Kuvalayamala and Modern Scholarship

SR No.: 250199
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_
Total Pages: 5
Language: English
Classification: Article & Story
File Size: 544 Kb

Page 4

THE KUVALAYAMĀLA AND MODERN SCHOLARSHIP : 173
H. JACOBI completed his edition of Haribhadra's Samaräiccakahá, Vol. I, Text and Introduction, in 1926 (Bibliotheca Indica, Work No. 169, Calcutta 1926); and in his Introduction (pp. ii & iii), while reviewing the earlier discussion and accepting the revised date of Haribhadra (c. A. D. 750) as proposed by Muni JINAVIJAYA in his paper presented to the First Oriental Conference, Poona (1919), he discusses the exact date of the completion of the Kuvalayamálā as specified by its author, ascertaining it as 21st March, 779 A. D.
There is an exhaustive essay in Gujarati on the Kuvalayamālā by JINAVIJAYA (See Jaina Şahitya Samsodhaka III, 2, pp. 169–94, Poona Sam. 1983, i.e., A.D. 1927; also Vasantarajata Smärakagrantha, Ahmedabad 1927; its English summary by A. S. GOPANI in Bharatiya Vidya II, 1, Bombay 1940). Giving an outline of the Jaina narrative literature with pointed reference to certain works of which the Taramgavai of Padalipta and Samarāïccakahā of Haribhadra are introduced in details. The controversy about the date of Haribhadra and the latest conclusion are reviewed. Then follows an account of the Kuvalayamālā based on the study of relevant sections from the Mss. from Jaisalmer (of which a set of Photographs was in the possession of Muni JINAVIJAYA and another set is in the Oriental Institute, Baroda) and Poona, especially the Praśasti portion ( $ 430 with variants of P noted in the foot-notes) which is translated into Gujarati with valuable explanatory comments on some of its references to Toramāņa, Pavvaiyā, Jābālipura, Gupta etc. (A. M. GHATGE : Narrative Literature in Jaina Mahārāştri, Annals of the B.O.R.I., XVI, i-ii, p. 34; N. C. MEHTA : Jaina Record on Toramana, J. of. the Bihar & O. R. S. XIX, 1928, and Toramāņa visayaka Jaina ullekha, Jaina Siddhānta Bhaskara, XX, 2, pp. 1-6, Arrah 1953).
Pt. L. B. GANDHI edited three Apabhramba works of Jinadattasuri, a senior contemporary of Hemacandra, in the G.O.S. (Apabhramsa Kāvyatrayi, G. O. S., XXXVII, Baroda 1927). As an appendage to his Introduction (in Sanskrit), he has added a well-documented essay (in Sanskrit) on the Apabhramśa language. He explains incidentally the background of Prākrit, its relation with Sanskrit and the nature of Ardhamāgadhi. In the context of the discussion about Desibhāṣās, he has introduced in details the Prākrit Kuvalayamälä and has quoted a number of passages from it from the Jaisalmer Ms. (giving reference to its palmleaves) and they correspond to our text, in the order they are quoted, as below : [p. 89, f. n.] : p. 282, 1. 19 to p. 283 1. 6; [p. 90, f.n.] : p. 282, II. 4 to 18; (pp. 91-94] : p. 152, 1. 21 to p. 153, l. 12; [p. 91, f.n.] : p. 4, Il. 11-14; p. 281, ll. 22–25; p. 281, 1. 26 to p. 282, 1. 3; (pp. 97-98] :