Story Of Rama In Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Saraswati Pustak Bhandar

Page 91

Pauma-Cariya of Vimala Suri
concerns the great (figures), or because it is narrated by the great (Tirtharikaras, Gaṇadharas, Acaryas) or because it teaches the way to supreme bliss. Other learned scholars say that it is called Purana because it originates with an old poet and it is called great because of its intrinsic greatness. The great Rsis called it a Mahapurana as it relates to great men and teaches the way to the highest bliss 83 Further he adds that the Mahapurana" is regarded as Ass because it was composed by Rsis, Sūkta' because it expounds truth and 'Dharmasa,tra' because it declares Dharma. It is also looked upon as Itthāsa, Itivṛtta, or Aitihya or Annaya as it contains many stories about 'Iti-ha-asa' (-'so it happened', i e., 'traditional history")."
Thus according to Jinasena Purana and Itihasa are synonymous terms. The Tippanakara of Puspadanta's Mahapurana, mokes, however, a distinction between the two, saying that Itihasa means the narrative of a single individual while Purana means the narratives of sixty-three great men of the Jain faith.86 In its definition of Itihasa Kautilya Arthašastra (1.5) enumerates Puana and Itivrtta as belonging to the content of Itihasa. As Itivṛtta can only mean 'a historical event' Purana probably means 'mythological legendary lore'.
The Hindu definition of Purana (or Mahapurana) is applicable only partly to the work of Vimalasuri. He speaks of seven Adhikaras (subjects, topics) as constituting his Patimacariya, viz (1) The eternal nature of the Universe which was never, created, (2) the origin of the dynasties, (3) Rama's departure to the forest, (4) War between Rama and Ravana, (5) The birth of Lava and Ankusa, (6) the liberation from worldly existence, and ( 7 ) The various cxistences (past as well as future). 2
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। सीधेशामपि चक्रेशां हलिनामर्थचक्रिणाम् । त्रिषष्टिक्षणं वक्ष्ये पुराणं तद्विषामपि ॥ पुरातनं पुराणं स्यात् तन्महन्महदाश्रयात् । महद्भिरुपदिष्टस्वात् महायोऽनुशासनात् ॥ कवि पुराणमाश्रित्य प्रसृतत्वात् पुराणता । महस्व स्वमहिम्नैव तस्येत्यन्यैर्निरुच्यते ॥ महापुरुषसम्बन्धि महाभ्युदयशासनम् । महापुराणमाम्नातमत एतन्महर्षिभिः ।।
ādipuräna I-20-23.
84 ऋषिप्रणीतमार्थ स्यात् सूक्तं सुनृतशासनात् । धर्मानुशासनाच्चेदं धर्मशास्त्रमिति स्मृतम् ॥ इतिहास इतीष्टं तद् इति हासीदिति श्रुतेः ।
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इतिवृत्तमचैतिद्यमानाञ्चामनन्ति तत् II-Xcipurtina 1 24-25
85 पुराणमितिहासाख्यं यत्प्रोवाच गणाधिपः । Xcipurava 1. 26a
86 See Puspadanta's Mahapurana (edited by Dr. P. L. Vaidya) Vol. I (p. 9).
87 टिइससमुप्यत्ती परथावरणं कुसुम्पत्ती ।
निव्वाणमणेयभवा, सत्त पुराणेत्थ अहिगारा ॥
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