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A Recent Study of Bhagavattura Reviewed
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Bhagavart is essentially a record of the theoretical speculation toder. taken by several generations of Janda thinkers-all considerably ancient. Hence It is most desirable that the Bhagarati passages be divided into those narrating episodes and those dealing with the problems of theory a rather purt form For it is not at once easy to get at the theoretical consideratione underlying the narration of an episode. Prof Deleu, by collecting in one group the entire lot of Bhagavant cpisodes, facuitates the task of studying them in & connected form Also helpful is bus sub-division of these cpisodes into what he calls 'conversion stories and what he calls 'worse abont gods' of course, the two sub-divisions are not wbolly varelated, for a Jaiba convert is most likely to be a god in his next birth while a podle most likely to have been a Jaina convert in his past birth As suck both the subdivisions of episodes are aimed at glorifying the Jaina crood and # Is the task of a researcher to point out as to what aspect of the crood u brought to light 10 this episode or that. Prof Delcu's introductory aanhala of these episodes should serve as a good starting polut for fruitful recarcha work in this direction
Then there remain the passages which deal with the problems of theory in a rathor pure form Here & fondamental sudbivalon should be made between the dialoguos referring to other texts and the remaiBIR passages In connection with the former there arises the important question 88 to what is signified by certain Bhagavati passages thus referring to other texts Prof Deleu has made a complete text-wise catalogue of these rote rence dialogues, in each case indicating the precise location of a dhulogue within the body of Bhagavatt But he has aot thought it proper to ak na to when and wby these reference dialogues were at all composed A# Me shall sec, the question 18 most crucial and remains to be raised.
Lastly, there remain the ordinary dialogues, the dlalogues referring the rival views and the non-dialogue passages No line of warlow theorotical significance divides these three groups, though specific points of minor afgnificance might be noted in connection with ouch. For carmaple, Prol. Deleu bas discovered that a good number of non-dualogpe pasme 270 auch as also occur in Sthanangasutra and it might be an interesting query whether the rival views considered in Bhaavall were actually upheld by any group of Indian theoreticians. But seca in a proper perspective wuch points are after all mjoor points All this has to be sald because the three groups of Bhagavatt passages 10 question are posstased of most serot siguificance and among them the most important and also the mout botky It the first group And what is rather lo portant u what is common 20
