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Introduction
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Prakrit passages without the Prakrit metrical Bhaktis; and there might be, I think, metrical Namdīsara- and Samti-bhattis: that gives us the required number of ten. The general outline of contents indicates that these Bhaktis are something like devotional prayers with a strong dogmatic and religious back-ground. Unfortunately there is no critical edition, nay even a correct and readable edition, of the Bhaktis. They are of utmost importance for the study of Jaina tradition, the Prakrit dialect and the contents also cannot be neglected. A critical student will immediately detect two strata in Prakrit Bhaktis: the first stratum consisting of concluding prose passages and the next of metrical Bhaktis. Both the strata cannot be from the same author and of the same age. What is substantially found in prose portions is amplified in details in metrical Bhaktis. The prose portions, when carefully read, remind us of closely similar passages in Svetāmbara canonical texts, in their Pratikramana and Avagyaka Sūtras and texts like Pamcasutta.1 So here is a tract of literature which antedates the division of Jaina church, and it has been inherited, with modifications here and there, independently by Digambaras as well as Svetāmbaras. It is no use discussing the authorship of these prose passages; they form the traditional heritage of Jaina monks; and their age is as old as Jainism itself. As to metrical Bhaktis, Titthayara-bhatti is common to both the sects, and that also must have been traditionally inherited. The remaining Bhaktis, too, might have been composed mainly based on traditional knowledge, and as a matter of fact, they have an appearance of antiquity. It is just imaginable that Kundakunda might have composed, or rather compiled, the metrical Bhaktis to explain and amplify the prose Bhaktis, which, too, as traditional relics, he retained at the end. In the [p. 29:] course of amplification Kundakunda might have put together many suitable verses from early tradition as inherited by him. Just to supplement the Prakrit Bhaktis and to keep pace with the growing popularity of classical Sanskrit among the Jaina monks, Pūjyapāda appears to have composed the Sanskrit Bhaktis; some of them are dignified in style, and especially Siddha-Bhakti is a masterpiece of logical acumen.
DAMSANA-PĀHUDA:2 It contains 36 gāthās. The main topic is the glorification of and discussion about Right faith or Samyagdarśana. Ordinarily it consists in believing in the principles and catergories preached by Jinas, and really speaking it is the (realization of) self itself (19-20).3 It is the foundation of religion and the sure step to liberation (2, 21). In its absence knowledge, conduct and austerities are not counted at their real worth (3,4, 15 etc.). The bondage of karmic sand is washed away by the water-current of Right faith (7). Right faith forms the roots of the tree of virtue (10-11). Men of Right faith deserve respect in this world and attain glories in the next (2 etc.). It is the false believer who feels no
1
2
Ed. with English Introduction, Critical Notes containing extracts from Haribhadra's Commentary and English Translation by A. N. Upadhye, Kollhapur, 1934. The Eight-pāhudas, Damsana to Sila-pāhuda, Rayanasāra, and Bārasa-Anuvekkhă are published in MDJG. vol 17, the first six pāhudas with the Sk. commentary of Srutasagara and the rest with only Sk. chāyā. In giving the analysis of Pähudas etc. I have given, whenever convenient, the Nos. of gathās in brackets; this summary incorporates a free rendering, and not a literal translation, of some of the gāthās.
3
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