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Book Review
1. A Treasury of Jain Tales-Prof. V. M. Kulakarni, Published by
Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre, Ahmedabad 380004, First Edition, March 1994, Price : 2007
The Jain narrative literature is very rich and extensive. It is poorly known and what is available in English is very meagre. Examples of ancient legendary heros have often been used by the Jain seers and teachers for illustrating effectively the hard path of their monastic life, and the abstract philosophical ideas of their faith.
Particularly the narrative literature of the Swetambaras is veritable storehouse of folk tales, fairy-tales, beast-fables, parables. apologues, allegories, legends, funny stories and anecdotes. A large number of such tales, parables and legends occur in the Canon itself, while a number of illustrative examples are found in the commentaries on the Canon.
The Jain monks were very shrewd and practical-minded. They exploited the Indian people's inborn love for stories for propagation of their religious faith. However these narratives are very precious as they go beyond the kings and the priests and give a picture of the real life of the Indian people in all the different walks of life.
The present edition of Jain Tales which is the first in a series of at least three such volumes, as Prof. Kulkarni says in his Preface to this publication-A Treasury of Jain Tales ie. Shree Shwetambar Murti-Pujak Jain Boarding (Ahmedabad) Series Vol. 5. It is a fine collection of the stories derived from Jain Canonical leterature and commentaries by Dr. J. C. Jain, Dr. P. N. Upadhye, Prof. R. P. Nipanikar, Prof. S. T. Nimkar, Dr. (Mrs.) Nirmala Chheda and Prof G. S. Bedagkar under the able guidance of Prof. Kulkarni, which, no doubt can be looked upon as another gem in the crown of his scholarly achievements.
Many of the stories, here are based on the typical Indian metaphysics of which karma is the sine quanon. Every such story spreads over an enormous time span that easily covers a couple of life times, and relies on Rebirth. The story of the 12th voyage of Makandi Bros, can easily find place in the voyage literature of the world. Like Homer's Odysseus the two brothers meet a merciless circle and in
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| SR No. | 524581 |
| Book Title | Tulsi Prajna 1994 10 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | Parmeshwar Solanki |
| Publisher | Jain Vishva Bharati |
| Publication Year | 1994 |
| Total Pages | 152 |
| Language | Hindi |
| Classification | Magazine, India_Tulsi Prajna, & India |
| File Size | 7 MB |