Dodhak Bavni

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Dhodhak Bavni" by Kavi Yashraj, based on the provided pages:

The "Dhodhak Bavni" is a collection of didactic verses (dohas) composed by Kavi Yashraj, who often includes his name "Jasha" or "Yashraj" within the verses. The text is described as being as instructive and insightful as the works of Kabir or Tulsidas. It is believed that Kavi Yashraj composed these verses primarily for his own spiritual guidance.

The colophon, found in the 53rd doha, states that the "Dhodhak Bavni" was completed on the ninth day of the waxing moon in the month of Ashadh in the year 1730 of the Vikram Samvat era, during the Mool Nakshatra. However, the composer does not provide details about his personal life, such as his origin or whether he was a monk or a householder, making further biographical information difficult to obtain.

The verses offer profound and heart-touching lessons. For instance, doha number 6 highlights the principle that wealth earned through injustice yields little fruit, even when donated generously. Conversely, even a small portion of wealth acquired through righteousness and justice, when donated, brings significant benefits. This emphasizes the importance of living a life of integrity and wealth.

Other verses offer valuable advice:

• Doha 19 warns against the company of the wicked.
• Doha 20 uses the analogy of the clouds of autumn, which thunder loudly but rain little, to describe miserly individuals who make grand pronouncements but give nothing.
• Doha 27 celebrates the glory of wealth (Lakshmi), stating that without wealth, a man's glory and reputation do not increase, drawing analogies from the divine family of Shiva and Parvati, and Vishnu and Lakshmi.
• Doha 36 illustrates the fate of hoarding wealth without using or donating it, comparing such a person to a bat hanging upside down, constantly searching for money.
• Doha 45 effectively criticizes people who are sweet-spoken but deceitful in their hearts, highlighting their insincerity.

Overall, the "Dhodhak Bavni" is presented as an inspiring and engaging composition. The manuscript of this Bavni, consisting of three pages, is part of the collection of the Kodai Jain Mahajan Bhandar, specifically cataloged as page 58, number 258, and was collected by Mandalacharya Shri Kushalchandragani of Kodai (Kutch). A Xerox copy of this manuscript was obtained through Upadhyay Shri Bhuvanchandra Maharaj, and the current edited version was prepared under the guidance of Pujya Acharya Shri.

The initial verses invoke Lord Parshvanath and offer salutations to the syllable "Om" as the supreme letter, Lord Shiva in his pure form, the universal Guru, and the path of Dharma that leads to liberation. The text then delves into themes of detachment from worldly possessions, the cultivation of equanimity, understanding the true self, renouncing the ephemeral body for the pursuit of the eternal soul, and recognizing the impermanence of life. It also stresses the importance of righteous conduct, the guidance of a spiritual teacher, and the pursuit of knowledge and detachment to attain spiritual liberation.

The text also includes a glossary of difficult words found in the verses, providing their meanings. The concluding lines affirm the completion of the "Dhodhak Bavni."