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69
an instance, the explanations offered by Pandit Bechardas are quite ingenious testifying to the still shining effulgence of his profoundly genuine
scholarship coupled with deep understanding of the passage under question, "as in the following instances, viz., p. 18, ft. nts. 4-11; p. 19, ft, nt. 8 ; p.
20, ft. nts. 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10; p. 22, 'ft. nts. 4-6; p. 32, ft. nt. 3; p. 36, ft. nts. 3-5; and so on."
However, a few passages of the text of the MRA have been still left unexplained. This slight deficiency is sought to be removed by the author of the present introduction by supplementing the T (D) with additional Sanskrit Tippana as given in Appendix III by way of suggested additions to it.
XI. Conclusion :
The importance of Jinabhadrasūri's work lies as much in its being a so far unknown work as in its being a Campū romance in the true blue tradition of Trivikramabhatta's NC. It affords one more proof of a particular trend in the Jain anthors, since the fifth century or even prior to that date, to compose prototypes of non-Jain classicai Sanskrit models of established faine in all branches of Sanskrit literature. The process seems to have begun very early perhaps with Sanghadāsagani, the author of the Vasudevabindi, and Jinasena, the author of the Mahapurāņa, both of whom tried to supply a Jain alternative to Guņādhya's Brhatkatha. The thread seems to have been picked up by Dhanapala who tried his hand at a Jain alterhative to Bāna's Kadambari in his Tilakamanjari. Hemacandra tried to give us in his Kavyānušāsana a proto type of Mammața's Kavyaprakāśa, in his Siddha-haimasabdanuśāsapa a prototype of Panini's Astādhyāyi, in his Yogaśasatra a prototype of Patañjali's Yogasutra, in his Chapdonušāsana the one of Kedārabhatta's Vșttaratnākara, and so forth. Carrying his tradition further, Jinabhadrasuri has tried to give us a Jain prototype of Trivikramabhatta's famous Nalacampü, keeping his eye on the literary style and form of the latter. Although it is doubtful if he has reached the poetic heights of Trivikramabhata whose art is not at all tugged to extra-artistic motives like preaching, Jinabhadrasüti has certainly proved his worth as a successful follower of the traditional stylistic model, of both the scholarship and literary craftsmanship, in harnessing them to the production of a highclass literary classic. Although there is no dearth of Campu Kāvyas in Sanskrit literature, there are very few that can stand comparision with the NC in point of similarity of style and content. It is in this respect that Jinabhadrasüri's contribution really matters. In him we find a preacher competing with a poet and the one trying to get the better of the other. As a result we have got a literary classic with expressly moralistic overtones, which like the celebrated Prabodhacandrodaya
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