Bruhat Katha kosha

SR No.: 016060
Original Sutra Author: Harishen Acharya
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1943
Total Pages: 566
Language: Prakrit, Sanskrit
Classification: Dictionary & Dictionary
File Size: 16 MB

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INTRODUCTION
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Kathākośa various motifs that are grouped under conventional captions such as Biter bit (Nos. 64-5, 72), Wicked ascetics (Nos. 19, 64, 93.78, 102.9), Sibi motif (No. 85. 7f.), Pişțakurkuța (No. 73. 226), Elephant selecting an heir apparent included under Pañcadivyādhivāsa (No. 56. 258), Pregnancy whim (Nos. 56. 156 f., 106. 129 f.), Human sacrifices (No. 73), Proclamation by drum (No. 57. 210), Immediate causes of renunciation like a momentary cloud, a grey hair etc. (57. 452 and 574). These are not necessarily connected with Jaina dogmatics and religion.
Then we get in this work some pieces of information referring to historical events. It must be admitted at the outset that our author is not in any way contemporary with the events. What he records is a tradition; it certainly carries a weight of evidence for the past as it occurs in a text of definite date and place; and, so far as the evidence of ancient India is concerned, nearer we push the tradition to the period of the event, more genuine is its authenticity and more credible its authority. King Sreņika, alias Bimbhasāra, who was a contemporary of Mahāvīra and who is known as Bimbisāra in Indian History, is a memorable figure in the Jaina tradition ; and the entire Purāņic lore of the Jainas, in one way or the other, centres round this great Magadhan king to whom we get repeated references in the canonical works of both Buddhists and Tainas. It is just possible that facts and edificatory legends might have got mixed in course of time. There are a few stories in this Kośa which deal with Sreņika and his queen Celanā (Nos. 9, 10, 55, 80, 139-40 etc.). Though it presents some difficulties for a clear under. standing and consequently needs careful collation and comparative study with other sources, both earlier and later, the story of Bhadrabāhu (No. 131 ). is important in various respects: it refers to the migration of Jaina Saṁgha to Punnāța territory in the Deccan and to the division of twofold Kalpa, Jina- and Sthavira-kalpa, and outlines the circumstances under which Ardhaphālaka-samgha, Kambala-tirtha and Yapanīya-samgha were started. Quite casually, in one of the stories (No. 97. 198), the origin of Phallus worship is mentioned; and elsewhere we are informed that Samkhya religion was preached by Marici (No. II. 14). Well known figures like Cāņakya, Vararuci, Kārtikeya are introduced in some of the stories (Nos. 143, 157 and 136). The story No. 26 gives an illustrative anecdote incorporating the historical facts about the composition of the Satkhaņdāgama by Puşpadanta and Bhutabali who are mentioned here as Devabali and Puspabali; and we get these details confirmed from other sources also. The story number 12, verse 132, refers to the founding of five Stüpas at Mathurā of which the Taina
1 The Life and Stories of the Jaina Saviour Párávanātha by M. Bloomfield,
Baltimore 1919, pp. 183-207. 2 Epigraphia Carnatioa, II, Intro. pp. 37 etc.; also The Traditional Chronology of
the Jainas by S. Shaha, pp. 45 f., Stuttgart 1935. 3 Journal of the University of Bombay, vol. I, part vi, May 1933; Jaina Sahitya
aura Itibāsa pp. 51-60.
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