Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

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

Page 54

Aspects of Bralımanıcal Influence on the Jain Mythology
the episode of Cakrin Suvarnabalu and Padma 92 Or thesc, the lastmentioned story is obviously fashioned after the themc of Abhijñanasākuntala of Kalıdāsa Similarly, the story of the preparation of the Caru oblations by Jamadagn103 is a copy of the Mahabharata episode of sage Rciha's similar fcat "4 In fact the work is interspersed with an overwhelming number of thc Brahmanıcal epic-Purānic myths and legends with some contex:ual adaptations These tales are very important and interesting from the point of view of their comparalive apprai.
sal
In a majority of cases the author has hinged together different tales of the epic origin and has given them a new appearance to suit the Jaina taste. Some cpican and Purānic episodes have found incidental mention for the purpose of illustrating some important points, 95 and a few have been refer.
92 TSPC, Vol V, PP 371-375 13 Ibid , Vol IV, p 44f 94 The epic fable tells us that sage Roika intending to have an extraordi
nary son with the qualities of a Brāhmana from his fi atrisa wife Salsa. vali, daughter of hing Gādhi, prepared a Caru oblation for hier He prepared another Caru for his mother-in-law so that she might conceive an uncommon K şairiya child But the old lady pres ailed upon ber daughter in exchanging the oblations, with the result that the former gave birth to Visvāmitra, a Ksatriya with the character of a Brāhmana Now, Satsapati was to bear a son with the traits of Eşaltija, ficrcc in action When told by her husband about thc result of the crchange, Satyačali begged that the effect might pass on to her grandson That being granted, she gave birth to Jamadagnt with the result that his son Parasurama was born as a terrible warmor-Brāhmana MBh XII 49 0-30, XIII 4 24-48, III 115 33-43 (which, however, tells that the Caru was given to the women by the sage Bhrgu, father of Ruila) Also see Hy 1 27 17-35 It is to be noted here that to make the effect of the exchanged Caru direct, Hemacandra apparently gets them prepared by Jamadagni who is stated to have made one for his wife Renuka and another for her sister, wife of King Anantapirya And imputing a motive in his own way the author of the TSPC says that as Renula changes her Caru for that of her sister, so she gave birth to Parasurama
with the characteristics of a formidable warrior 95 To cite one from a host of such notices reference may be made to the
passage where, stressing the importance of the outward form of a