Vajjalaggam

Author(s): M V Patwardhan
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society

Page 54

INTRODUCTION
most of the stanzas of the 24145811 (st. 472-496) and a flats. ( st. 560.578). Subtle insinuations of erotic relations and attitudes (both physical and mental ) are found in aikasill, 78**T, Friesal, (st. 235) ffraasil (st, 252) and was ( st. 491-496).
Although Jayavallabha, the compiler of the VL, was a Jaina by faith, as shown by the homage paid to the Suyadevi and the Omniscient Jina in st. 1 and as stated by the commentator Ratnadeva in his remarks on that stanza, there are in the VL only a few allusions to Jainism, while the allusions to the Brahmanical (Hindu) religion and Mythology are numerous. Laber (op. cit. p. 8) regards this as an evidence to show that Jayavallabha did not derive the stanzas in the collection from Jainistic literature, We can however regard this as an indication of a liberal mind free from narrow, sectarian outlook. The following are the allusions to Jainism in the VL: (1) Hey, the Omniscient Jina and Suyadevis the goddess presiding over sacred learning / st. 1): (2) jaataca (ofiatal) (st. 58); (3) sqaa and the forms (st. 487), (4) ymaftu (gfagfa) (st. 152) and (5) Kaspanakas (st. 153). On the other hand the allusions to Hindu religion and mythology are quite abundant. Only some of them are mentioned below : (1) the Hindu Trinity - Hari, Hara and Brahman ( st. 111 and 128 ); (2) worship of God Siva (st. 290) and of his phallic image (st. 523, 531, 532*1 ); (3) Vāmanāyatāra and Balibandha ( st. 172 ); (4) Vişņu reposing on the milk-ocean with Laksmi (st. 118); (5) the Sāgara-mathana and its aftermath (st. 19, 32, 107, 131, 132, 258, 381, 747, 751; 755-760 ); (6) Brahman seated on the lotus growing out of the navel of Vişnu (st. 611), and Garuda, son of Vinatā and enemy of snakes, as the loyal attendant of Vişnu (st. 598); (7) Śiva riding a bull (st. 70, 290, 371 ) and his son Kārtikeya riding a peacock (st. 371); (8) Gauri (Pārvati) spoken of a$ fused with Siva and as forming a part of his body (st, 390, 609); (9) Siva using the moon to adorn his head ( st. 268,269, 371, 372, 488, (06, 656) and snakes and skulls as ornaments for his body (st. 578*1, 652*1); (10) one whole section (Egitt, st. 590.005) is devoted to the description of the early life of Krşņa in Gokula, his exploits against the demons Arista and Kesin and his tender relations with the Gopis in general and with Radha and Visakha