Treasury of Jain Tales

SR No.: 006762
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 1994
Total Pages: 468
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 44

XXX
exceptions.
(V) Counterpart of Brhatkathā.
The Vasudevahindi of Sanghadāsa, mentioned above, represents the Jain counterpart of the Brhatkathā of Gunādhya, a work which ranked beside the Mahābhārata and the Rāmāyana as one of the great storehouses of Indian literary art. It is a very extensive prose work interspersed with verses. It is less popularly styled as Vasudevacariya. It deals mainly with the wandering and adventures of Vasudeva, the father of Krsna. At the beginning of the work we get a few facts of the story of Harivassa. It is a great storehouse of a number of heroic legends, popular stories, edifying narratives extended over many births, and sectarian and didactic tales. Many of the narratives, such as those of Carudatta, Agadadatta, Pippalăda, Sagara-princes, Nārada, Parvata and Vasu, etc., which are repeated over and over again in later literature are to be found in this work almost in the same form.
(vi) Quasi-historical Prabandhas
The prabandhas which deal with historical personages are also no real biographies or history. These prabandhas contain the "life-stories" or rather stories, legends, and anecdotes associated with historical and literary personages - prominent patriarchs, saints, authors, royal patrons and merchant princes who helped the cause of Jains and Jainism in different contexts and centuries. Although they should not be rejected outright as unreliable historical sources they could be used only with great caution and circumspection. The Prabhāvaka-carita, "Life of the Prominent", composed by Prabhācandra or Candraprabha and revised by Pradyumna Sūri in 1277 A.D., the Prabandha-cintamani "Wishingjewel of Stories" by Merutunga (1306 A.D.) and the Prabandhakosa, "Treasury of Stories" by Rājasekhara (1349 A.D.) are the typical examples of quasi-historical-biographical works.
Another semi-historical work is the Tirtha-kalpa by Jinaprabha Süri (between 1326 and 1331 A.D.). It gives a description of the