Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

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

Page 50

Aspects of Brahmanical Influence on the Jain Mythology
alludes as the Bharatakathā,78 and in his version of the Rāma-story follows Vālmikr more closely than his Jaina predecessors.79 Moreover, in incidental notices of and references to the past events of mythological character, Silānka betrays fairly accurate knowledge of the traditional lore 80 In the Vibudhānanda drama incorporated in the work to prepare hing Mahābala (fourth previous incarnation of Rşabhadeva and serving as a prelude to the Rsabha-narrative) for renunciation, Bhisma's fearlessness in battle is ascribed to th:
78 भारहकहन्व समुल्लसिय-भीमज्जुणा
CMC, P 111 79 VM Kulkarni, The Rāmāyana-version of Silācārya as found in the
Caupannamahāpurisacariga, ABORI Vol XXXVI, pp 46-53 80 (I)णारायणमुत्तिन्व पयडियदिस्सरूवा (नारायणमूतिरिव प्रकटितविश्व
रूपा), (II) तियसाऽसुरमहियममुद्दवेलव्व सकमला (त्रिदशासुरमथितyetenega 99771), (III) fafueUFETUUTETFsa #4feaATEI (faftrafecortarget 57 HITT), (IV) FITवाहिवतणुव्व वियरियहरिणहा (दानवाधिपतनुरिव विदारितहरिणखा, (v) गगेयऽज्जुरणसमरभूमिव्व वियभियसिहडिसिलीमुहा (गाड्गेयार्जुन
tafafea faufiyafstefosfaat ET) --CMC, p ill As is cvident from the excerpt, the first similc refers to the cvent of Lord Visnu's revealing his unncrsal form (Visparūpa) to Ariuna as described in the Bhagavadgitā, Canto 11 The second phrasc alludes to the epicPuranic lcgend of the churning of the occan by the gods and demons and the appearance of Kamalā (Laksmi), goddess of wealth and bcauty out of the foaming tide of the agitatcd occan Third and fourth similes relate to the Varaha and Nara-stmha incarnations of God Visnu stated to have slain the demon-kings Hurangāk sa and Hiran, akasıpu respectively The last passagc refers to the crentful fight between Bhisma and Arjuna in which the latter, concealed behind Sikhandın, placed in the van of the army, brought about the end of Bhisma The Mahābhārata tells us that the stratagem of hiding Arjuna behind Sikhandin was cmployed because of Bhisma's resolve not to fight against Srkhandın hom the great hero had regarded as a woman, because originally Sikhandın was born as a daughter of king Drupada and was later converted to a man For all the above references Vide MIBh 1 18 1-43. 5 102 11-12 Rimnā 1 45 13-44 MIBh 3 272 56-61 Hv 3 39 1-23, 3 41 1-3 47.14 6 107 77-87, 6 108 3-4, 40-53, 3 117 1-7, 119 12-93.