Kesarimalji Surana Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Nathmal Tatia, Dev Kothari
Publisher: Kesarimalji Surana Abhinandan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 1230

Jain Literature as a Source of Social and Cultural Life of Medieval Rajasthan ......
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series of descriptions of rainy season, sati system", religious routine of the Rāja-all referable, as it were, to those chief subjects. It also contains a few brief notes of the moral views regarding hospitality to the guests, protection to those who sought asylum, feeling of sympathy towards the hungry etc. From the description of wars and arms it appears that his knowledge of traditional method of the Rājput Warfare and his acquaintance with the improved methods of Turkish miltary techniques is specific. For the study of the military history of the 14th century the work may be placed in the first rank.
The next is the Somasaubhāgyakāvya of Somasuri. This celebrated work is devoted chiefly to the life-history of Soma Sunder, but it also contains references to the social and cultural aspects of the 15th century. Though, it is, in fact, exceedingly poor in historical details, the period of which it treats is one of the most interesting in the histroy of Rajasthan-that of the glorious regin of Mahārānā Kumbhā. It contains ten cantos in Sanskrt verses with rhapsodical and eloquent stuff which is of little use except to show the author's power of fancy and invention. From the canto 1st to 4th, the author gives details of the stages of Soma Sunder's education. The practice of fixing auspicious hour for commencing his education by the astrologer, the aims of education, the subjects of his study, the last offerings to the teacher made by the pupil and final initiations are important aspects coverved by the poet. The description of Devakulapasaka (Delwāda) as an important centre of Jain religion and trade is graphic. We are also told by the author that the market of the town was full of foreign cloths and there were merchants expert in business and commerce. With regard to the wall-painting the author is specific. 8 His writing is, therefore, very useful for the study of the growth of Mewär painting. At the end of the work the author bestows praise upon the teachers of Soma Sunder. Hence, inspite of the general meagreness of historical details, the Kävya is contemporary to several items of common practice of education and town life of the 15th century.
There is Samaya Sunder, the writer of several folk-tales in Rājasthāni and Gujrāti, belonging to the 16th & 17th century. From his own pen we learn that he was the son of RūpsiPanwār and Lilādevi of Sānchor. His religious Guru was Jinacandra Sūri, the famous Jain saint of high fame. He wrote his Sinhalsut at Mertă in 1672 V. S. (Vikrama samvat). At Jaisalmer he wrote the Valkalcīrī in V. S. 1681. The Campakasethakatha was composed at Jālore in V.S. 1695. It appears that he was interested in explaining his compositions to his followers by travelling from place to place.10 These works may be described as a callection of fictitious stories and anecdotes, written in popular language, illustrative of the virtues, vices and calamities of man
1 The Kavya, Canto 60, vv. 49-62. 2 Ibid., Canto 13, vv. 173-186. 3 Ibid., Canto 9, vv. 52-99; Canto 13, vv. 39-47 4 Ibid., Canto 14, vv. 17-19 5 Ibid., Canto 11, vv. 70-103 6 Canto II, v. 47; II, v. 57; IV, v. 55. 7 Canto VIII. 8 Canto V. v. 39. 9 Kusumāñjali, vide Samayasunder Rāsa Pañcaka, Introduction, p. 1. He was born about
V. S. 1615. 10 Samayasunder Rasa Pancaka, Introduction, pp. 2-4.