Studies in Jain Literature

Author(s): V M Kulkarni
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

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last two for which they substitute Danda and Sakti. From the number of Ayudhas and also from the number of dreams-7 according to the Svetambaras and 5 according to the Digambaras-which appear to his mother and announce his birth, it can be seen that the Jains represent him to be more powerful than his elder step-brother.
Prativasudeva is a mighty hero, no doubt, but he is portrayed as a tyrant. His birth is announced by 1-4 dreams, dreamt by his mother. Baladeva and Vasudeva are deeply attached to each other and for one reason or the other the two entertain hostility to the Prativäsudeva, who is an Ardha-Cakrin-one who rules three parts of the earth. In the war it is Vasudeva who kills the Prativasudeva; the latter after death, sinks into hell as a result of his sinful deeds. Vasudeva then becomes an Ardha-Cakrin, enjoys the pleasures of kingdom for a long time and after death goes to hell as a result of 'himsa' that he has committed in war etc., and to counteract which he has not performed tapas after entering the ascetic order. After, the death of Vasudeva, Baladeva finds no joy in Samsara, enters the ascetic order, practises austerities and finally obtains heaven or attains to Nirvana.
The names of these heroes are :
Baladeva
Väsudeva
Triprsta
Dviprsta
1. Vijaya
2.
Acala
3. Dharmaprabha or Bhadra
STUDIES IN JAIN LITERATURE
4. Suprabha
5.
Sudarsana
6. Ananda
7. Nandana
8.
Padma (Ráma)
9. (Bala-) Rāma
Svayambhu
Purusottama
Puruṣasimha
Pundarika
Datta Lakṣmaṇa Krsna
From amongst these heroes we note that some are glorified in the Hindu Mythology and the Epics, e.g., the 8th and the 9th sets of Baladevas, Vasudevas and Prativasudevas. Thus these 63 great men form the backbone, as it were, of Jain Mythology. From the schematic treatment of the lives of these heroes we note that the Jain Mythology has all the appearance of a purely constructed system'. At the same time it must be admitted that the heroes of the Rāmāyaṇa and of Kṛṣṇa-story may not have been absolutely fictitious characters. Reputed and
Prativasudeva
Ašvagriva
Tāraka
Meraka
Madhu-Kaitabha
Nisumbha
Balin
Prahlada
Rāvana
Jarasandha