Treasury of Jain Tales

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

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prose and verse, e.g., Trivikrama Bhatta's Nalacampū but kathā (short story) used in the general sense. Hence it would be proper for us to leave out of consideration here the great Brhatkathā of Gunadhya. Bhoja in his S'ringāraprakās'a (Chapter Eleven) and Hemacandra, following Bhoja almost word for word, in his kávyānus'āsana speak of the following sub-varieties of kathā.
1 upåkhyāna, 2 ākhyānaka (or ākhyāna), 3 nidars'ana, 4 pravahlikā, 5 manthulli (or manthallika) 6 manikulyā, 7 parikathā, 8 khanda-kathā 9 upakathā. 10 Bhoja has omitted sakalakathā but Hemacandra has
added it. Of these ten varieties, upākhyāna and ākhyāna really belong to Tradition (History - Itihāsa). Since Bhoja and Hemacandra have mentioned them as varieties of s'ravya kāvya (kathā), all these ten varieties may briefly be treated here:
1. Upākhyāna (an episode):
That which occurs in the midst of a long literary composition and gives an account for enlightening some one else is called upākhyāna. For example, the Nalopākhyāna in the Mahābhārata.
2. Akhyāna :
The upākhyāna gets the name ākhyāna when a reciter (granthika) relates or narrates or expounds it by reciting, acting/gesticulating, and singing. Govinda-ākhyāna is an example,
3. Nidars'ana :
(Which literally means 'illustration', 'example', or 'lesson') is 'didactic fiction either direct or couched in parable'. It teaches through the actions or behaviour of animals or of men what is proper or improper to be done. (It is predominantly in prose). Its examples are the famous Pañcatantra, Dhurtavita (samvāda), Kuttani mata and the like.