Brief Survey of Jaina Prakrit and Sanskrit Literature Part 2

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: Sanmati Tirth Prakashan Pune

Page 16

the commentaries.
* Among the ample Skt. works of this century, Dhanapāla's Tilakamañjarī, Somadeva's Yaśastilakacampū and Harişena's Brhatkathākoşa are the most revered works in Jaina and also in non-Jaina fields. These works attained venerable position in the history of Indian Sanskrit literature.
* Jayasena's Skt. commentaries on Kundakunda's important works are remarkable. It is very curious that in the 13th century, Amrtacandra had written commentaries on the same works of Kundakunda.
* It seems that the personality of Yasodhara attained popularity from this century. Digambaras wrote biographies of Yaśodhara up till 18th century in Sanskrit and Apabhraíśa.
* Skt. Nyāya works of this century are very few and mostly commentarial.
* Works on Metrics are written in JM. and Sanskrit.
* We find JM., Skt. and Apabhramsa works of Dhanapāla in this century. The available history books provide baffling information about two or three Dhanapālas. After the minute observation we have come to the conclusion that Svetāmbara Brahmin Pandita Dhanapāla, contemporary of Bhoja wrote Tilakamañjarī in Skt. and lexicon (Pāialacchināmamālā) and stotras in Jaina Mahārāstrī. The other Dhanapāla, born in Dhakkada-vamsa was a Digambara belonging to Vaisya caste and he wrote the famous Bhavisayattakahā in Apabhramsa.
* Apabhramsa Dohā works of this century are very peculiar. Dohā metre attained popularity in 15th and 16th century and the devotional songs were composed in regional languages.
* In short we may conclude that declining tendency of Religious, Philosophical and Nyāya works is seen in 10th century. On the other hand, inclination towards classical literature is increasing
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