Jain Journal 1979 10

Author(s): Jain Bhawan Publication
Publisher: Jain Bhawan Publication

Page 11

48
the Indian people in respect of peaceful attitude, respect for others' views, vegetarianism, etc. Some scholars think that the roots of the modern political doctrine of non-violence go back to such teachings preserved in and handed over through these canonical works.14
JAIN JOURNAL
A huge mass of commentorial literature in Prakrit has grown around the Ardhamagadhi canon (and also a part of the Pro-canon) taking the forms of Niryuktis, Bhāṣyas, Cūrṇis and other exegetical works from which arose, later, vast and varied types of narrative literature biographies of religious celebrities, legendary tales of didactic motives, illustrative fables, parables, popular romances, fairy tales, Kathanakas, Kathakosas, etc. It may be noted at this context that the Prakrit languages replaced logical arguments by interesting fables, parables and other tales for illustrating religious doctrines and ethical principles more effectively and, hence, they could contribute their own to the field of fables, parables and other facets of story literature. It is noted that the Prakrit fable literature was the precursor to the Pancatantra which has made a notable contribution to the world literature.15 It is also an established fact that Prakrit narrative literature has considerably influenced the modern Indian literature both Aryan and Dravidian and inculcated humanitarian values among the masses.
While moving in the field of Prakrit narrative literature, we can hardly ignore the great Bṛhatkatha of Gunadhya in Paisaci Prakrit (c.1st century A.D.) which is lost beyond recovery, but three Sanskrit epitomes of which have come down to us. Being of secular nature, it stands in rank with the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahabharata on the national level, in the sense that if the two great epics influenced the bulk of the literary output of India by their religious concepts of dharma and mokşa, the Bṛhatkatha introduced a pure romantic concept in Indian literature as a whole-both oral and written. A number of folk-tales, some of which are found still in the oral traditions of modern Indian languages, have their ultimate sources in the Bṛhatkatha. Several interesting Sans
14 Vide Dr. Katre, Ibid. p.84.
15 (i) Vide Dr. Katre, Ibid., p.85,
(ii) It may be noted that Benfey, in his famous introduction to the Pancatantra, asserted that India was the home of all fairy tales and stories found in different parts of the world, But Winternitz prefers to have a cautious view that numerous stories current all over the world could be traced back to India. He further observes that the Sheherzada in the Arabian Nights stands in form, spirit and role parallel to Kanayamanjari in the Prakrit commentary (the Sukhabodha of Devendra) of the 11th century A.D. Vide Some Problems of Indian Literature, Calcutta, 1925, pp.71-72.