Proceedings of the Seminar on Prakrit Studies 1973

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

Page 75

7. Historio-Cultural Contribution of Jaipa Ācāryas through Prakrit Sources
Dr. Rasesh Jamindar, Ahmedabad.
The purport of this small paper is to high-light the historio-cultural significance of Prakrit by reviewing briefly some important works of Jaina Munis.
Prakrit literature, as we all know, is also one of the varied sourcematerials of Indian history. While such literature has more or less a religio-regional bias, it is certainly most useful material when archaeological evidences are very meagre or none.
The significance of Prakrit sources is that they are connected with almost every phase and part of this vast country. These works do not restrict to only one or two subjects or to only religious philosophies but embrace various branches of literature such as toponymy, logic, politics, grammar, dialectics, astronomy, astrology, medicine, cosmology, epigraphy. temple architecture, sculpture, etc. These sources are highly critical, standard. authentic and contain abundant historical information as given below with a few examples :
Tilova pannatti of Yativrsabha (2nd cent.) is an early Prakrit text on cosmology. This work throws light on many things such as nature, shape, size and divisions of Universe, ancient geography, politics, history of ancient India, commencement of Saka rule, their dynastic chronology & eras, Jaina doctrine, puränic traditions and so on. This is also very useful for studying the development of matbs. in ancient times.
Siddhasena Diwakar's Sanmati-Tarka-Prakarana (4th cent.) gives authentic and critical exposition of many different philosophical streams of India prevailing before his times. This is a comparative work of philosophical trends of different religions, written by one of the early Jain logicians.
There are many Paumacariyas of which that of Vimalasari is available and very welknown ; while that of Mallavādisūri is not available in original but it is the oldest among all the Jaina versions of Rāma-carita. These Paumacariyas do give different aspects of social traditions of the times of Rāma's India. They also shed some light on the conditions of the society of ancient India.
Angavijjā written by an unknown author or authors, is a Prakrit work of importance for reconstructing India's history of the first four centuries after Christ. Though it mainly deals with Falādeśa this book has much more