________________
fortune of the hero Samarāditya is traced through his 9 previous births. The underlying principle of these narratives is the doctrine of Karma. Haribhadra's Dhurtakhyāna in Prakrta is also one of the important works of Jaina literature. It shows through this imaginary tale how skillfully the incredible legends of Hindu Mythology could be ridiculed.
Next, Kuvalayamālā (Maharastri Prakrta) by Svetambara Ācārya Udyotanasuri, composed in 799 A. D. shows author's thorough acquaintance with works of previous writers by referring to them. He has beautifully described the corrupt city life. Upamitibhava-prapanca-kathā is composed in Samskrta in 906 A. D. by Siddharsi. The work of Siddharsi is an elaborate and extensive allegory. It is a narrative consisting of series of birth stories, i.e., the hero of all the stories is the same person in different births. Ācārya proposes to explain the mundane carrier of the soul (Jiva) under the name of Samsari Jiva from the lowest stage of existence to the final liberation. The conversion of the cruel king Marudatta to Jainism is the theme of this work. No literature representing the fourth type, i.e. semi-historical Prabandhas has been written in corresponding period. All these Prabandhas are written after c. 12th A. D.
The last type is represented by the compilation of stories or Kathākosas. The stories contained in these works have got a definite moral purpose to be propagated and as such teachers and preachers could use them independently without any specific context, throughout their discourses. Many of the Kathākosas are of anonymous composition.
The well known work of this type is Dharmopadesa-mālā of Jaisimhasuri (867 A. D.) composed in Prakrat. The work has auto - commentary and has 156 stories. Brhatkathākosa, composed in 931 A. D. by Harisena, is also one of the important works of Yāpaniya
Jainism and its History | 146
