Treasury of Jain Tales

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

Page 30

xvii son of King Okkāka. The story of Jinapalita and Jinaraksita, two sea-faring sons of sārthavāna (merchant) called makandi is indeed an excellent example of mariners' fairy-tale. In this mariner's fairytale the parable only appears in the form of a moral clumsily tacked on to the end. Incidentally, it may be noted that as in one Jātaka (Valāhassa Jätaka, No. 196) in this tale also a winged horse occurs. Chapter 16 relates the story of Draupadi, in the form of a story of rebirth. Winternitz observes : "This is a monkish corruption of the legend from the Mahābhārata of Draupadi's marriage to the five brothers." 32 The text Upāsakadas'āh (The Ten Chapters on the duties of the Householder) relates legends of ten pious householders, most of them wealthy merchants. The legends are all told after a stereotyped pattern, in the most monotonous manner imaginable, so much so that in the later stories there is often only a catchword given by way of allusion to the earlier stories.*33 The story of Ananda, given in Chapter 1, and in all details, claims our interest for he is a model householder. The story of Saddälaputra, a wealthy potter and follower of Gosāla, leader of the Aji vika sect, has equal claim on our interest. He deserts Gos ala and joins the ranks of Mahavira's followers when convinced of the truth of Mahavira's doctrine. The eighth anga, Antakrd-das'āṁ (The ten chapters on the pious ascetics who have made an end to samsāra), relates the story of Gajasukumāra which is quite interesting and edifying. Krsna also figures in this story. Regarding this anga Winternitz remarks : "This anga is of importance from the point of view of Indian mythology and history of religion, because it embodies the krsna legend in a corrupted Jain version, related so as to suit Jain requirements. The story of the downfall of the city of Dvåravati and the death of Krsna is told as in the Mahābhārata, only Krsna is made into a pious Jain."34
32. Ibid, p. 448 33. Ibid, p. 449 34. Ibid, p. 451.
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