Kahavali Pratham Paricched Part 02

The provided text is the second part of the "Kahavali Pratham Paricched," authored by Bhadreswarsuri and edited by Munichakravarti Kalyankirtivijay. It was published in Ahmedabad in 2016 (V.S. 2073) by the Kalikal Sarvagya Shri Hemchandracharya Navam Janmashatabdi Smruti Sanskar Shikshannidhi.

This book is the second volume of the first section of the Kahavali. The first volume of the first section, published earlier, covered the stories up to the incomplete tale of Bandhudatta within the life of Lord Parshvanath.

This second volume continues the narrative of Bandhudatta and then proceeds to detail the complete life of Lord Mahavir Swami. It also includes the lives of various significant figures who lived during his time, including Ganadharas, monks, nuns, lay disciples, kings, queens, and celestial beings, up to Acharya Shri Haribhadrasuri.

The text highlights that while the first section of the first chapter was published, the second chapter, which is expected to contain the lives of important figures after Acharya Shri Haribhadrasuri, has not yet been found. It's possible that Acharya Shri Bhadreswarsuri intended to compose the second chapter but could not due to unforeseen circumstances, leading to the absence of any copies or mentions of it in other texts.

Key Features and Content:

• Author and Editor: The original author is Acharya Shri Bhadreswarsuri, and the editor is Muni Kalyankirtivijay, a disciple of Acharya Shri Vijayshilachandrasuri.
• Publisher and Commemoration: The publication is a tribute to the 9th birth centenary of Kalikal Sarvag'ya Shri Hemchandracharya, organized by the Ahmedabad-based Kalikal Sarvagya Shri Hemchandracharya Navam Janmashatabdi Smruti Sanskar Shikshannidhi.
• Dedication: The second volume is dedicated to the esteemed scholars and predecessors who have contributed to bringing the Kahavali to light, including Hermann Jacobi, Acharya Vijaykastursurishvarji, Muni Punyavijayji, Muni Jinvijayji, Dr. Harivallabh Bhayani, Pt. Dalsukh Malvania, Dr. Shrimadukdhani Dhanki, and Prof. Shreeramnik Shah.
• Historical Significance: The text emphasizes that Kahavali is a historically significant and previously unpublished text in Prakrit. It has been on the radar of scholars for over six to seven decades, with a widespread desire for its publication.
• Editorial Approach: The editing and compilation are based on a single ancient palm-leaf manuscript (Kramank 403) from the Bhandar of Sanghvi Pado in Patan. The manuscript consists of 302 folios, measuring approximately 34 x 2 inches, with 3 to 7 lines per folio. The writing style and characters suggest it might have been written around V.S. 1497, similar to the manuscript used for the first volume.
• Textual Challenges: The manuscript for this volume is noted to be more impure and corrupted than the one used for the first volume, with many texts being incomplete. Efforts have been made to correct and complete the texts based on available scriptures and references. However, some incomplete or doubtful passages have been retained due to the lack of a basis for correction.
• Content Details: The second volume, comprising the second part of the first section, contains the remaining narrative of Bandhudatta, the complete biography of Lord Mahavir Swami, and the lives of numerous followers and contemporaries, including the Acharyas up to Shri Haribhadrasuri.
• Appendices: The book includes nine appendices, providing:
  1. An alphabetical list of all stories in the text.
  2. References to the original sources of the stories and comparative analysis with other texts.
  3. A glossary of Deshya-Prakrit and Old Gujarati words.
  4. A list of Deshya-Prakrit and Old Gujarati verbs.
  5. A collection of proverbs and sayings from the text.
  6. A list of religious and philosophical concepts.
  7. A list of origins of various sacred places mentioned in different contexts.
• Unique Stories: The text points out several unique or lesser-known stories and details within the Kahavali, such as:
  • The previous birth of Gandharva Nagadatta in the story of Naggai Pratyekabuddha.
  • The specific details of Shrenik's son Nandishen's meditation and interaction with a courtesan.
  • The stories of twins Lag and Sag, and the test of Suhasuri's disciples.
  • Additional reasons given by Lord Mahavir to King Shrenik for abstaining from the hellish realm.
  • The story of Rupkhuray-Lohkhuray, father and son thieves, and the event of Rupkhuray's offering and Namokar mantra.
  • Eight stories within the Namukkarphalakatha.
  • The story of Lohkhuray taking refuge in a Jain temple and listening to Acharya Dharmaghosh Suri's discourse.
  • The establishment of the statue of Jivitswami in Ujjain and its subsequent fame.
  • The creation of Pushkar Tirth by Prabhawati's life-force (Jeev).
  • King Ayodan's queen Priyangamajari's attempt to poison him.
  • The episode of the warrior Sohitya during the war between Konik and Chediraja.
  • The second name of Potanpur city as Prachampa, and its kings Sal and Yuvraj Mahasal, sons of King Prasannachandra.
  • Gautam Swami's ascent to Ashtapad mountain using spider silk.
  • The story of Ambada Parivrajak, the guru of 700 disciples, his fear of public criticism, and his acceptance of lay vows, leading to the attainment of Avadhi Gyan and Vikriyadi Labdhi.
  • The details of Lord Mahavir sending Gautam Swami to preach to Devsharma and Subhadra, and Subhadra conveying the news of Lord Mahavir's nirvana.
  • Lord Mahavir's conversation with Indra regarding the influence of the critical planet and the prophecy of King Vikram of Malwa establishing his era, followed by King Shak.
  • The unique stories of Amarguru-Saraswati, Trivikram-Brahmavarga-Akhandala, and Virsubha within the Bhadrabahuswami narrative.
  • The story of the Brahmin Shuddhada, who took initiation along with King Dasharnabhadra.
  • The detailed life story of Bhavaviharasuri, including his disciple Haribhadra, his father Lalling's initiation, the story of Jinbhadra-Virbhadra, the incident of the shining gem in the Upashraya, and the divine recognition of Bhavaviharasuri's body after his passing, indicating his rebirth as a celestial being in Saudharma heaven.
• Editor's Note: The editor expresses gratitude for the opportunity to publish this valuable, previously unpublished work and acknowledges the extensive effort involved in its preparation, spanning over four years. He also apologizes for the delay and mentions the regret that Dr. Madhusudan Dhanki, who was eager to review the second volume, passed away before its publication.

In essence, this volume of the Kahavali is a significant contribution to Jain literature, offering a detailed account of the lives and teachings of Lord Mahavir and other key figures from Jain history, presented in a relatively simple Prakrit language, with a focus on the moral and ethical lessons embedded in the narratives.