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The Evolution of Sanatkumāra-carita
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the account of previous births. TS and UD versions follow UVD (or its source version).
Thus we see that the Sanatkumāra-carita has evolved in three stages. Originally it consisted of the story about Sanatkumāra's renunciation and severe austerities (section C). The romantic account of the earlier life was added later (Section B). Finally appeared the section containing the stories about the previous lives (section A). Section C has two versions. One, perhaps the earlier, is represented in UP and MP, while another in VH which found acceptance in the rest of Svetām bara and Digambara versions. The innovations in VH version of C, which we first find in BK became a common heritage for later versions. The other two sections are peculiar to the Svetāmbara tradition and they appear for the first time in UV. Thereafter they figure in most of the Svetāmbara versions of the Sanatkumāra-carita. Thus regarding the Sanatkumāra-carita, on the one hand we have clear cut Svetāmbara and Digambara traditions relating to the legend as a whole, but on the other hand there is some definite influence and borrowing of details across the two traditions.
Notes
1. See L. Alsdorf, Harivamśapurāņa, 1936, Introduction; Claus
Brühn, 1954; A.M. Bhojak, Carippanna-mahāpurisa-cariya, 1961 (Introduction by, Claus Brübn). A.N. Upadhye, Brhatkathākoša, Introduction. The number sixtythree varies. At times it is given as fiftyfour (with the exclusion of the Prativasudevas) or
Seventytwo (with the addition of of nine Nāradas). 2. See A.M. Bhojak, Cauppanna-mahāpurisa-cariya, 1961, Hindi
Introduction, p. 42. 3. Dhavala's Harivañśapurāņa (about 12th cent.) and Dhanapā
la's Bāhubalicarita (1398 A.D.) refer to a Sanatkumāra-carita, probably in Apabhramśa, composed by a Svetāmbara Jain poet named Govinda. See K. Kasliwal, Praśastisaingraha,
