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219
Hymns in Prakrit
it. He points out that Rṣabha conquered Madana, which is a clear indication of his greatness over Brahmanic gods like Hara and Hari, and his help to his followers to get final emancipation. In verse 37 we find a fine poetic idea. based upon the two meanings of the word Payattha which means both the principles of Jainism and ordinary objects. He also exhibits his poetic ability in many other ways and uses many a poetic figure. The language of the hymn. is also no doubt Jain Mähäräṣṭri but here and there a few Desi words like Lattha and a few Apabhramśa forms like Paim are also found. Moreover, the author's command over Sanskrit can be easily seen even in his Prakrit.
His other Präkrit hymns like the Vira-stava in 30 Gäthas and another of the same name are not of great importance. The second is a curious attempt of using both Sanskrit and Prakrit in one and the same verse, in which the first line is in Sanskrit and the second in Präkrit. It contains some ten Gāthās, describing the heroic deeds of Mahāvīra, like his removing the Meru mountain by the touch of his foot, defeating the gods who had come to test his powers, his great scholarship and the ridiculous position of his teacher and many others. But the hymn has no other merit nor any poetic quality that will charm our minds.
Abhayadeva who is famous for his Sanskrit commentaries on the 9 of the Angas of the Ardha-Magadhi canon, has also written a few Stotras. He was a pupil of the equally famous scholar Jineśvara, and his literary activity falls in the middle of the 11th century A. D. He was the son of Maheśvara and Dhanadevi both of them being residents of Dhārā. He is reported to have converted Sankaradāsa a Brahmin teacher of the Paramāra kings of Dhärä, in A. D. 1054. Besides his famous Apabhramśa hymn the Jayatihuyana he has also written a Mahavira-Stava in 22 Anustubhs, giving the various qualities of Lord Mahavira, in a purely dogmatic enumeration of his excellences which makes it dry and devoid of all poetic beauty and charm.
Next we come to the prolific and scholarly writer Jinavallabha. His teacher was Vardhamana, whom he succeeded on the chair of the pontiff, and died in A. D. 1110. He lived at Citrakūta and was helped by his friend. Devabhadra in his work. Among the great number of his works he has composed a number of hymns addressed to the various Tirthankaras. His Pārsvanatha-Stava is composed in 22 Gāthās. Therein he praises the ability and readiness of Parsva to render service to all people in troubles, and in giving the desired objects of his devotees. The hymn shows a fine use of the power of alliteration and beautiful poetic ideas, while the language is elegant