Bruhat Katha kosha

Author(s): Harishen Acharya,
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 56

INTRODUCTION
to go to hell whence he was born as a beautiful daughter Devadatta. She was married to Pusanandi who was very much attached to his mother. She did not like this and killed the mother-in-law with a hot iron bar. The king ordered Devadattă to be impaled. Her future career would be like that of Miyaputta. The courtezan Puḍhavisiri seduced many persons of different status in life. As a result of this sin, she went to hell and was further reborn as a beautiful girl Añju. She became a queen but suffered lot on account of her vaginal pain which was incurable. Her future career, Mahāvīra prophesied, would be like that of Devadattă. The second section deals with the fruit of pious acts. The pious layman Sumuha received the monk Sudatta with pure and plenty of food. Consequently he had his journey of Samsara shortened and was subsequently born as prince Subahu of magnificent fortune. He received vows under Mahāvīra. Later on he would study scriptures, practise austerities, go to heaven and subsequently attain liberation. With the difference in names, the remaining stories are similar to that of Subăhu.
The didactic tone of these stories is apparent. They want to give lessons in good behaviour both to monks and householders or to nuns and house-ladies. The pictures of the past and future and the horrors of transmigratory circuit warn the believer to tread the path of piety; even if he has erred, there is a better future for him; and he should follow the instructions of a teacher like Mahavira. Asceticism is a sovereign The sins enumerated remedy against all the ills of this and next life. and professions condemned give a fine glimpse of the ethical code which Jainism has always insisted upon.
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The appeal to ascetic sentiments is worked out in a vigorous poetic back-ground in some of the stories of the Uttaradhyayana: King Nemi enters the order of monks after refuting the arguments of Indra guised as a Brahmin who wanted to test his faith (chap. IX). The legend of Hariesi sets aside the traditional value of sacrifice, and self-control and penance are held in great reverence (chap. XII). The story of Citta and Sambhūta (chap. XIII) belongs to the great cycle of tales about king Brahmadatta, and is a common property of Jaina, Buddhistic and Hindu works'. King Bambhadatta goes to hell, while the monk Citta attains liberation: this again conveys the superiority of ascetic values (chap. XIII). The chapter Usuyārijjam pleads so strongly for monastic values that it leads to a group-renunciation on the part of the king, queen and others. Aristanemi's renunciation with compassion towards the victims of the weddingfeast; Rajimati's devotion to him and her consequent retirement; her eloquent chastisement of wavering Rathanemi who was enlightened by her and the attainment of liberation after severe penances: the chapter Rahanemijjam (XXII), which nicely depicts these events, is a brilliant piece of ascetic poetry. The chapter Samjaïjjam (XVIII) gives some idea
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1 See Charpentier's Intro., pp. 44 etc., and Notes, pp. 327 etc., of his ed. of the Uttara., Uppsala 1922.