Contribution of Jainas to Sanskrit and Prakrit Literature

Author(s): Vasantkumar Bhatt, Jitendra B Shah, Dinanath Sharma
Publisher: Kasturbhai Lalbhai Smarak Nidhi Ahmedabad

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Jain Contribution to Sanskrit Literature
A. Venkata Rao
The Jains played a significant role in the literary and linguistic development of India. Sanskrit has all along been the medium of sacred writings and preachings of the Brahmanas and Pali for Buddhists. The Jains utilised existing languages like Sanskrit to propagate their religious teachings and preachings and also for the preservation of knowledge. Though popular literature written in Prakrit, Sanskrit was not prohibited altogether. In order to popularise their canons among the elite also, they adopted Sanskrit as the medium, thus enriching it with Mahakayyas (Epics), biographies of their saints and sages, short stories, stotras and lyrics. Let us have a peep into the glorious work turned out by the Jains of our mother-land.
Mahakavya 1. Harichandra, a Jain poet of the Digambara Sect, was the son of Ardradeva and Aadha and brother of Laksman of the Kayastha Sanomaka family. He bore the title of Sarasvatiputra. He is mentioned by Rajasekhara in his Karpuramanjari. It seems, he wrote Dharma Sarma bhyudaya.
2. Jinasena was the pupil of Vīrācārya and was at the head of those who were proficient in the fragment of the sacred texts left after the time of Subhadra and Loharya, sages who were conversant with the Acāranga of the Śvetāmbara Jain religion. Vīrācārya and Jinasena converted the Rastrakuta king Amoghavarsa into Jainism and the king abdicated his throne in favour of his son in 875 A. D. Vīrācārya was an illustrious mathematician and alludes to the king in the prasasti of Ganitasārasangraha. Jinasena's pupil Gunabhadra was the preceptor of king Krsna II, Akalavarsa. Among his works Harivamsa was composed in the reign of Krsnaraja I, grandfather of Amoghavarśa, in 793 A. D. and Pārsvabhyudaya, in 814 A. D. of ADIPURANA 42 chapters were written by Jinasena and the last, five were completed by his pupil Gunabhadra according to his instructions as Uttarapurānam. This was consecrated by his