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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the stories are imaginary and made to order. Some of them are drawn from the popular stock of Indian tales; and a few, like the illustration of Rohaka, have been drawn from the Jaina commentarial literature whose roots go back to Cūrņis and Bhasyas. The alternative title, Antara-kathā, possibly means that these stories were repeatedly used as illustrative sub-stories, like Upakathas, in a bigger tale.'
There are a few more Kathāsamgrahas, noted in the Jinaratnakosa; either they are anonymous or we do not know much about their authors etc. 1) KS of Hemācārya. 2) KS of Anandasundara. 3) KS of Sarvasundara (Samvat 1510), successor of Guṇasundarasuri of the Maladharigaccha. 4) KS, No. 1272 of 1884-87 (dated Samvat 1524), contains many short didactic stories in Sanskrit dealing with topics like Jivadaya. This is a good sample of collections of stories that were possibly used by monks to illustrate their sermons. 5) KS, No. 1326 of 1891-95, has much common with the Kathakośa No. 1297 of 1887-91, and gives stories of Dhanadatta, Nāgadatta, Madanăvali etc. to illustrate the fruits that they got by different Pūjās etc. 6) KS, No. 1325 of 1891-95. This gives eight tales, in Sanskrit prose, about Kurucandra, Padmakara etc. illustrating the fruits of the gift of residence, bed, seat, food, drink, medicine, clothes and pot to the monk, which are mentioned in the gatha vasahi-sayaṇāsaṇa etc. (No. 240) from the Upadeśamālā. 7) KS, No. 335 of 1871-72. The opening story is that of Vikramaditya, and there are other stories of Śrīpāla etc. illustrating the fruits of Jaina vows and virtues. They are all in Sanskrit with Mahārāştri and Apabhramsa quotations. There is, however, one story in Prakrit.
INTRODUCTION
There are other collections of stories, according to the Jinaratnakosa, such as Kathakallolini, Kathägrantha, Kathādvātriṁśikā of Parama. nanda, Kathāprabandha, Kathāśataka, Kathāsaṁcaya, Kathāsamuccaya etc. Unless the Mss. are carefully examined, nothing can be said about their contents and about their identity or otherwise with the Kathakośas noted above.
4. ĀRĀDHANĀ AND ĀRĀDHANA TALES
i) Ārādhana and Aradhana Texts
Aradhana consists in firm and successful accomplishment of ascetic ideals, namely, Faith, Knowledge, Conduct and Penance, that are laid down in Jainism; in maintaining a high standard of detachment, forbearance, self-restraint and mental equipoise at the critical hour of death; and in attaining spiritual purification and liberation. The connotation of the
1 Śri-kathakośaḥ, Suryapura 1937, with useful Indices of quotations etc.; there is a Ms. in the Bhandarkar O. Research Institute, No. 1298 of 1887-91, which shows a different beginning from that of the printed text.
2 Bhagavati Aradhana 1-10; Samayasara 301-5; Maranasamahi 27, 41, 317 etc.; Aradhanäsära 1-8.