Jainism and Karnataka Culture

SR No.: 011062
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: S R Sharma
Publisher: Karnataka Historical Research Society Dharwar
Publication Year: 1940
Total Pages: 263
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 9 MB

Page 115

CONTRIBUTIONS TO LITERATURE, ETC.
83
64
Jinasêna was one of a series of celebrated Digambara Jaina authors, who came to the front propagating their religion, and increasing the power of their sect as they did so, during the earlier part of the Răṣṭrakūta period. He was the disciple of Virasêna to whom is ascribed the Jayadhavala-tikā. It is a commentary on the Satkhanḍāgamasutra.65 This work was completed by Jinasena in Šaka 760 during the regin of Amoghavarṣa I; the Adi Purana was commenced soon after. Its sequel, called the Uttara Purana, was developed in Śaka 820 by Gunabhadra, the pupil of Jinasêna. Both these writers are highly spoken of by competent critics.
66
According to Bhandarkar, the Adi Purana is an encyclopaedic work "in which there are instances of all metres and figures, which sets forth the doctrines of all the sastras incidentally, is calculated to put to shame all other poems, and is worthy of being read even by the learned.67 In the opinion of a later Jaina poet, cited by Pt. Nathurām Prêmi, "whose minds will not be drawn away by words emanating from the lotus-face of Jinasêna, the king of poets, in whose Mahā Purāņa are Dharma, Môkşa, Right Conduct and Poetry, all rolled in one?"
धर्मोऽत्र मुक्तिपदमत्र कवित्वमत्र aîŸíðai aftaga AGIGEÒ I यद्वा कवींद्र जिनसेनमुखारविंदनिर्यग्वचांसि न मनांसि हरति केषाम् ॥
68
The following verse must serve as a sample of its poetic merit : यत्र शालीवनोपांते खात्पतन्तीं शुक्रावलीं ।
69
शालीगोप्यानुमन्यते दधतीं तोरणभियम् ॥
Describing a rural scene the poet says, the pastoral maidens, seeing a line of parrots descending into the rice-fields, thought it to be the arch of prosperity.
61 Cf. Bhandarkar, The Bom. Gaz. I ii, pp. 406-07 65 Cf. Ep. Car. II Introd., p. 89; Hiralal, op. cit., p. xxiii.
66 Ibid., pp. xxiii-iv: Bhandarkar, Report on 8an. MSS, 1838-84, pp. 120-21.
67 Ibid., p. 120.
68 Nathuram Premi, op. cit., pp. 65-6.
69 Adi Purand IV 6, cf. Nathuram Premi, op. cit., p. 69.