Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 84

59
Sec. IV]
STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA
thigh (or shank), a fully developed broad shoulder adorned with soft, shining, fine, auspicious-marking manes, a tail raised, well built and well grown flapping to and fro, a sportive gaping mouth having the shape of the moon, and open nails, descending from the sky and entering her own mouth.
This imaginative description of the lion releases the imagination of the readers by creating a state of mind to play over its physical being, from one side of the object, grasping all the while the connecting link outside it. Here this style of the author sketches the image of the lion out of his own experience to make the readers see it with their imaginative eyes.
Besides these specimens of the descriptive style, the art of depicting gods and goddesses endowed with their splendour and power and their celestial houses as revealed in the BhS' makes a union of heaven and earth with their respective inmates.
All these evidences clearly show the aesthetic sense of its author, as it is reflected in its literary flourishes explaining and interpreting the doctrines of life and Nature with a brilliant touch of an artistic hand, when occasions and incidents demanded it in this encyclopaedic work, mainly dealing with religion and philosophy.
The author of the BhS uses the emotive style, the purest form of which treats of ideas by applying words containing suggestions of moving events or things in rousing emotions of its readers.
He paints human traits, especially mother's heart, joy and sorrow with the softness of touch of Nature as manifested in and through his artistic hand thus: On the recognition of her former son in Mahavira at the Bahusalaka Caitya Devanandā stood gazing steadfastly at him without winking her eyes out of overwhelming motherly affection and joy. Then milk from her breast gushed forth through her Jacket, with her eyes filled with tears, her arms swelled besides her bangles, jacket stretched, the hairs of her body stood erect as when a Kadamba flower
1 Bhs, 2, 8, 116.