Apbhramsa Ka Ek Achirchit Charit Kavya

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Apbhramsa ka Ek Achirchit Charit kavya" by Devendramuni Shastri:

This article, "An Undiscovered Charit Kavya in Apabhramsa," by Dr. Devendra Kumar Shastri, discusses a significant, yet overlooked, Jain Charit Kavya (biographical epic poem) written in the Apabhramsa language. This genre of poetry in Apabhramsa has a long tradition, evolving from earlier mythological narratives in Prakrit. These Charit Kavyas typically narrate the life and development of great souls, maintaining a structured flow of events and incorporating traditional mythological elements, resulting in a similar structural framework across most such works.

The reviewed work, "Sāntiṇāhacariu" by the poet Mahindu, is highlighted as a major literary contribution in terms of both its scope and artistic merit. The complete poem is structured into 13 Sandhis (sections or cantos).

The author, Devendramuni Shastri, notes that the first introduction to this rediscovered work was provided by Pt. Parmanand Ji Shastri in his "Jain Granth Prashasti Sangraha." He described it as containing 13 chapters with an estimated 5,000 verses, detailing the life of the 16th Jain Tirthankara, Shantinath, who was also a Chakravarti (universal emperor).

Currently, the "Sāntiṇāhacariu" exists only in manuscript form and remains unpublished. The single known copy is housed in the Shri D. Jain Saraswati Bhandar in Dharmpura, Delhi, and comprises 153 folios.

The poem begins with a Jin-Namaskar (salutation to the Jinas), venerating all twenty-four Tirthankaras, followed by a prayer to Saraswati. The poet, expressing humility, states that he was inspired to compose this narrative after hearing the life of Shantinath within the "Mahapurana" of the poet Pushpadanta. He acknowledges his own limited intellect, comparing his writing to the ignorant expansions of a wicked person. He further emphasizes that while profound wisdom is rare, even limited understanding is difficult for the truly ignorant.

The text then describes the character of the virtuous and the wicked. The poet remarks that just as a person with a bile disorder perceives everything as bitter, the wicked find no taste in sweet compositions, and their nature is to find fault and be gossipy.

The poet also mentions and praises numerous preceding poets, including: Akalanka Swami, Pujyapada, Indranandi, Shri Nemicandra Siddhantachakravarti, Chaturmukh, Svayambhu, Pushpadanta, Muni Yashakirti, Pandit Raidhu, Gunabhadrasuri, and Sahana Pal.

Expressing further humility, the poet admits his lack of knowledge in various aspects of poetics: he has not seen or served true poets, nor does he understand the principles of grammar (Sabda-shastra), including the roles of the author, object, and action, nor the nuances of meter, verb roots, conjunctions, or gender. He explicitly states he does not understand gender, figures of speech, or the principles of poetic expression. He confesses that his knowledge is limited to what is in Amarakosha and that he doesn't know any other authoritative text. He also states he doesn't know Pingala or its principles, and that others do not grasp his understanding. He humbly requests that learned people not be angry upon seeing his poetic endeavor.

When questioned about his composition despite his admitted ignorance, the poet responds with a series of analogies: If the sun doesn't shine, does the firefly cease to glow? If the cuckoo sings sweetly, does the common bird remain silent? If the champak flower exudes fragrance, does not the palash flower bloom? If drums produce deep sounds, should not other instruments be played? If swans frolic in lakes, do not other birds also play in courtyards? He concludes by urging the reader to abandon timidity and practice devotion to the Jina, removing evil tendencies, and asks if good people will refrain from bathing just because wicked people do.

Regarding the poet's personal details, very little is revealed. From the end of a Sandhi, it is understood that he was the son of Illiraja. The final prashasti (inscription) clarifies that he resided in a village near Delhi. He was inspired to write this poem by a learned lay follower named Sadharan from Yoginipur (Delhi). At that time, the emperor of Delhi was Babur. The composition date of the work is Vikram Samvat 1587 (1530 CE). The estimated length of the work is around 5,000 verses, possibly exceeding this due to the thirteen Sandhis.

The article then outlines the content of each of the 13 Sandhis:

• Sandhi 1: Describes King Shrenik of Magadha and his queen Chelana attending the samavasarana (religious assembly) of Lord Mahavir and posing a question to Ganadhar Gautam. This Sandhi has 12 kadwaks (stanzas/units).
• Sandhi 2: Details Vijayaartha Parvat, the liberation efforts of Shri Arkakirti, and the removal of obstacles faced by Shri Vijayanka. It contains 21 kadwaks.
• Sandhi 3: Narrates the previous lives of Lord Shantinath in 23 kadwaks.
• Sandhi 4: Composed of 26 kadwaks, it describes the birth of Balabhadra in one of Shantinath's previous lives.
• Sandhi 5: With 16 kadwaks, it extensively describes Chakravarti Vajrayusha.
• Sandhi 6: Consists of 25 kadwaks and focuses on Shri Megharatha's worship of the sixteen bhavanas (meditative states) and his attainment of Sarvarthasiddhi.
• Sandhi 7: Also has 25 kadwaks and primarily describes the consecration (birth-abhisheka) of Lord Shantinath.
• Sandhi 8: Composed of 26 kadwaks, it covers Lord Shantinath's attainment of Kevala Jnana (omniscience) and the details of his samavasarana.
• Sandhi 9: With 27 kadwaks, it elaborates on Lord Shantinath's divine voice and teachings.
• Sandhi 10: Contains 20 kadwaks and offers a brief description of the lives of 63 great souls.
• Sandhi 11: This extensive Sandhi of 34 kadwaks provides geographical descriptions, encompassing not only the immediate region but also the three worlds in general.
• Sandhi 12: With 18 kadwaks, it describes the character and righteous conduct of Lord Shantinath.
• Sandhi 13: The final Sandhi of 17 kadwaks narrates Lord Shantinath's journey to nirvana (liberation).

The author notes that the subject matter is mythological and adheres to a conventional structure found in many similar works. While the narrative might not offer significant novelty, the artistic style and craftsmanship of the poem are deemed highly significant. The work aligns with all the characteristics of a Charit Kavya, differing from a simple katha-kavya (story poem). The evolving tradition of Jain Puranas is fully evident in this work. Importantly, Sanskrit shlokas by Sadharan are found at the beginning of each Sandhi, written in various meters, such as one in Sandhi 9 praising the Jinas' teachings and another in Sandhi 11 invoking Jinanath for the benefit of Sadharan.

The article also mentions that when Shantinath contemplates renunciation, Lokantika Devas (celestial beings) descend from heaven to console him. The poem also incorporates songs within the ongoing narrative, typical of other Apabhramsa prabandha-kavyas (narrative poems). These songs are significant for various reasons, including the presence of stress-based accentuation, a characteristic the author notes has been overlooked by linguists and Apabhramsa scholars but is observable in most Apabhramsa poems. Examples of these songs and other poetic verses are provided, showcasing the musicality and rhythm.

The language of the poem is described as being fully conducive to the emotions and themes. The style is characterized by prasada guna (clarity and ease of understanding) and is appropriate to the context. For instance, verses evoke heroic sentiments and rage, while the overall tone leans towards the shanta rasa (serene mood).

The article highlights several beautiful descriptions within the poem, including a vivid depiction of Magadha country, characterized by lotus-filled lakes, roaming elephants, flying swans, pleasure gardens, divine couples in bowers, flowing rivers, and abundant fruits and flowers in orchards, as well as dairy abundance and playful calves. Another example is a battle scene where Arkakirti and Meghavesha prepare to fight, showcasing the poetic depiction of conflict, although the author notes that sometimes the preparation is detailed, but the actual combat might be briefly concluded or described post-war, suggesting a certain structural constraint for the poet.

The author also points out the presence of folk elements in the descriptions, such as rivers flowing like unchaste women, villages so close that a rooster can fly between them, lotuses with petals resembling the large eyes of women, prosperous cattle wealth, and well-known gardens. The land is described as always pleasant due to the abundance of food and water.

The poem is described as prāsādika (impressive, grand) and sālaṅkārika (ornamented with figures of speech). From a linguistic perspective, the poem demonstrates a prevalence of verbs and participles, indicating the transitional phase towards the Hindi language. New words and their meanings are also provided.

In conclusion, the article emphasizes that this work is significant due to its language (including stress patterns, rhythmic structure, and new vocabulary), its prose-like style, and the inclusion of songs. The study also confirms the continuous tradition of Apabhramsa prabandha-kavyas up to the 6th century, with distinct genres like katha-kavya and charit-kavya being well-known. The author calls for scholarly attention to these works from a cultural perspective as well.