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अपभ्रंश भारती 15-16
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Every Jain-poet takes the story of Krishna from the oldest origin i.e. the Mahabharata and also from Bhagavata-Purana, Vishnu Purana, Brahma Purana etc; but everyone narrates the story in the colour of Jainism. Dr. Sankata Prasad Upadhyay came to the conclusion that 'Every element of Jainism has been narrated in Rithanemi Chariu by Swayambhu Deb and in doing so, the poet never cared to have the nobility of the character of Krishna be saved.40
Whenever, the poet finds place, he throws light on Jain-Philosophy and Jain-Religion, forgetting, the flow of original story. Thus, it is very interesting to note that though the Jain tradition of poets, is apposed to Hindu traditions of incarnation of God Vishnu; Poets depict the story of Krihna's childhood and Kurukshetra-war, but in their own style. Jain-Krishna-Katha has been a source to popularize the Jainism amongst the masses by the Jain poets.
In this regard, I would like to cite some examples, so that it may be clear to the readers, how the Jain poets adopted Hindu-traditions and the stories of Lord Rama and Krishna, to spread the religious thinking in the masses. Renowned scholar Dr. Sankata Prasad Upadhyay writes- "The atmosphere in all the Jain mythological-epics is coloured by the Jain-Ideals and Jain-Philosophy. Almost evey character ultimately becomes the follower of Jainism".41
Mahakavi Swayambhu Dev, when begins the epic-poem "Rithanemi Chariu", prays the 22nd Tirthankaer' NEMI and not the goddess Sarswati, like Hindu poets.
“पंणमामि णेमितित्थंकर हो! हरिबल-कुल- णहयल - ससहर हो !!’42
"Panamani nemitithankarho. Hari Bal-kul-nahayal-sashar ho." "I pray to tirthankara Nemi, who is like a moon in the sky of the Narayana and Balbhadra's lineage".
i.e.
The most significant thing is that there is No description of killings of any animal by any king in hunting because Swayambhu Dev has firm faith in 'Ahimsa', the prime doctrine of Jainism.43
According to Jain tradition of Digambara Sect, when Tirthankar is born, his mother has 16 dreams in the following night. Swayambhu Dev describes these 16 dreams by the mother of Tirthankara Nemi in his epic poem 'Rithanemi Chariu'.
