________________
PREFACE
The L.D.Institute of Indology has great pleasure in publishing the hitherto unpublished Prakrit work entitled Jugai-jiņimda-cariya (Sk. Yugadi-jinendra-carita). It relates legendary biography of Rsabha, the first Jaina Tirthankara. It is composed in prose and verse by Vardhamanasüri, a disciple of Abhayadevasūri, a well known commentator of nine Jaina Agamas, at Cambay (Khambhāt) in 1160 V.S. A portion dealing with Bharata-Bahubali battle is composed in Apabhramsa in Raddā metre. The work is very interestiog as it contains 44 secondary tales, It consists of 3592 gäthās. It is voluminous; its extent is 11000 slokas. Its descriptions are in the ornate kāvya style.
Pt.Rupendrakumar Pagariya has critically edited the text of this important work on the basis of two manuscripts, one belonging to a Bhandara in Patan and another to the Palm-leaf MSS Library established by well known Jinabhadrasūri at Jesalmer Fort. The former is a paper m3, while the latter is a palm-leaf ms. He has written an interesting and informative introduction. Therein he gives an account of 13 previous births of Lord Rşabha, delineates the last birth of that Lord, traces the development of the biography of the Lord through Agamas, Niryuktis, Bbāsyas, Carạis and Sanskrit-Prakrit Carita-granthas, takes note of the Digambara tradition, attempts a bare outline of all the 44 secondary tales and finally gives an account of the author.
Our thanks are due to Pt, Rupendiakumar Pagariya for editing the present work, And we express our gratefulness to Dr.H.C. Bhayani who examined the press-copy, made valuable suggestions and wrote a lcarned Foreword to this edition.
. It is hoped that the publication of this important work will be of considerable value and interest to the scholars and students of Prakrit-literature,
L. D. Institute of Indology Ahmedabad-380009. 4th May 1987
Nagin J, Shah Acting Director
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
