Jain Thought and Culture

Author(s): G C Pandey
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 73

Some Aspects of Medieval Jain Historical Literature and Historiography
accuracy of their anecdotes and tales but they help us in understanding the social, religious and moral atmosphere and contain much which is of great historical value
Again, the Paumachariu and the Aritthanemichariu, dealing respectively with the life of Rama and the Jain Tirthankar, Aristanemi, by Tribhuvansvayambhu, written after the Puranic style, preserve graphic description of scenes of nature as well as battles 15 The Sayala-Vihi-Vihana-Kavya of Nayanandın, composed at Dhara in V 1100 (1043 A D) is a beautiful Khandakavya dealing with religio-philosophic themes 16 The Jambuswamichariu written in Malwa in the reign of Bhoja retains vigorous descriptions of man and nature It is an attempt for popularising the story of Kevalin, Jambuswami 17 The Harivamsha Purana of Dhavala, is a well written kavya for the study of the development of apabhramsha literature 18 Tejpala's works 19 like the Varangacharita (V 1507) and the Pasapurana (V 1515), composed at Sripatha of the Bhandana ka-desa bear all the characteristics of classical literature
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The advent of the Turks introduced a new trend in the historical writings of our country, and as such the Jain writings also felt its impact The Jain writers then did not confine their Prabandhas, Kavyas, kathas etc, to the religious and moral themes but tried to present history of the age in which the subjects associated with the kings, their genealogies, court life, political and cultural events etc, were given due emphasis The Nabhinandan Jinoddhar Prabandha of Kakkasuri of the 14th century AD, for example, records the account of Upkeshpur (Osian) and Kiratpur (Kıradu), the two important towns of religious importance 20 His comments on the life of the court of Alauddin Khalji and the attitudes of the Turkish nobility are of special interest 21 The picture of the Vaishyas, as drawn by the writer, is that of incessant toil devoted to religious parctices and professional efficiency As regards the duties of the Sanghas, the
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15 Jain Prashasti sangraha, pp 1-2
16 Jbid, pp 3,4, 24-27
17 Ibid, pp 67
18 Ibid, pp 11-13
19 Ibid,, pp 28, 29, 100
20 Nabhinandanajinoddhar Prabandha, Prastava, I, vv, 43 63, 343 356 Prastava, III, vv 10-18, 273 317 318 326
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22 Ibid, I, vv 33-37,