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The **Sri Sutra Kritanga Sutra**, **Brihatkalpa Bhashya** are considered to be of great importance. They contain numerous worldly stories, ancient traditions of ascetics, and their thoughts.
These three commentaries are essential for understanding the ancient philosophy, conduct, and rituals of the Jain ascetic community. After the **niyuktis** and **bhashyas**, **churnis** come into play. These were written in prose. The reason for this was that it was relatively difficult to elaborate on the principles of Jain philosophy and religion in the **niyuktis** and **bhashyas**, which were written in Prakrit verses. **Churnis**, being written in prose, provided a better platform for this. Additionally, **churnis** introduced a novel linguistic experiment. They were written in a mixture of Sanskrit and Prakrit, a style known as **Mani Praval Naya** in literature. Just as beads and corals, when combined, remain distinct, so too do Sanskrit and Prakrit, even when blended, retain their individual identities. Prakrit predominates in **churnis**. The narrative portion of **churnis** is written entirely in Prakrit, presenting topics like religious stories, moral tales, and folk tales in a style accessible to the common people. Wherever necessary, the etymologies of words are also provided in Prakrit. As the context demands, numerous verses in Sanskrit and Prakrit are also quoted.
The **Churnis** on **Nishith Sutra** and **Aavashyak Sutra** hold immense significance. They provide a wealth of archaeological and historical material. They shed light on the diverse social customs and traditions prevalent in different countries in ancient times, including festivals, celebrations, periods of abundance and scarcity, trade, commerce, trade routes, maritime trade, merchant caravans, carriers, bandits, thieves, guards, food items, clothing, ornaments, art, and skills. This analysis in **churnis** is invaluable for students of Indian knowledge. **Churni** literature is also highly significant from the perspectives of folklore and linguistics.
**Jinadas Ganimahattar** is widely recognized as the author of most **churnis**. He is said to have belonged to the **Vaanijya Kula**, **Kautika Gan**, and **Braj Shakha**. While definitive evidence regarding his time is unavailable, scholars speculate that he lived around the 6th century CE.
**Churnis** are available on **Aachaarang**, **Sutra Kritanga**, **Bhagavati**, **Kalpa**, **Vyavahar**, **Nishith**, **Panchakalapa Dasha Shruta Skandha**, **Jeet Kalpa**, **Jeevaabhigam**, **Prajnaapana**, **Sharira Pad**, **Jambudeep Prajna**, **Uttaraadhyaayan**, **Aavashyak Sutra**, **Dasha Vaikalik**, **Nandi**, and **Anuyogadvaar Sutra**.
To provide a detailed analysis of the principles and ideas presented in the **Agamas**, a vast body of literature in the form of commentaries was created in Sanskrit. Sanskrit holds exceptional importance from a linguistic perspective. It possesses the unique ability to convey a maximum meaning with a minimum of words. The clarity and suitability that Sanskrit offers for explaining subjects like knowledge are unmatched by any other language. Jain scholars were not dogmatic; they were always pragmatic. They never shied away from accepting anything that proved useful or beneficial. Although the core literature of the Jain tradition is in Prakrit, when it came to presenting analytical perspectives, Jain thinkers embraced Sanskrit with great enthusiasm. The **Mani Praval Naya** mentioned in the context of **churnis**, which combines Sanskrit and Prakrit, points to this very approach.
Another point worth considering is that Sanskrit holds significance even from the perspective of being suitable for learned audiences. **Aachaarya Siddharsi**, the author of **Upamiti Bhav Prapancha Katha**, explains why he chose to write his work in Sanskrit instead of Prakrit. He writes that through Sanskrit, the ideas presented in his work...