Jaina Culture

Author(s): Mohanlal Mehta
Publisher: P V Research Institute Varanasi

Page 49

JAINA CULTURE
lexicon the author has quoted Abhimanacihna, Avantisundari, Devarāja, Dhanapāla, Dropa, Gopala, Rāhulaka, Śămba, Silanka, Satavahana and Padalipta (only mentioned). It is also commented upon by the author himself.
The Kavyānuśasana by Hemacandra is an excellent work on rhetoric. It is in eight chapters. It has two commentaries by the author himself. The commentary that explains the aphorisms is called Alankaracudamaniand that which explains the Alarkaracaļāmani is known as Viveka.
The Chandonušāsana is a work on metrics by Hemacandra. It has the author's own commentary.
Hemacandra's Dvyasrayakávya (The Poem with a Double Purpose) is intended to give the life-stories of the author's patrons as well as to illustrate the rules of Sanskrit and Prakrit grammar contained in the author's Siddhahemaśabdanuśāsana. It is divided into two parts. The first part, which is in Sanskrit, contains twenty cantos. It describes the Caulukya dynasty and the life of King Jayasimha (Siddharāja). The rules of Sanskrit grammar are illustrated in this part. The second part (usually known as Kumarapālacarita), which is in Prakrit, contains eight cantos. It describes the life of King Kumarapala and at the same time illustrates the rules of Prakrit grammar
The Trişaştišalakāpuruşacarita (The Lives of the Sixtythree Excellent Men) by Hemacandra is a big poem. It is divided into ten sections. The author himself describes it as an epic poem. It contains the life-stories of the 63 Great Men. The Parisiştaparvan or Sthavirāvalicarita is the appendix to the Trişastišalákāpuruşacarita. It contains the life-stories of the Elders (Sthaviras).
Hemacandra composed a few hymns, too. His Vitaragastotra is a poem in praise of the passionless Lord Mahavira. It is at the same time a poetical manual of Jainism. It consists of twenty small sections. The Ayogavyavacchedadvatrimśika of the author forms the first part of his hymn