Lilavai

SR No.: 002796
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1966
Total Pages: 500
Language: Sanskrit, Hindi, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 15 MB

Page 54

INTRODUCTION
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Unluckily the MSS. of this Prakrit kathā are no more available. But a metrical version of it in Sanskrit, the Lilavatisära--mahäkävyam, has come down to us in a single Ms. at Jaisalmer, of the extent of about 6000 slokas'. Its author is Jinaratna and he might have composed it by about the middle of the 13th century A. D. The name of the author is hinted in the fact that this poem is Jinārka. All that we can know about the original Psäkrit work is only through this Sanskrit digest.
The plan and purpose of the plot remind us of Uddyotana's Kuvalayamala which illustrates the fruit of anger (krodha), vanity (māna),
rāyā), greed (lobha) and infatuation (moha). In addition, the Lilavati couples these evil tendencies with sins like violence or harm unto living beings (himsă), falsehood (mrsā), theft (steya), sex-looseness (vyabhicāra) and possessive instinct (parigraha), etc., and illustrates through stories how severe is the consequence of these acting together in pairs. The entire framework of the story is inspired by this object. The outlines of the story are like these.
King Simha of Räjagrha in Magadha and his queen Lilāvati became pious believers through the contact of their friend Jinadatta. On one occasion, the saint Samarasenasūri, in whom Jinadatta had his religious teacher, came to Rajagrha on his tour, and the king and queen, along with Jinadatta, attended his sermons. Impressed by his personality and learning, the king expressed his desire to know the early career of the saint who rather reluctantly starts narrating the same for their spiritual welfare.
At Kauśâmbi, in the Vatsa country, the king Vijayasena, the minister Jayaśāsana, the Purohita śūra, the banker Puraṁdara and the
1 Some verses in the opening leaves are not well preserved. 2 Catalogue of Mss. in Jesalmere Bhandars, pp. 50-51 (Intro.), 43. 3 The culophon of the Introductory ulsāka runs thus : fafar ATARA -
वसतिमार्गप्रकाशकप्रभुश्रीजिनेश्वरसूरिविरचितप्राकृतश्रीनिर्वाणलीलावतीमहाकथेतिवृत्तोद्धारे लीलावतीसारे जिनाङ्के श्रीसिंहमहाराजजन्मराज्याभिषेकधर्मपरीक्षादिसमरसेनसूरिसमागमव्यावर्णनो नाम प्रथमः प्रस्तावनोत्साहः । The author of the Sanskrit Lilavati săra has given an outline of the plot in the following verses : ISTIFYI Fap
T IFIFTHIR PA, 1ta TEजयस्पृक्शासनौ दोर्लते । शूरश्चापि पुरोहितो हृदयभूः सौभाग्यभनयाद्भतो,ऽधःकायो धनदेवसार्थप इमे श्रीमत्सुधर्मप्रभोः ॥१॥ पादाम्भोरुहि रामदेवचरिताद्याकर्ण्य दीक्षाजुषः, सौधर्मे त्रिदशा बभूवुरुदयनिस्सीमशर्मप्रियाः । ते श्रीसिंहनृपादितामुपगताः श्रीनेमितीर्थेऽसिधन्, संक्षिप्येति
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