Jain Journal 1996 01

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

Page 13

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JAIN JOURNAL: Vol-XXX, No. 3. January 1996
imagery. With respect to the true identity of the emerging figure. Punyakuśala's poem, on the other hand, opens with the despatch of an envoy to Bahubali to secure his submission to his elder brother Bharata. While Narada succeeds in his mission, the envoy draws a resounding rebuff from the lord of Taxila, making the clash thus inevitable for the haughty brothers.
Three of Punyakusala's cantos (VI-VIII) are infested with sizable descriptions of the march of Bharata's army, its encampment and subsequent departure besides the time-worn digression like the sports of the soldier-couples and their sexual orgy, as also the sketches of scenic beauties. The descriptions of love-sports and sexual orgy are supposed to have no locus standi in the Jaina Purāņas. They are indeed conspicuous by their absence in the TSSPC. But surprisingly, Jinasena has detailed with abandon all these frivolities including the sexual orgy (35. 152-236), the only difference is that in the Adipurāṇa these concern themselves with Bahubali's soldiery. Punyakuśala, however, is not indebted to Jinasena for these trappings. He evidently owes them to Magha (VII-XI) who has been instrumental in providing sound footing to these mannerisms. It would not be unreasonable to presume that even Jinasena was indebted to the illustrious author of the Sisupālavadha for these poetic aberration, otherwise the very idea of this reckless orgy in the midst of the sainyaprayana is simply abhorrent in a writing like the Adipuraanṇa.
While Magha's descriptions are distinguished by prolixity and ornate style, those in the BBM are on a subdued note. Contrary to Māgha, Punyakuśala has shunned to detail the various types of heroines in the course of the love-sports of the soldiery, though his descriptions are not wholly void of the mannerism. While the aśārada (prauḍhā) nāyikā is expressly mentioned in the BBM, a veiled reference is made to the kalahāntaritā, mugdhā and khaṇḍitā. Māgha's descriptions are loaded with sastric contents, while in Punyakusala they are marked by ease and simplicity. But he is so charmed by Magha's description some of the ideas and motifs from him. However, whatever their worth, the love-sports of the Yadus do not square even with Magha's theme dominated by the heroric sentiment; their descriptions by the Jaina monks with gay abandon in a poem which culminates in renunciation is not only absurd, it tends to make a mockery of his much-acclaimed puritanism.
4. ...nayita citta kāmamunatya saradā. BBM. VII.21. Also VII.37, 41-42 5. Kalahāntarită, BBM. VII.59; Khanḍitā, BBM. VIII. 37-38. 6. Sisupälavadha, VII 21, BBM., VII. 21; Śisu. VII. 52: BBM; VII. 31 etc.