian and Greek Romances "are totally different both in plan and spirit as even a cursory reading will show. The least part of the Sanskrit romance is the thread of the story or the adventures of its characters; all the stress is laid on rhetorical embellishment, minute descriptions of nature, detailed specification of exploits and of mental, moral and physical qualities. In the Greek romance, on the other hand, the story is everything. The reader is hurried from adventure to adventure the wilder and more improbable, the better; fine writing is practically disregarded; description and appreciation of nature are, to all intents and purposes, nonexistent."--Levi. Prakrit romances (Kathas) differ considerably from both Sanskrit and Greek romances in respect of their aims. To give pleasure is the chief aim of Sanskrit and Greek romances; the romance, on the other hand is, regarded by the Prakrit poets a didactic work, aiming at edification. Our Haribhadra is no exception. His is not a pure romance; he designates his work a dharmakatha and not katha merely (Katha and Akhyayika, we are told by Sanskrit writers on poetics, are two kinds of romances, the chief distinction between the two is that the akhyayika rests on tradition and the Katha on fancy.) That Haribhadra aims at imparting instruction through narratives of attractive character will be clear from what follows : Almost all Kathas. by Jain authors may be ranged in the same (i. e. dharmakatha) category : "whatever be the adventures of the hero or heroine, the end is always their renouncement of the world and entering the Order; and narrative is usually interspersed with a great deal of religious instruction" (Dr. Jacobi). And this is particularly true of the Samaradityakatha. We see our hero (King Simha) and his queens enter the Order. We also get the exposition of dharma by Dharmaghosa (pp. 97-99). The parable of the man in the well (pp. 92-96) also serves to enlighten the reader. The remaining eight bhavas of the work abound in many such illustrations. The character as a dharmakatha of our work is displayed also through the idea of Nemesis or retribution which is at the basis of the main narrative and most of the sub-narratives set forth in it. In the main narrative the retribution assumes the form of nidana. Agnisarman's dreadful resolve to revenge himself for the maltreatment at the hands of Gunasena, in future births supplies the Stud.-52 Jain Education International For Private & Personal Use Only www.jainelibrary.org
| SR No. | 001868 |
| Book Title | Studies in Jain Literature |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | V M Kulkarni |
| Publisher | Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre |
| Publication Year | 2001 |
| Total Pages | 114 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English, Literature, & Story |
| File Size | 14 MB |