Narrative Tale in Jain Literature

Author(s): Satyaranjan Banerjee
Publisher: Asiatic Society

Page 39

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NARRATIVE TALE IN JAIN LITERATURE
the fish Śālisiktha, due to impurity of mind, fell into a great hell (86). To illustrate that mere knowledge devoid of Śila does not pave the path to higher worlds, the Silapāhuậa quotes the instance of Surattaputta22 who, though knowing ten Pūrvas, went to hell (30). The Tiloyapaņņatti23 of Yativrşabha gives all the basic details that have constituted, in later works, the biographies of 63 Salākāpurusas. Similar details are found in the Āvaśyaka-bhāsya etc. The Mülācāra of Vattakera records (II. 86-7) that Mahendradatta killed women like Kanakalatā, Nāgalatā, Vidyullatā and Kundalatā and also men like Sagaraka, Vallabhaka, Kuladatta and Vardhamanaka on the same day in the town of Mithilā. On this verse the commentator Vasunandi has not given any details of the story; but simply remarks: kathānikā cātra vyakhyeyā āgamopadeśāt. Then to illustrate how alms were procured by certain monks through anger, vanity, deceit and greed, the text refers to some stories associated with the towns of Hatthikappa,24 Venāyada, Vänārasi and Rāsiyāņa. Vasunandi has not given any details, but merely remarks: atra kathā utpreksya vācyā iti. In the next verse (VI. 36) Yasodhara is mentioned as a typical Dānapati. The Bhagavati Ārādhanā of Sivārya, though it deals mainly with the ascetic discipline on the eve of a monk's death, contains many legendary references which are already developed, as we shall see below, into Kathānakas collected in the Kathākośas of Harişeņa, Prabhācandra etc. The text refers to many eminent personalities who deserve to be remembered on account of their religious piety, sinful acts and ascetic heroism or
22. The Sanskrit Chāyā, supplied possibly by the editor, equates
this name with Satyakiputra. 23. A portion of this was tentatively edited by me (Jaina
Siddhānta Bhavana, Arrah 1941; first printed in the Jaina Siddhānta Bhāskara and thou separately issued). Now it is again being reedited by me and it is in the Press. The text is
accompanied by a Hindi translation. 24. Jita kalpabhāsya (Ahmedabad Sam. 1994) mention an
illustration of Khamaga of Hatthikappa but more details are not given (gāthās 1395 etc.).