Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

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

Page 83

The Manus and their periods
It is, however, remarkable to note that the Digambaras accept fourteen Manus and represent all of them as the past patriarchs, whereas the Svetāmbaras accept only sevens and, like the epic-Purānic authors, treat Ikşvāku as the son and successor of the seventhe Manu
A perusal of both the Digambara and Svetāmbara versions shows that the latter do not recognise the first six Manus of the Digambara school and of the remaining eight, they have dropped Candrabha from their lists Thus, the Manvantara period, according to the Suelámbaras, begins with Vimalavahana, who is posited first in the chronological sequence
Another significant difference between the two versions is marked by their description of the origin of kingship The
4 The Jaina Manus, according to Vimalasuri's account, arc (1) Pratistult,
(11) Sanmalı, (iu) Ksemonkara, (iv) K semaridhara, (v) Simankara, (vi) Simandhara, (vi) Prajānanda, (vi) Caksu, (1x) Vimalavāhana, (x) Abhicandra, (x1) Chandrabha, (x11) Marudara, (x) Prosenant, and (x1) Nabhen-VPC, III 50-55, Radi sena has practically adopted the same list with minor variations in some names inasmuch as he calls the fourth and fifth Manus Ksemabhat and Simadhri respectively Another alteration is marked by thc climination of Prajānanda whose place as the scventh Manu has been sigrice to Coksu mon Cak su is substituted by Yasasvan as the cighth Mary and the ninth Maru Vimalatāl ana is replaced by Vipula-RPC, 3 73 87, JHV shows general agreement with RPC, but makes Vipulaváhana father of Caksusmān who, according
to RPC, was former's grandfather, comp JHV 7 162-160 5 (1) Vimalarāhana, (11) Cakşuşmân, (111) Yasaspán, (iv) Abhocandia, (v)
Prasenajit, (vi) Marudeva and (vn) Nābhi,--CMC, pp 9-10, TSPC, I 2 160-206 Thc Svetāmbaras have cvidently drawn upon the Vasudevahindi which accepts only seven Manus just in the same order of succession in which thc Svetambara versions represent them, vide
VH, pp 157-158 8 "सत्तम णाभी कुलगरो
-"CMC P 10, "सत्तमोभूत् कुलकरो नाभिस्तदनु युग्मिनाम् । तिसृभिर्नीतिभिस्ताश्च यथावत् प्रशशास स ॥"
-TSPO, 1.2.2007.