Akhyanak Mani Kosh Ke 24 Ve Adhikar Ka Mulyankan

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Akhyanak Mani Kosh ke 24 ve Adhikar ka Mulyankan" by Anil Kumar Mehta:

This article, "Evaluation of the 24th Chapter of Ākhyānakamaṇikośa," authored by Anil Kumar Mehta, is a scholarly analysis of a specific section of a significant Jain narrative work.

Introduction to Jain Literature and Prakrit: The author begins by highlighting the vast diversity of cultures and the integral role of Jainism within Indian culture. He emphasizes the deep historical connection between Jainism and the Prakrit language, which was the vernacular language of the common people during ancient times. This connection is evident from the Vedic period onwards, and Jain literature in Prakrit, including scriptures, commentaries, stories, biographies, poetry, and epics, is considered a crucial part of Indian cultural heritage, particularly the narrative literature.

Ākhyānakamaṇikośa and Acharya Nemichandra Suri: The text focuses on the Ākhyānakamaṇikośa, a collection of stories compiled by Acharya Nemichandra Suri, a prominent storyteller of the 11th century from the Vadaga-gaccha lineage. He composed this work between 1073 and 1083 CE. The Ākhyānakamaṇikośa originally contained 52 gathas (verses), with the first two serving as invocation and introduction, and the remaining 50 briefly mentioning 146 narratives (reduced to 126 due to repetitions). The gathas typically provide only the name of the protagonist, indicating that these stories were likely drawn from earlier and contemporary Jain texts, and the author's aim was to preserve and simplify them for memorization.

The 24th Chapter: Rāgādyanarthaparamparāvarṇana The article specifically evaluates the 24th chapter, titled "Description of the Tradition of Harms Arising from Attachment, etc." The central theme of this chapter is that negative emotions and passions like attachment (rāga), aversion (dvesha), and anger (krodha) can destroy virtuous practices such as austerities (tapas), self-restraint (saṃyama), and renunciation (tyāga). Therefore, it is crucial to conquer these passions. To illustrate the negative consequences of these vices, the chapter presents narratives featuring characters like the merchant's wife (Vaṇik-patnī), the sailor Nanda (Nāvika Nanda), the farmer Chaṇḍabhaṭ (Kṛṣak Chaṇḍabhaṭ), and the chāṇḍāla (outcaste) son Chitrasambhoota (Chitrasambhūta), along with others like Māyāditya and Lobhanandī brothers.

Sources and Influences of the Narratives: The author meticulously traces the origins of the stories within the 24th chapter:

• Vaṇik-patnī: The story's themes are derived from the commentaries on Jain scriptures and is also found in works like the Āvaśyaka-vṛtti by Haribhadra Suri, the Āvaśyaka-cūrṇi by Jindasagani Mahattara, and the Gacchācāra-prakīrṇaka-vṛtti.
• Nāvika Nanda: This narrative is drawn from texts like the Viśeṣāvaśyaka-bhāṣya, Āvaśyaka-cūrṇi, Āvaśyaka-vṛtti, and Dharmopadeśamālā-vivaraṇa.
• Chitrasambhoota: The original form of this story appears in the 13th chapter of the Uttarādhyayana-sūtra. Similarities have also been noted with a Buddhist Jātaka tale featuring a character named Chitrasambhūta, with the Uttarādhyayana version being considered older. Acharya Nemichandra Suri himself elaborated on this story in his work Sukhbodha-vṛtti.
• Māyāditya: This story is not found in the original Āgamas or their commentaries but is extensively narrated in the 8th-century Prakrit Champu-kāvya Kuvalayamālā-kathā by Udyotana Suri. The author suggests that the Vṛttikāra (commentator) likely composed this story with originality, drawing inspiration from Kuvalayamālā.
• Lobhanandī: This story is mentioned in the Āvaśyaka-cūrṇi, portraying Jindas as a selfless layman and mentioning King Jitaśatru.

Appreciation of the Narratives: The article then delves into a literary and linguistic analysis of the stories:

• Literary Elements: The stories incorporate various poetic elements, including descriptions of villages and cities, natural landscapes, seasons, mountains, and rivers. They also feature travel descriptions.
• Character Portrayal: The characters represent a spectrum of human personalities, from good to bad, and span different social strata. Male characters like Arihamitra, Nanda, Chaṇḍabhaṭ, Chandrāvataṃsaka, Chitra, Sambhūta, Namuchi, Gaṅgāditya, Sthāṇu, Jitaśatru, Shiva, Shivabhadra, Lobhanandī, Jindas, and Dharmaruci are highlighted. Female characters, such as Ariha's wife, Shiva-Shivabhadra's sister, and mother, are present but often unnamed.
• Language and Style: The primary meter used is Āryā-chandas. Poetic devices like similes (upama), metaphors (rupaka), alliteration (anuprasa), and lāṭānuprāsa are employed. Due to their brevity, the stories do not extensively explore different rasas (aesthetic sentiments). Short dialogues are present, with significant exchanges between Sthāṇu-Māyāditya, Shiva-Shivabhadra, and Jindas-Jitaśatru. The narratives also include subhāṣita verses (wise sayings) in Sanskrit and Prakrit concerning morality, wealth, desire, protection of secrets, and overcoming passions. An example of a subhāṣita related to wealth emphasizes its importance for displaying virtues.
• Linguistic Analysis: The language of the stories is Mahārāṣṭrī Prakrit, exhibiting its characteristic phonetic and grammatical features, including assimilation, elision, and addition of sounds according to Mahārāṣṭrī Prakrit rules. While the commentator demonstrates grammatical proficiency, some case endings and verb forms are less frequently used. The use of adjectives, participles, adverbs, and derivative words is abundant. The original gathas are explained in Sanskrit, while the narratives themselves are in Prakrit, with only three Sanskrit subhāṣita verses. Although Apabhraṃśa is not used, some vernacular words appear.

Cultural Significance: The narratives offer insights into the geography, history, politics, society, family life, and economy of the period. This includes:

• Geography: Mentions of various cities, villages, mountains, and rivers like the Gaṅgā and Gandhavatī rivers, Añjana mountain, and Vindhyācala mountain, along with references to the Śiśira and Vasanta seasons.
• Historical and Political Context: Identification of Sanatkumāra as the fourth Chakravarti (universal monarch) in the Chitrasambhoota story. Rulers of Vārāṇasī, Sāketa, and Vasantapura are named. The stories also mention different administrative divisions like janapadas (territories), cities, and villages. The justice system is depicted with punishments like the death penalty, imprisonment, torture, and exile, alongside provisions for rewards.
• Social Life: The narratives reflect social stratification based on a caste system, with characters from Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra varnas. Specific occupational groups like farmers, miners, goldsmiths, fishermen, and sailors are mentioned. The prevalence of joint families and the societal divisions based on varna and jati are evident. A common portrayal of women is as being driven by desire and greed. The concepts of Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha (the four purusharthas) held importance, and society was not free from various vices. The principle of Karma was strongly believed in.
• Economic Aspects: Numerous examples illustrate the saying "wealth is the root of disaster." The stories depict gambling, theft, and robbery as condemned means of acquiring wealth, while agriculture, alchemy, worship, service to the king, and sea voyages are presented as righteous methods. The pursuit of wealth sometimes led to heinous acts like murder. The use of money pouches (nakula) for carrying money is also mentioned.

Religious and Philosophical Significance: The core purpose of these stories is to instill moral principles and purify the mind and thoughts. The 24th chapter specifically addresses the harms caused by passions like attachment. The narratives detail the various forms of anger, pride, deceit, and greed as manifestations of these destructive passions. The characters representing these vices are presented as experiencing suffering, but also the possibility of liberation through austerity, repentance, and self-reflection. The stories aim to inspire individuals to overcome these passions.

Furthermore, the principle of Karma is prominently emphasized, with characters experiencing consequences according to their actions. Virtuous actions lead to favorable outcomes, while negative deeds result in suffering. The concept of nidāna-phala (the results of performing actions with a desire or vow) is also illustrated, where characters' attachment and aversion stem from such vows. The narratives also incorporate other philosophical concepts like jātismarana (remembering past lives), nīcha-gotra (low lineage), rebirth, repentance, śukla-dhyāna (white contemplation), and leshya (psychic color), along with religious practices like preaching, confession, and bathing in the Gaṅgā.

Conclusion: The article concludes that the narratives of the 24th chapter of Ākhyānakamaṇikośa effectively convey key principles of Jainism, aiming to awaken humanity and strengthen individual and national morality. These stories provide valuable cultural, historical, and political information. They hold an important place in Prakrit narrative literature, offering both entertainment through engaging and religious themes. The author suggests that further research and comparative studies with other Prakrit narrative works would yield more fascinating insights into their originality.

In essence, the article provides a detailed scholarly assessment of the 24th chapter of Ākhyānakamaṇikośa, exploring its literary merits, thematic content, source materials, cultural context, and philosophical underpinnings, all within the broader framework of Jain tradition and Prakrit literature.