Proceedings of the Seminar on Prakrit Studies 1973

Author(s): K R Chandra, Dalsukh Malvania, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 44

or religious significance. This thread of fourteen knots figures in the Anantavrata of Hindu tradition also.11 In the Adityayrata, nine 'fruits' made of wheat flour are offered. This is also common to the Adityahrdaya-vrata prescribed in the Hindu tradition, 12 In the Nirdoşasaptami, the Jina-idol is put in a pot and it is filled with milk upto its neck. In Hindu tradition of Mahārāștra, Ganesa-idol is sometimes put in a waterpot especially when some near relative is in danger. In the Meghamalayrata, a piece of cloth is hung over the Jina-idol and water is sprinkled over the cloth. It is imagined that this depicts a raining cloud as indicated by the name of the vrata. These peculiar features must have helped in popularising the vratas.
Language and Style : All the stories studied here belong to the 17th and 18th century. Still some difference of language and style is noticeable among them. Jinasagara's stories have invariably classical Sanskrit metres. He uses more Sanskrit words than his predecessors. Earlier authors have used Ovi metre. Its popularity and simplicity is comparable with that of Anustubh in Sanskrit. One author-Cimana Pandita-wrote Ananta-vratakatha in the form of a song in which each stanza is of four lines and each line has three parts of 14, 6 and 12 Mātrās. All the authors follow the general trend of revival of Sanskrit words on a large scale, still many words retain their Prakrita-Apabhramsa form. Some of these appear to be common to Gujarati and Hindi. These are not used by non-Jain Marāthi authors. Some words of these two types are noted below (numbers in bracket indicate verses).
Abhayakīrti :-Tbāu (10) for Sthāna, Povali (16) for Pratoli, Vasai (17) for Vasati (Jain temple), Gbāya (54) for Gbāta, Kuvaru (76) for Kumāra, Bakbāna (129) for Vyākhyāna, Bhadavā (142) for Bhadrapada, Sohajala (159) for Sojjvala, Ghevara (182) for Ghịtavara.
Cimanā Pandita :-Rāvo (5) for Raja, Thira (16) for Sthira, Padagāha (29) for Pratigraba, Uchbāha (38) for Utsāba, Ujavana (45) for Udyäpana, Udima (49) for Udyama.
Punyasagara :-Dohala (13) for Dohada, Kuda (43) for kūta, Bhaujaya (80) for Bhratịjāyā, Āsu (115) for Aśru, Mahocchava (152) for Mahotsava.
Sābāji :- Macchara (116) for Matsara, Vosanga (124) for Utsanga, Patola (199) for Pattakula.
Mabicandra :- Koda (20) for Kautuka, Seja (28) for śayya, Danka (47) for Damśa, Nhavana (99) for Snapada.
Laxmicandra :-Rukha (25) for Rūkşa, Dārota (29) for Dvārapata, Khina (35) for Kșaņa, Poyada (52) for Podana.