Book Title: ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 04
Author(s): International School for Jain Studies
Publisher: International School for Jain Studies
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2. Mah vra and Buddha used Prākrta in their teaching for the enlistment of the culture of
the people. 3. It earned the status of state language during A oka's time, and fame continued for
hundreds of years. 4. It was adopted as a powerful medium of communication in the society as almost all the
characters in the major Indian dramas speak in Prāksta. 5. In their writings Indian literary critics have also preserved hundreds of Prākrta verses in
the form of quotations, because of their simplicity and sweetness. 6. Thus Prākrta language has been the preserver of Indian culture.
6.2 Prākta Poetry Literature
1. G th saptsati:
This is the first available collection of stray verse in Prākta literature. It is a compilation
of 700 verses of poets and poetesses of that time. 2. Vajj laggam:
The other work of stray Prākta verses is the Vajj laggam. In this work the poet Jayavallabha collected the 795 beautiful verses of several poets and divided them into 96 groups (vajja) on the basis of their subject matter.
6.3 Sanskrit and Apabhra a Literature. The Jaina Literature in other Languages Jainas have been able to enrich their literature in different languages like Pr krta, Apabhra Hindi, Rajasthani, Tamil, Kannada, Gujarati and others
a
1. Sanskrit Jaina Literature The Jaina Saint-poets opened new vistas and newer dimensions in almost all the areas of poetic activities e.g. the Pur nas, the Mah k vyas, the laghu Carita K vyas, the messages poems, the poetic prose and the poetics, Campus the panegyrics and allegorical compositions.
1. The dipur 2. The Ya a tilaka Campu 3. Jivanddh raCampu 4. Upamitibhava prapancakath
c rya Jinasena
c rya Somadeva Haricandra Siddharsi
2. Apabhra a Literature
1. Special value for the North Indian languages
It is of special value for the study of New Indo-Aryan, especially many of our North Indian languages of today. The regional languages such as Sindhi, Punjabi, Marathi, Gujarati, Rajasthani, Bihari, Udiya, Bengali, Asami and the like have grown from the soil of Apabhra a language and literature. Popularized by Jaina authors Apabhra a, which enjoyed the credit of being the national language of Northern India for a very long time, has been nourished by Jaina authors. From the 6th Cent. A. D. to 15" Cent. A. D. the cultivators Apabhra a language were Jainas. Prominent writers of Apabhra a Svayambhu (8th Cent. A.D.) and Puspadanta (10h Cent. A.D.) are the prominent writers of Apabhra a literature. It is of great importance to note that they selected R ma and Krs a for composing the Prabandha-K vya in Apabhra a literature Joindu, Muni Ramasimgha, Devasena etc. are the prominent ethicospiritual writers who have been recognized as the precursors of Kabir, Tulsi and other mastic poetsaints of India.
6.4 Literature of South Indian Languages
1. Ratnatraya of the Kannada literature are: Mah kavi Pampa, Ponna and Ranna. 2. Many Purs and K vyas are written by Jaina authors in kannada.
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STUDY NOTES version 4.0
