Kahavali Pratham Paricched Pratham Khand

SR No.: 009889
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kalyankirtivijay
Publisher: Kalikal Sarvagya Shri Hemchandracharya Navam Janmashatabdi Smruti Sanskar Shikshannidhi Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2012
Total Pages: 469
Language: Hindi, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 2 MB

Page 13

XIII
Contents of the K
Bhadresvara's K is mostly written in Prakrit but verses in Prakrit and Sanskrit are scattered here and there. Generally, along with the present life-stories of the heroes, their previous and future births are also narrated. Though the purpose of the author is only to write a narrative work giving the gist of salakapuruṣas' lives (caria-sara), the K is a huge narrative work (yet unfinished!) on Jaina (Universal) History". Further than that, these biographies are interspersed with a great number of independent illustrative stories.
Here is the beginning of the K:
namiūņa nāhi-jaṇiam deva-sarassal-gurūņa māhappam viraemi caria-saram Kahāvalim abuha-suha-boham (1) dhamm'attha-kama-mokkhä purisattha te a suttia jehim padhamam iha bemi te ccia Risah 'esara-Bharahacakki tti (2) Risaha-sami-Bharaha-cakkavatti-kaha bhaŋŋai... etc.
Thus it starts with the life-stories of Rṣabha, the first Tirthamkara and his son Bharata, the
first Cakravartin.
Following the Avcu", Bhadresvara begins the story of Rsabha by first narrating his previous birth as Dhana Satthaväha. Vibhuhäṇanda story is included under a dramatic form in the Caup, while the K. tells it in a versified form. As for the AvCu, it does not take notice of it, for Rṣabha's previous birth as Mahābala is not discussed. The K writes:
tao pavisai Haragana-nado... samvega-rasāyaṇam Vibuhānandam nāma nāḍayam ti Nadayakaha bhannai,
and at the end of the kaha:
nadayam ti gayany
These portions have been quoted as a sample showing Bhadresara's style of writing. The limits of the various kahās are precised by the introductory phrase: ... kaha bhannai, and the concluding one: ... tti gayam. Thus Bhadresvara connects each story with the previous one, either stating that << now comes the story of such and such who followed the previous one», or that <<now comes the story of a figure who behaved like the previous one >>. In this manner, the chronological succession is respected and at the same time the stories serve as didactic examples.
I now give the list of kahās, which is as follows21:
From J.I pp. 1-286 = S.I pp. 1-177.
1. Risaha (Tir. 1); Bharaha (Cakrin 1): PrPN 130; VH 157; Paum 21. 2. Vibuhānanda näma nädaya: Caup 17.
3. Kāgakahā.
17. AvCu p. 131.
19. J.1 pp. 2-12.
16. Cf. p. 18.
18. Caup p. 17.
20. J.1 p. 12.
21. I here propose to list the stories with a few references or parallels which might be of some help for further studies For PrPN and VH, I do not always mention the page number: it can be easily found from the alphabetical order or the indexes.