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## Adipurana
The book "Jinaratnakosa" edited by Prof. Velhankar from the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Pune, which was published in English, mentions four commentaries on the Adipurana. (1) The commentary by Lalitakirti, which is introduced as "The" manuscript under the heading "Commentary Material". More will be written about this later. (2) The second commentary is by Prabhachandra. (3) The third is by Hmachari and (4) the fourth is by Harishena. In addition to these, there is also mention of a Mangala commentary.
Where these commentaries are located and which of them are the "T", "K" and "Kh" manuscripts cannot be stated clearly until all the aforementioned manuscripts are examined. I urge the heads of ancient script repositories to send information about these manuscripts.
Apart from these independent commentaries, there are also commentaries written alongside other original manuscripts, which I have mentioned in the introduction of the "P", "A" and "I" manuscripts. These commentaries have similarities in some places and differences in others.
The manuscript of the Sanskrit commentary named "D" definitely has a self-praise by the commentator at the end, which reveals that its author is Shri Lalitakirti Bhattarak. A brief introduction to him is as follows:
"Bhattarak Lalitakirti was a scholar of the Kasthasangh, Mathuragachchha and Pushkargana, and a disciple of Bhattarak Jagatkoti. He wrote commentaries on the Adipurana and Uttarapurana - the entire Mahapurana. The first commentary is on 42 chapters of the Mahapurana, which he completed on Sunday, the first day of the bright fortnight of Margashirsha, Samvat 1874. The second commentary is on the 43rd chapter, which he completed in 1886. Apart from this, he completed the commentary on the Uttarapurana in Samvat 1888."
The ancient Hindi commentary on the Adipurana is by Pt. Daulatramji, which has been printed. This commentary is written with verse numbers. It does not give the original verses but only their numbers. Late Pt. Kallalappa Bharmappa 'Nitave' also wrote a Marathi commentary on it, which was published by Jainendra Press, Kolhapur. It printed the Sanskrit verses and their Marathi translation below them. Apart from these, a Hindi commentary was written by Shri Pt. Lalaramji Shastri, which was printed with the collective original verses above and the Hindi translation below, verse by verse. This edition, being complete with the original text, was more popular among the people. It is now difficult to obtain.
## Adipurana and Varna Vyavastha (Caste System) and Varnotpatti (Origin of Castes)
Jainism believes that the universe, in its form, has existed since time immemorial and will continue to exist for an infinite time. It has specific characteristics, many of which are natural and many are also due to human effort. Jain scriptures mention that in the Bharat and Airavat regions, time has been changing in the form of Avasarpini. Each of these has six divisions, namely Sushma, etc. This is the Avasarpini time. When its first part was passing here, there was a system of excellent enjoyment. When the second time came, there was a system of moderate enjoyment. When the third time came, there was a system of inferior enjoyment. When eight parts of the Paly of the third time were left, then fourteen Manus - Kulkaras were born in succession. They taught the people many things at that time with their unique scholarship. The fourteenth Kulkar was Nabhiraj. By his time, the Kalpavriksha had been