Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

Author(s): Shaktidhar Jha
Publisher: Bharat Bharti Bhandar

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The Epics and the Jaina Purānas
Brahmanical Harivamsa 18 Although several changes have been introduced in the detailed description of the exploits of the heroes of the Hart dynasty, yet the main theme does not betray any departure from the original account However, with regard to the description of Vasudeva's exploits the author shows his ingenuity in inventing new situations by blending together the materials borrowed from the Vasudevahındı and the BrhatLathă. But this shows an extravagant supernaturality with which the feats of the hero are wrapped up
Of all the Jaina Puranas, the Mahapurana of FinasenaGunabhadral is the most important and interesting work. It is the precursor of those Puranas which narrate the life-stories of all the sixtythree great personalities of the Jaina faith And, to a great extent, this work serves as model "for many subsequent authors like Puspadanta, Hemacandra, Asadhara, Camundaraya, and the author of Tamil Sripurāna" The MP may rightly be called "an encyclopaedia of Jainism", as it brings to relief various aspects of the contemporary Jaina society. It is here that we get for the first time a descriptive account of all the
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18 The Vasudevahir dr of Sanghadása (c 609 A D Is carlier than the present work But that work does not come within the perview of the Puranic literature and pertains to the class of religious romance The work, however, serves, in several respects, as the prototype of JHV, See chaps V-VI Also Indian Literature, Vol II, p 495
19. Jinasena composed the first forty-two Partons of his Purata which is popularly known as the Adipurana The remaining Parvans of the work were written by his pupil Gunabhadra This composition serves as a supplement to Jinasena's work, left incomplete, and is known as Ullarapurana But the printed edition of the work is divided into three parts The first part consisting of twenty-five paroans is styled Adipurano, the second part which comprises chapters 26 to 47 of which the last five chapters are by Gunabhadra, is called Mahapurana The third book is entirely from the pen of Gunabhadra and consists of 29 paroans in all Thus, the work, started by Jinasena (circa 850-875 A D) on an ambitious plan, was brought to completion by Gunabhadra (898 A D) in seventy-six parvans However, the names Adipurāna, Mahāpurana and Uttarapurana, as given to three printed volumes, does not appear to have been based on a solid ground, for, both the authors call their composition Trışa şfilakṣanamahāpurānasangraha, as is evident from the colophon of each parvan.
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