Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

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

Page 44

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Aspects of Brahmanical Influence on the Jain Mythology
the offspring of Vidyadhara race Accordingly, the first book, which deals with the origin of the Vidyadharas, is styled Vidyadhara-Kända The five books as named by Svayambhu stand thus:
1. Vyjähara-handa (Vidyadhara-handa) 2 Ujjha-kanda (Ayodhyā-kända)
3 Sundara-handa (Sundara-kända)
4 Jujjha-handa (Yuddha-landa) 5 Uttara-handa (Uttara-lānda)
The Ritthanemicariu57 by the same author is another Jaina version of the Brahmanical Harivamsapurāna. This work, too, on the analogy of the Rama-cpic, is divided into four Kandas, which are styled as Yadavalanda, Kuru-hända, Yuddha-lända and Uttara-handa In consists of 112 Sandhis containing in all 1937 hadavakas of these Sandhis seventyseven are Svayambhu's own composition, while the remaining Sandhis were written by the author's son, Tribhuvanasvayambhū But some of the Sandhis in the end were lost and the loss was made good by Bhaṭṭūrala Yasahhirti in collaboration with his Guru Gunakīrlı.
The Yadavakända contains 13 Sandhis describing the birth, childhood frolics and feats and marriages of Krsna and the birth of his sons as well as that of Neminātha
The Kurukanda consisting of 19 Sandhis gives the account of the birth of the Kaurava-Pandava brothers, of their childhood and education, of enmity between the cousins, of Tudhişthira's diceplay, his defeat and stripping of Draupadi and of Pandavas' exile for twelve years
The Yuddhahanda, having 60 Sandhus, describes the battle fought between the Kauravas and the Pandavas resulting in the defeat of the former
The last book, viz the Uttarahanda comprising twenty Sandhis relates the incidents of Krşna's later life together with those of Neminatha represented unanimously as the younger brother of the former.
57 It is still in manuscript form and our statement about the work principally rests on the information given by Pt Paramananda Jain Sastri, Jain Grantha Prasastisangraha, Part II Introduction, pp 43-44'