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Sanskrit Literature/91
versions of Vālmiki and Vyāsa. "In case we accept the opinion that Padmacarita was composed in the year V. S. 734 (A. D. 677) then we have to accept that it is earlier than any known manuscript of the Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki. Thus in case of Rāmakathā, etc., it would be wrong to say that Jains were trying to debunk the Brahmanical history and myth" [Singh, Y. B.: The Historical Traditions in Jain Purāņas - A study of their Nature and purpose - in Jainism and Prakrit in Ancient and medieval India, ed. Bhattacharyya, N. N.:1994 : 288].
4.5.6.8. "... Jains had details about Krsna-kathā too. And they have tried present it in an objective way. Not this alone. The Jain account tries to present certain episodes of Mahābhārata even in a much more sobre way. Gunabhadra, while describing the birth of Karņa, says that he was born because of the pre-marital sex relations of Pāņdu and Kunti. He does not say that Pāndu was not the father of Pāndavas. He aslo says that Karna was found by Rāja of Champā and his queen Rādhā accepted him as her own son.
4.5.6.9. Thus, the Jain Purāņas nowhere try to denigrate the heroes of Brahmanical texts.... However, the Jain authors always tried to narrate only those events of the past which were fit to provide models to the masses. The concept of history which can bring good to all the people has a deep rooted tradition in India. It continued in later years and its reflection is found even in the Rāmacaritamānasa of saint poet Tulsidāsa. He states that eulogy, poetry and material possessions are good only if they do good to each and every person.... they (the Jains) did not ignore the facts and therefore, the distortion of past episodes is absent. The changes which they made, were in relation to the importance and antiquity of the Jain religion" (ibid : 289-90).
4.6. Pälyakīrti Sākatāyana (C. 840 C. E.), reputed scholar grammarian of the Rāstrakūta period lived in the court of Amõghavarsa. Jaina grammatical system had two famous exponents in Pūjyapāda and Sākatāyana. The latter
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