Universal Values of Prakrit Texts

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

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fig. 12 depicts the two peacocks in the hands of the Bhillas. Only a few words are visible on the photograph. They correspond to the beginning of 3.2, located on folio 39 recto in the London manuscript.
Like the London manuscript, the three main Indian manuscripts of Raidhu's Jasaharacariu are incomplete. But taken together the Jaipur and Beawar manuscripts used by R.R. Jain cover the full text. Black and white reproductions in Jain (1974: appendix 5) show that they both represent different pictorial traditions and that the style of the Beawar manuscript is often closer to that of the London one. Both have lively scenes, where the figures are proportionate and realistic.
In the London manuscript the paintings are square or rectangular vignettes (ca. 6 x 10 cm) located in the right or left corner of the page on folios 4 verso, 8 recto, 8 verso, 9 recto, 9 verso, 10/11 verso, 12 recto, 13 recto, 13 verso, 16 recto, 20 verso (2 pictures), 21 recto, 24 verso, 25 recto, 26 recto, 26 verso, 30 recto, 32 verso, 33 recto, 33 verso, 34 verso, 35 recto, 36 recto, 36 verso, 38 verso, 39 recto, 39 verso, 40 recto, 41 verso.
On folios 19 verso and 37 verso, they are in the centre as they mark the end of a chapter (see above Section 3).
On folios 5 verso, 7 recto and 29 verso, the illustration is a horizontal narrow panel occupying the full length of a page where there are only 3 to 6 lines of text. A few of the paintings are accompanied by a brief caption (see below).
The paintings of the London manuscript will soon be available for every one to see with proper descriptions when the "Jainpedia" website is opened. Therefore a list of the scenes illustrated will be sufficient here:
4 verso: Life in Rajapura, the capital town of king Maridatta
5 verso: King Maridatta's pastimes
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