Chaupannamahapurischariyam

Author(s): Shilankacharya, Amrutlal Bhojak, Dalsukh Malvania, Vasudev S Agarwal
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

Page 30

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§ 12. Comparison of the sub-versions" (II): HTr, SC, and DUtt. The following parts of the UH are contained in DUtt: Sagara-carita, Sanatkumāra-carita," Sibi-episode" (see below), Nemi-carita (almost complete), story of the destruction of Dvaravati, Brahmadatta-carita, Parsva-carita, and miscellaneous tales from the Mahavira-carita and from the Parisişṭaparvan. DUtt overlaps with JC/HTI mainly in these tales; it overlaps with SVh mainly in the Sagara-carita, Sanatkumara-carita (only a portion of this carita is contained in SVh), and in the "Sibi-episode" (DUtt: Santi's 8th previous existence as Vajrayudha; SVh: Santi's 10th previous existence as Megharatha). SVh overlaps with JC/HT: mainly in the Rṣabha-Bharata-carita, in the Triprstha-carita, in the Subhuma-carita, and in the Prasannacandra-story of the Mahavira-carita. - The statement that SC follows HTr in all those portions which are also contained in DUtt (§ 6 above) requires reexamination (note 6; SC/M p. 36, 1. 27 ff.).
INTRODUCTION
The comparison of the parts common to HTr, SC, and DUtt shows that the version SC/DUtt is always much less detailed than the version of HTr. This is due to additions by Hemacandra rather than to omissions by Stlänka and Devendra. Nevertheless we also meet with a number of omissions in Dutt (SC/M pp. 75, 58, 95), and this fact alone shows that DUtt cannot be studied any longer without reference to the parallel versions. Material restricted to either SC or DUtt is rarely found and has little importance. In a number of cases SC clearly departs from HTr/DUtt, but instances where HTr departs from DUtt/SC or DUtt from HTr/SC occur only sporadically. In the Sagara-carita DUtt/SVh deviate on one occasion from SC/HTr (story of the Brahman: SC/M p. 61, 1. 16 ff.), and in the Santicarita DUtt/SC differ from HTT/SVh in the "Sibi-story" (SC/M p. 76, 1. 35 ff.). Broadly speaking the difference between DUtt and HTr is greater than the difference between JC/HTi and HTr, and smaller than the difference between SC and HTr. But none of these differences is of the same magnitude as the average difference between the main-versions described earlier.
§ 13. Comparison of the canonical and of the post-canonical Mahavira-biography. HT and the Avasyaka-tradition agree in most cases with the canonical records of the life of Mahavira as found in the AyAranga, Jipacariya, Viyahapannatti etc. (strictly speaking, the Avasyakaniryukti itself is still a canonical text). Silanka follows a different tradition which cannot be traced in any other text. Only the typical facts are related in SC in more or less the same way as in the other texts. The KandarikaPundarika-story (SC/M p. 111) is the only case where SC shows closer agreement with a canonical version (Naya 19) than HTг. JCù follows in this case the version of Naya 19 (in HTI the story is not included). In a few pieces of historical or semi-historical character SC departs very clearly from the other texts. The description of Gosala's heresy is not in keeping with HTr or the Viyahapannatti (SC/M pp. 106 f.), and three lists of contemporaneous names do not seem to occur outside SC (SC/M pp. 106, 112). Unfortunately, Silanka furnishes very little information about the persons mentioned.
§ 14. Contamination of the versions I (introduction to the problem); for the second part refer to SC/M pp. 136 f.; see also L. Alsdorf, Der Kumarapalapratibodha, Hamburg 1928, pp. 29 and 33. Our comparison provides many examples where two or more texts are partly identical in their contents or even in their wording. This does not however mean that it is easy to establish a direct connection between such texts. To derive a work, or any larger unit within it, from another work is as a rule impossible because of numerous differences which distinguish the later version from the earlier version and which cannot be explained by the initiative of the younger author. The problem is further complicated by the fact that the admixture of the new ingredient is perfectly arbitrary and incalculable. 6. When the thesis was written I had no access to the Ahmedabad edition (Atmavallabhagranthavali 12). The list was therefore based on the partial editions by Jacobi and others and cannot claim to be complete.
7. The versions are almost identical. See L. Alsdorf, Der Kumarapalapratibodha, Hamburg 1928, p. 27.