Vaishali Institute Research Bulletin 3

Author(s): R P Poddar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 40

THE ORIGIN AND GROWTH OF PRAKRIT JAIN NARRATIVE LITERATURE*
Dr. JAGDISHA CHANDRA JAIN 1. Folklore is the earliest form of romantic and imaginative unwritten literature of primitive people all over the world. It is a part of culture which includes, knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by men as a member of society. Folklore is primarily based on early conventions, ideas and beliefs which give rise to short narratives which might be story germs. These germs develop into a story and later from a part of narratives. Prakrit Jain narrative literature has elements of folklore. Here the tales handed down from generation to generation have been transferred and adapted to suit the new environment expressing new feelings and thoughts. India had been a land of tales. She has played an important role in the history of world literature with her numerous stories migrating abroad. The entire stories or story traits go on repeating themselves throughout Indian Literature. We have traits of new feelings and thoughts which continue in Prakrit, Sanskrit, Apabhramsha, Old Hindi and Old Gujarati literature. "The beginnings of fictional ideas are not revealed by existing literature, and are doubtless with primitive folklore ideas of which we have no record." These stories and tales had been in existence long before they found their entry into literature. These tales first of all found their place in Prakrit literature.
2. The material contained in folk-tales is pre-historic which centres around strange customs, magic, sorcery, talking animals and helpful beasts-everything familie to the savages. Primitive man framed stories about his birth, death, heaven, the region below the earth, destruction of the world, disease and its cure, deitics, and so on. These stories and anecdotes reflected everyday beliefs and customs of the savages which might appear irrational to us, but were credible to them. In fact, these stories helped primitive man to escape from the hardships of life, to gain freedom from guilt and punishment and to lead a life full of vitality.
3. These folk tales very simple, endowded with secular elements, therefore they were devoid of any moral or teaching. Simple wishes and fears of the people were expressed in these tales and they had nothing to do with elaborate philosophical, spiritual or artistic speculation. A story
Based on a chapter, with modification, on "The Genesis and Growth of Prakrit Jain Narrative literature", a project approved and accepted by Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR ), Delhi.