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Jinesvarasuri's Gaharayanakosa
scholars of olden days collected, carefully arranged and classified them subjectwise. Thus they produced anthologies.
33
The Editors then note the glory of Prakrit Subhāṣitas Sanskrit was the language of the sistas, Prakrit was the language of the people. Prakrit writers were in close contact with the people. They naturally felt the pulse of the people, identified themselves with their joys and sorrows and reflected them in their verses. These verses have a spirit of closeness to life and common realities which we often miss in Sanskrit poetry. The Editors show on the authority of Uddyotanasuri (the author of Kuvalayamala) how in old days the verses from Hala's Gathasaptasati were recited even by farmers when ploughing their fields. For the importance and the general theme of the Prakrit Subhaṣitas the Editors refer readers to the Introductions to the Gatha-Saptasati (ed. by Dr. Parmanand Shastri, Merath, 1965), the Vajjalagga (ed. by Prof. M. V. Patwardhan, Prakrit Text Society, Ahmedabad 9, 1969) and (Saptasatisara with Bhavadipika of Vema Bhupala along with) Chappanṇaya-Gahão (ed. by Dr. A. N. Upadhye, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 1970). They, then, very briefly deal with Gaharayaṇakosa pointing out that though the compiler was Jain there is nothing Jainistic about the work except the first section devoted to the prayer of Jina. This prayer is followed by that of Brahma, Visņu, Maheśvara, and Saravati respectively. They further point out how Gaharayanakosa contains material, arrangement and divison of subjects similar to those of most other Sanskrit and Prakrit anthologies.
According to the compiler's own statement the present Kosa contains 800 gathās. The Editors, however, point out that their lone MS contains 822 gathas and conclude that these 22 gathas are later additions.
Finally, they describe Jinesvarasuri's spiritual lineage and give a few other details about him (pp 8-11). Pages 12 to 14 set forth the table of contents in Sanskrit. Then follows the text of Gaharayaṇakosa (pp 1-66), arranged according to the 58 different topics. They deal with a variety of topics such as Invocations, poetry, the ocean, the sub-marine Fire, Kṛṣṇa, the Good, the Wicked, the Master, Lakṣmi, Charity, the miser, poverty, politics or statesmanship, the clever or shrewd, riddles, harlots, eroticism, eyes (glances), affection, female messanger, love, jealous anger, lovers' flattery, manini (a woman offended with her husband), separation, the sunset, the Cakravaka bird, the glow-worm, the moon, night-lotus, dawn, the sun-rise, day-lotus, bee and Malati flower (or creeper), the cycle of seasons, unchaste women, various trees, mountains, lion, elephant, camel, the excellent bull, miscellaneous things and finally Santa rasa (the mood of quietitude). More than 30 topics out of the 58 are common to Vajja
Sambodhi 6, 3-4
