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Aspects of Brahmanıcal Influence on the Jaina Mythology
sense of the term A Carita, according to the definition, 18 a narrative based on the facts experienced by the narrator with regard to men or women It is a form of fathā which "dcals with what is actually scen, hcard or experienced in matters relating to Dharma, Artha and Kāma” Further, Silanka, while showing a contrast between a Canta and Kalputa type of litcra. lure, states that "regarding the highest reality an invented story does not please the minds of the good, nor docs cvcn a fool forsake tru'h on hearing a fanciful tale "4 Next, in prcfcrence of the Carita, he says, "although both (Carta and Kalpita) have identical purpose, (1 e) the promotion of hcalthy idcas among the masses, still to me the Canya appears superior to the Kappryas (Kalpita) ” The reason is obvious A Carita being factual in character is tantamount of history A Kalpita, on the other hand, being essentially a figment of poet's fancy, lacks historical interest Hence, in the opinion of literary critics, the latter is less appealing to the people having rational leanings in religion
Thus the Jaina Puranakāras, by styling their works as Caritas, seem to impress upon us that the stories they tell are of historical nature But judged from the standpoint of the nature of the subjects which they treat, the works in question betray, in the main, the character of a Kalpita type of narrative "modi
3 दुविहा कहा-चरिया य कप्पिया य । तत्थ चरिया दुविहा-एस्पीए
पुरिसस्स वा । धम्मत्थकाम-कज्जेसु दिळं सुयमणुभूय चरियं ति gafari
-Vasudevahındı, chap X, quoted in Yasastilaka and
Indian Culture, p 124 4 परमत्याहिगारे य कप्पियकहा पर सज्जणमणाणि रजेद। रण हि कोइ बालिसो कप्पियमायणिकरण सन्भूय छड्डेइ ।
--CMC, (Kahāpīdha) p 4 5 जइ विहु दोण्ह वि लोए कुसलमइपवत्तण फलं सरिस । तह वि मह कप्पियानो विहाइ चरिय विसिट्ठयर ॥
Ibid, p 4, V 46, also the following statement in favour of the reliability of the Carita, Ibid, p 4.
