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There may not be one hero but the individuality of all the heroes of the Pauranic stories have been identified properly on their own accord. Considering the characteristics of the text one may, of course, call it an epic composed in different metres like भुजंगप्रयात, रजओ, घत्ता, धुवक But the पज्झटिका is mainly used throughout the text.
The story says that there were two intimate friends, one Manovega, the son of king Jitashatru, and the other one Pavanavega, the son of Vijayapuri king. Manovega was religious minded following Jainism while the other one Pavanavega was just opposit to him following Vedic religion. Both the friends go to Pataliputra where Manovega narrates in Vadashala the Pauronic stories before the Brahmanas and strive to prove them irreliable, false and unbelievable. In this context, several Pauranic stories have been narrated. For instance, equifas कथा ( 4.7.12 ), तिलोत्तम कथा (4.13 ), शिश्नश्छेदन कथा (5.1 ), खरशिरश्छेदन कथा (5.6-7), भागीरथी and गान्धारी कथा (7.9), पाराशर ऋषि and योजनगन्धा कथा (7.14), उद्दालक and चन्द्रमती कथा (7.16.7), रावण दशानन कथा ( 8.13.1 ) etc. Hearing the right form of these stories, Pavanavega becomes the follower of Jainism.
During criticising the Pauranic tales, Harishena submits their own forms according to Jain tradition and questions obout Vishnu (3.21), Vishnu's sensuality (4.9-12), relation between Brahma and Tilottama (4.13-16), stories related to Brahma and Vishnu (5.16-20), etc. Harishena also explained the Ramakatha (8.11) and other Pauranic tales (6.4-5); 9.11-12-14, 18-25, 17th Sandhi) दविमुख - जरासन्ध कथा (9.6.10 ) and some fabricated tales like मार्जार कथा (4.3.7), जलशिला - वानर नृत्य कथा ( 5.89 ), कमण्डलु गजकथा ( 5.10 - 12 ), वृहत्कुमारी कथा (7.26), fag (9.1-3) etc. Exaggeration element has been removed from these stories and made their humanatarian exposition. Thus the after may be treated as an epic ( महाकाव्य) are though it is not formed under the purview of the traditional characteristics. It is composed with MATA.
In course of discussion, Harishena also explained the nature of आप्त and वीतराग परमात्मन् (4.23, 5.18- 20, 9. 13, 18.25), भावकव्रत, अष्टमूलगुण, षट्कर्म, शिक्षाव्रत, रात्रिभोजनत्याग, सल्लेखना, fafaza etc. in Ninth Sandhi.
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