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AN EPITOME OF JAINISM.
It is beyond doubt that the Jain writers hold a prominent position in literary activity of the country. Besides the Jain Siddhanta and its conimentaries, there are a great number of other works both in Prakrit and Sanskrit on Philosophy, Logic, 'Astronomy, Grammar, Rhetoric, Lives of Saints etc. both in prose and poetry. Some of these poems are in epic style full of poetic imagery which can fully cope with the best existing literature of the Hindus. We further possess a number of Kavyas both in Prakrit and Sanskrit, which for the most part describe the lives of Tirthankars and Acharjyas and other great personages and are generally known as Charitras. They generally add to the knowledge of our ancient literature of India. As to the time their composition dates back as early as the first century of the Christian era. Of the Prakrit Kâvyas, many of them are now lost to us. Among the existing ones, the Paum Charitum (Padma Charita) is worthy of mention, as one of the oldest Prakrit epics. the “Vasudeva Hindi" is also a voluminous work in Prakrit in three parts
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