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Ancient Jaina Hymns
369
Samskrta, and though they are laden with the usual adornments of Kāvya style, make pleasant and easy reading, owing to the lucidity and melodious flow of their phrasing. This is all the more creditable to the poet since the whole poem is an instance of ‘samasyapūraņa', or rather double ‘samasyā-pūraņa”. It is carried through in such a way that, except for the first and last stanzas, the first and last 'caraņas' of each stanza are taken from the corresponding stanzas of what are considered to be the two model Jaina hymns by both Svetāmbaras and Digambars, viz., Siddhasena Divākara's 'Kalyāņamandira-stotra' and Merutunga Sūri's 'Bhaktāmara-stotra'. Only the second and third 'caraṇa' of each stanza, which artistically connect the two heterogeneous 'carana', as well as stanza 1 and 46, are the poet's own creation. Only in one instance, he has changed the 'samasyā', viz., in st. 45, where the pertinent 'caraṇa' of the Kalyāna-mandira-stotra ( st. 44 ) was required to be re-shaped so as to fit into the metrical scheme.
In Jaina literature, ‘samasyā-pūraña', particularly on the basis of those two classical stotras, which are very popular and credited to be gifted with miraculous virtues, has repeatedly been practised. Five 'Bhaktāmara-stotra-pādapūrti-stotras' have been edited in two stately volumes by Professor H. R. Kapadia", along with a learned introduction dealing with the subject in general, and with further references re this type of literature. Our present hymn forms a supplement to that collection.
Our hymn is addressed to Pārsvanātha, the 23rd Jina, without however containing any allusion to the latter's life or personal characteristics, except for a reference to the king of the snakedemons and his mate, the well-known Śāsana-deva' and 'Sāsanadevi' of that Jina, in st. 45. It describes, on the other hand, in detail, the eight ‘prātihāryas', common to all the Jinas ( st. 21-29), as well as the conventional eight great dangers from which the devotee can be saved by remembering the Tīrtharkara ( st. 35-42).
Like the 'Devakulādinātha-stavana', this hymn too is add
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