Jain Journal 1981 07

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

Page 25

JULY, 1981
The souls of Vajranabha, his four brothers and charioteer became gods in the Sarvarthasiddhi heaven.12
Thus, the above twelve incarnations of Rsabhadeva occur in the Trişaşțišalākāpuruşacaritra. The canons do not record any of them. The Āvašyakaniryukti13 mentions only four incarnations viz. Dhana, a twin in Uttarakuru, a god in Saudharma and a physician's son. Five more incarnations are added to them in the Visseşāvasyakabhāşyal4 namely, a twin in Uttarakuru, a god in Saudharma, Mahabala, Lalitanga and Vajrajangha. The Avašyakacūrņils refers to seven incarnations. It omits the incarnations of Mahabala, Lalitanga, Vajrajangha, a twin in Uttarakuru and a god in the Saudharma heaven. Like the twelve in the Trişaşțišalākāpuruşacaritra the Cauppannamahāpurisacariyam16 gives an account of all the twelve incarnations. Out of them in the incarnation of Dhana the main theme is the same but there is some difference in the story from the Trişaşțisalākāpuruşacaritra. The story of Mahabala is slightly different and that of Vajrajangha almost different. The story of Jivananda is the same but there is some difference in the end. The remaining eight incarnations are the same as in the Trişašți salakapuruşacaritra.
Jinasena depicts nine incarnations in his Adipurāņa.17 Out of them four are the same as in the Trișaștišalākāpuruşacaritra viz. Mahabala, Lalitanga, Vajrajangha and Vajranabhi (Vajranabha), though the stories differ a little. The ninth incarnation is the same as the twelfth in the Trişaşțišalākāpuruşacaritra. The remaining four incarnations are totally different.
Thus, Hemacandra seems to have taken his account of the previous births of Rsabhadeva from the Cauppannamahāpurisacariyam. Because it is the Cauppannamahāpurisacariyam that refers to the twelve previous births for the first time. The Trişaşțišalakāpuruşacaritra and Cauppaņiamahāpurisacariyam belong to the same tradition.
12 Ibid., 1.1.911. 18 Avan., pt. 1, 168-175. 14 Vis., 1580-1588. 15 Avan., pt. I, 131-135. 18 Caupp., 10-34. 11 Adi., 4.48-11 221,