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CHAPTER-V
THE RĀMÁYAŅA VERSION OF GUŅABHADRA
(as found in his MAHĀPURANA)
UTTARA-PURĀŅA OF GUŅABHADRA 1. PERSONAL ACCOUNT AND DATE OF JINASENA AND GUNABHADRA
The Trişaşțilaksana-Mahā-Purāna-Sangraha, also named briefly Maha-Puräņa, is a work of dual authorship. It consists of the Adi-Purāņa in 47 Parvans, of which 42 are written by Jinasena and the last five by his pupil Guņabhadra, and the UttaraPurāna, which is exclusively the work of Guņabhadra. The Adi-Purana or the "First Purana" gives the life-story of Rşabha, the first Tirthankara, and of the first Cakra-vartin; while the Uttara-Purana or the "Later Purana" narrates the lives of all the remaining Salākā-Purusas- great men of antiquity. This work is a Mahāpurâņa and at the same time a Maha-kavya, or rather an encyclopaedia treating of mythology, ethics, science of politics, Dharma, history of the world from the Jain point of view, and so on.
About the age of these poets we have fairly accurate information. Virasena, Jinasena and Guņabhadra are very well known Digambara writers. These three authors' age and works are discussed at length by Pt. Premi in one of his critical essays and his findings about the age of Jinasena and Guņabhadra seem to be acceptable.
Jinasena II mentions, in the Mangala of his Harivaṁsa-Puräna. Vírasena and Jinasena with praise. This Harivamsa-Purana was completed in 783 A.D. Our Jinasena was probably born in 753 A.D. He completed his commentary Jayadhavalā in 837 A.D. i.e., at the (probable) age of 84; he might have begun writing his Mahä-Puräņa at this age and must have taken at least 5 to 6 years to compose 10000 verses when, leaving his work unfinished, he might have died, say at the age of 90, in 843 A.D.
Guņabhadra was probably 25 years of age when his teacher expired. The Prasasti to Uttara-Puråna mentions that the work was consecrated on the 23rd June, 897 A.D. durir.g the reign of the Rāştra-Küta King Kęsna II Akälavarşa by Guņabhadra's pupil Lokasena. Guņabhadra does not indicate the date when he completed his work. It is possible that he began writing soon after his teacher's death and took about 5 to 7 years to complete it. And it is likely that the ceremony of consecrating the Maha-Pură na occurred after the death of Gunabhadra.
1.
Jain Sahitya Aura Itihasa (Hindi). pp. 497-523.
