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Studies in Jainology, Prakrit
Jinasena-Gunabhadra etc. I propose to present, in this paper, some observations on the sources of two stories, namely, the story of king Srenika (No.8) and the story of Nandimitra (No.38) regarding which some scholars have already put forth their views.
Story No.8 gives the biography of King Śrenika. At the close of it the author says, as already noted above, that this story is adapted in short from the Kannada Commentary on the Aradhana of Bhrajisnu. Perhaps on the strength of this specification, in the main, of the author regarding the source of this story, Pt.Premi, as early as 1907, made a general statement that possibly Rāmacandra Mumuksu had before him some Kannada work as the source of his Punyasrava-Kathakosa. Later, Prof.D.L.Narasimhachar, on the strength of the above-noted specification of the author regarding the source of the story and on that of another specification of the author, viz., asya kathā Bhadrabahucaritāntargatā iti, regarding the source of the story of Nandimitra (No.38, p.215), pointed out that the Kannada Vaddarādhane appeared to be the source for these two stories. 10 But the Vaddarādhane does not at all contain the story of King Srenika." It, however, contains the story of Cilātaputra (No.15) which is very short. Both these stories deal with the family of Śrenika and hence, some parallel motifs and events can be found in both. A part of the story of Srenika in the Punyāsrva- kathākośa (pp-30-31) that concerns Cilātaputra (or Cilatiputra in Pkk) stands some what parallel with a part of the story of Cilācaputra in the Vaddarādhane (pp.162-163 and 164-165). But these corresponding portions are not identical: The tests prescribed by the astrologer to King Upašrenika for the selection of the right heir to the throne differ in number and details. Even some names are different : In the Punyasrava-Kathākośa the Bhilla King is Yamadanda, his wife, Vidyunmati and their daughter, Tilakavati; whereas in the Vaddarādhane, they are Mahakala, Saundari and Gunasaundari respectively. Therefore there is hardly
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