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BANDYOPADHYAY: A STUDY ON THE JAINA-PURĀŅAS
Sītā-caritra
Sita-caritra
Paramätma-Prakāśa
Nāya-kumara-cariu
Brahmanemidatta
Amaradāsa
Joindhu
Unknown
Unknown
6th century A.D.
9th century A.D.
Puspadanta
The Purāņas Relating to the Mahabharata
The first Jaina-Purāṇa which adopted the story of the Mahabhārata for its subject-matter is the Harivamsa purāṇa composed by the Jainapoet Jinasenācārya in Sanskrit. This Jinasenācārya is different from Jinasenācārya of the Adipurāṇa.
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Dhavala is another Jaina-poet of the 10th century A.D. He composed Harivaṛśa purāṇa in 122 Sandhis. It relates the life-story of Sri Krsna and the five Pandavas. From this work we come to know that Dhavala was Brahmin by caste, his father was Sura and the mother was Keśullā.
In the introduction Dhavala mentions the names of his predecessor poets among which Asaga is one who composed Viracaritain 988 A.D. But unfortunately the work is not available.
Raidhu, a Jaina-poet of the 15th century A.D., composed his Harivamsapurāṇa in Apabhramsa. His father was Harisimha, the mother was Vijayaśrī, the wife was Savitri and the only son was Udayarāja.
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Raidhū was well-versed in Hindi, Apabhramsa and Sanskrit. Apart from Harivamsapurāņa Raidhū composed as many as 40 books in different languages among which Padmapurāṇa which narrates the Rama-story and Pārsva-Purāṇa which narrates the life-story of Pārsvanatha, the 23rd Thirthankara, are worthmentioning.
Pārsva-Purana is divided into seven Sandhis and is considered to be the best specimen of Apabhramsa poetry.
The other Puranas of Raidhū are available in MS in the Digambar Jaina Mandir of Delhi. These are- Mahavira-Purāṇa and BalabhadraPurāna.
Yasaḥkirti of the 15th century A.D. composed two Purāņas in Apabhramsa-Harivamsa-Purana and Pandava-Purāṇa.
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The Harivamsa Purana contains 13 Sandhis and 271 Kaḍavaka. This Purana contains a detailed genealogical account of the family of
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