Rajendrasuri Janma Sardh Shatabdi Granth

Author(s): Premsinh Rathod
Publisher: Rajendrasuri Jain Navyuvak Parishad Mohankheda

Page 627

They wrote many charitas and Prabhandas. The charitas are legendary biographies of the Thirthankaras, Chakravartins and Rishis. Prabhandas contain stories of famous monks and laymen of historical times. Sthaviravalicarita, Prabhandhacintamani of Merutunga and Prabandhakosa of Rajasekhara gives us a glimpse of the social and cultural history of those times.
Some of the novels are Somaraiccakaha of Dhanavala (romantic epic in Apabhraírsa) and Somadeva Suri's (959 AD) Yasastilaka are of this type. It has also been shown by Prof, Hertel that the popular recensions of Pancatantra are the works of the Jainas. Dhananjaya Srutakirti wrote to prove his mastery in sleshas by writing Raghavapandaviya (1123-1140 A.D.)
The Jainas have some books written in drama styple also. Mohaparajaya of Yasopala narrates the story of Kumarapala's conversion to Jainism Many of the poetical works are written in the apabhramsa dialect. The Jainas also have lexicographical writings. Their contribution to grammar is also noteworthy. According to some scholars the grammatical writing Siddha-Hemchandra by Hemchandra is in many respects better than that of Panini's Grammar. The oldest Prakrit lexicon is the work of a Jaina scholar, Paiyalacchi Namamala of Dhanapala (972 A.D.)
Arts and Architecture :
The Jainas have a due share in the development of Arts in the country. In honour of their saints they erected Stupas as the Buddhists with their accessories of stone railings, umbrellas, decorated gateways and pillars and statues. The Gomateswara statue at Sravana Belagola (10th Century), the collosal reliefs carved on the rock face near Gwalior (15th Century A.D.), the Hathi Gumpha caves in Orissa, Pava puri, Rajagiri in Bihar, Girinar and Palitana in Kathiawar, possess temples and architectural monuments of different ages. The Jaina marble temples at Mount Abu in Rajasthan belonging to the eleventh century and later. carry to its highest perfection the Indian genius for the invention of graceful patterns and their application to the decoration of Masonry. Andhra's Contribution to Jainsm :
For the spread of Jainism the south played a vital role. We find evidence for it in Jaina literature. During the reign of Chandragupta Maurya (4th Century B.C.) Magadha was ravaged by a 12 year long famine. Some Jainas under the leadership of Bhadrabahu came to the South and by that time Jainism was a flourishing religion in the South.
In "Hari Bhadriya Vritti” it is written that the King of Kalinga who ruled during the time of Vardhamana mahavira was a friend of Vardhamana's father and Mahavira came to Kalinga and preached his religion.
Dharmamrita, a classic of 12th century A.D., mentions that even during the times of 12th Thirthankara, Vasupujya Jainism was prevalent in the Andhra country. Tradition also says an Anga king come with his three sons to Vengi who later became Jainas and built a city known as Pratipala pura which is some where near modern Bhattiprolu.
The Jaina tradition also mentions that Asoka's grandson Samprati became a Svetambra Jaina and spread the religion in Kalinga. The Andhra and the Kalinga countries might have been strongholds of non-Vedic religions for long, for Bodhayana says that whoever goes to Kinga must perform Prayschitta",
During the regime of Kharavela (2nd century B.C.), Jainism spread into many regions of Northern Andhra and Orissa. The rock caves at Khandagiri and Udayagiri bear testimony to the same. The 5. Bodhayana 1.1.30, 31. 6. See M. Somasekhara Sarma's article in Telugu,
in Vijnana 'Sarvasvam' Vol. III.
Jaina's philosophical literature is rich. Umasvati whom Prof. Suali would place as early as 300 A.D., in his Tattvarthathigama Sutra expounds the doctrine of categories and theory of Pramanas.
Siddhasena Divakara in his Nyayavatara wrote for the first time a treatise on the means of proof (pramana) and the methods (Naya) of comprehending things from particular stand points. Devasuri (1086-1169 A.D.) wrote Syadvada Ratnakara. Even in 17th century we have great logician in Yaso Vijaya Gani who wrote great number of works on Logic.
Another commendable thing in some of these Jaina philosophical works is their liberal attitude towards other religious beliefs. A study of Shaddarshanasamucchaya reveals this. They dealt about many of the sciences and even on politics Jaina contribution is noteworthy, Somadeva Suri, the author of Niti Vakyamrta can be compared well with the classical Indian Niti writers like Kautilya and Sukra.
V. N. S. 2503