Universal Values of Prakrit Texts

Author(s): Prem Suman Jain
Publisher: Bahubali Prakrit Vidyapeeth and Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan

Page 72

As expected, these colophons give the title of the corresponding chapters, and the author's name. The main purpose of the story as a manifesto against all types of violence - factual, verbal or intentional -- and as a vigorous defence of non-violence is also emphasized through the compound dayalakkhaņa. The poet's encourage is present through the mention of Hemarāja. Much more about him can be known from the prologue and from the final part of the Jasaharacariu. They are missing in the London manuscript and this work has not yet been published. But its contents have been analysed in R.R. Jain's study on Raidhū’s complete oeuvre (1974: 348-361; 608-611) on the basis of two manuscripts that he could use at that time (see here Sections 5 and 7). There the opening and concluding parts of the poem are quoted (1974: 607-611).
In the first lines Raidhū narrates how his guru, (Bhammāraka) Kamalakīrti, expressly requested him to compose this poem (1.1) a model of compassion (daya-guņa-sāra).
Then comes Hemarāja, a member of the Agrawal caste, was Raidhū's childhood friend and was the patron who sponsored the poet for composing the Jasaharacariu. As the son of the sanghapati Kamalasimha, a respected member in the assembly of king Dūngarasimha and a leading member of the Jain community (Granoff 2006: 33) who commissioned the 57 feet high figure of ?cabha, Hemarāja held a prominent position in society. In the usual way (see De mlercq 2010: 278), the patron is again glorified at the end of the composition, where his genealogy is described. All this took place in a place known as Lāhanapura (4.16 and 4.18) which was ruled by Sulitāņa Sāhi and his son Īsappha (4.16; Jain 1974: 609; De Clercq 2010: 283).
The Jasaharacariu is thus one additional case showing how Raidhū
ges as the pivotal figure" linking the center of temporal power in the court, a center of spiritual power in the Jain monks or Bhammārakas, and a center of economic power in the wealthy Jain lay patrons” (Granoff 2006: 34).
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