Kavichakravarti Jayshekharsuri Krut Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh

Here's a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text, "Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh" by Kavi Chakravarti Shri Jayshekhar Suri, as presented in the document:

Title: Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh (The Lamp of the Three Worlds) Author: Kavi Chakravarti Shri Jayshekhar Suri Authored by: Shri Ramanlal C. Shah (providing a brief introduction)

Overview:

This document introduces "Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh," a significant work by the esteemed Jain poet Kavi Chakravarti Shri Jayshekhar Suri, who lived in the 15th century Vikram era. Shri Jayshekhar Suri is recognized as a great poet whose talent shone brightly, particularly in Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, though he also contributed to Gujarati literature. His proficiency is evident in his substantial Sanskrit-Prakrit work "Upadesh Chintamani" (over 12,000 verses) and his epic poems "Dhammilcharit Mahakavya" and "Jain Kumar Sambhav."

"Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh" - A Gujarati Adaptation:

The "Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh" is a Gujarati adaptation by Shri Jayshekhar Suri of his own Sanskrit allegorical play, "Prabandh Chintamani." The Sanskrit version was so well-received by those who understood Sanskrit that Shri Jayshekhar Suri felt inspired to translate it into Gujarati for the benefit of the general populace who might not be proficient in Sanskrit. This Gujarati version meticulously captures the essence and nuances of the original Sanskrit work.

Significance in Gujarati Literature:

"Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh" holds a high position among pre-Narsinh Gujarati poetic works, especially within the genre of allegorical plays (rupak).

The Genre of Allegory (Rupak Granthi):

The document highlights that the allegorical genre, known as "rupak granthi," hasn't been extensively explored in Indian literature compared to other forms. However, the existing works are noteworthy. Examples of Sanskrit allegorical works include Krishna Mishra's "Prabodh Chandrodaya." In English literature, John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" is a famous allegory. Gujarati examples mentioned are Premanand's "Vivek Vanjare," Jivaram Bhatt's "Jivraj Sheth ni Musafari," and Dalpatram's "Hurkhan ni Chadai." The document also notes the existence of numerous smaller allegorical poems personifying elements like the body, mind, and soul.

Characteristics of Allegory:

Allegory, similar to the English "allegory," personifies human qualities, vices, virtues, thoughts, and actions as living, moving characters. The narrative unfolds based on their natural behaviors. A key aspect of a successful allegory is the appropriateness (auchitya) of each character's actions, reflecting their inherent nature. This appropriateness is the greatest strength and test of an allegorical work. Lengthy and complex allegories are particularly challenging to compose. Common metaphorical expressions like "Samsar Sagar" (Ocean of Worldly Existence) or "Jivan Nav" (Boat of Life) are everyday examples of allegory.

The Narrative of "Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh":

The story of "Tribhuvan Dipak Prabandh" is then presented as an illustration of how a full allegorical narrative unfolds:

• King Paramhansa: A radiant king named Paramhansa reigns in the "Tribhuvan" (three worlds).
• Queen Chetna: His queen is named Chetna. They live a life of joy and pleasure.
• The Lure of Maya: King Paramhansa becomes infatuated with a woman named Maya. Queen Chetna warns him against this attachment, advising that Maya's allure will lead him to lose his kingdom and fall into worldly suffering.
• Rejection of Counsel and Loss of Kingdom: The king disregards Chetna's advice and abandons her in his obsession with Maya. Consequently, he loses his kingdom in Tribhuvan.
• Kayanagari and the Minister of Mind: The king establishes a city called Kayanagari and finds contentment there. He entrusts the administration of this city to his minister named "Man" (Mind).
• The Treachery of Mind: The wicked Mind imprisons the king and usurps his throne, leading the entire kingdom to ruin. King Paramhansa then regrets not heeding Queen Chetna's counsel but finds himself helpless.
• The Entourage of Mind: Mind has two wives: "Pravritti" (Activity) and "Nivritti" (Inactivity/Renunciation). Pravritti's son is "Moh" (Attachment/Delusion), and Nivritti's son is "Vivek" (Discernment/Wisdom).
• The Triumph of Moh and the Exile of Vivek: Pravritti captures Mind, persuades him to banish Nivritti and her son Vivek, and to establish his own son, Moh, as the ruler. Moh establishes "Avidya Nagari" (City of Ignorance) and reigns there. The document describes Avidya Nagari as a place of ignorance, greed, misconduct, suffering, and vice.
• The Family of Moh: Moh's queen is named Durmati. Their sons are Kama (Lust), Raga (Attachment/Desire), and Dwesh (Hate). Their daughters are Nidra (Sleep), Adhriti (Discontent), and Mari (Violence).
• Nivritti and Vivek Seek Refuge: Lacking a suitable place to reside, Nivritti and Vivek settle in "Pravachan Puri" (City of Discourse) under the shade of trees named Shama (Equanimity) and Dama (Self-control). There, they encounter Kulapati Vimalabodh, to whom they pose a question about their happiness. Vimalabodh proposes marrying his daughter Sumati to Vivek. He also advises them to seek the favor of King Arihantray of Pravachan Puri for their progress.
• Vivek's Endeavors and Marriage: Nivritti and Vivek follow Vimalabodh's advice. Vivek resides in Pravachan Puri, performs duties according to Arihantray's commands, and pleases him. Arihantray makes Vivek the king of "Punyarang-Patana" (City of Merit-Color). He also suggests that Vivek marry his daughter Sayamshri (the Jewel of Restraint) to easily defeat his enemies. However, Vivek expresses his disinclination to have two wives, citing the negative consequences of possessing multiple consorts.
• The Growing Power of Vivek and Moh's Fear: As Vivek's kingdom expands, King Moh becomes increasingly disturbed. Through his spy, Dambha (Deceit), he learns of Vivek's intention to attack his kingdom. Moh dispatches his son Kama to attack Punyarang Nagari and fight Vivek. Kama incites lust wherever he goes, subjugating everyone. Fearing that if he doesn't marry Sayamshri, Kama will also conquer him, Vivek leaves his city and goes to Pravachan Puri. Many others also leave their cities. Those who remained in Punyarang Nagari become consumed by lust, and Kama achieves victory over the city, but not over Vivek.
• Vivek's Marriage and Battle: Vivek marries Sayamshri in Pravachan Puri, an event described with festive details. Armed with weapons of "Tapa" (Austerity), Vivek, after his marriage, attacks Moh. A battle ensues, in which Moh's army is defeated, and Moh himself is killed.
• The Grief of Man and Pravritti: Mind and his wife Pravritti grieve deeply over Moh's demise. However, guided by Vivek, Mind conquers his senses and ignites the fire of meditation.
• Vivek's Counsel to Mind: Vivek advises Mind to abandon attachment and delusion, follow the Supreme Being, embrace equanimity everywhere, discard possessiveness, conquer the four passions (kashayas), subdue the five senses, play in the "samaras" (state of equipoise), and remain steadfast in the single syllable "Om" to attain supreme bliss.
• Liberation and Restoration: After defeating Moh and regaining the kingdom, Queen Chetna emerges from her incognito state. With Vivek's assistance, she liberates King Paramhansa from the bondage of Kayanagari and Maya. King Paramhansa then resumes his reign in Tribhuvan.

Conclusion of the Allegory:

The author, Shri Jayshekhar Suri, skillfully uses allegorical characters like the soul, consciousness, Maya, Mind, Activity, Attachment, Discernment, Durmati, Sumati, Sayamshri, Lust, Desire, and Hate to beautifully explain their forms and mysteries. The allegory maintains consistent continuity, coherence, and appropriateness throughout.

Appreciation from Scholars:

The document includes a quote from the late Keshavlal Dhruv, who praises the poet's genius in weaving the subject matter, designing characters, and unfolding the allegory. He notes that the dynamism and skillful construction of the narrative sustain the reader's curiosity until the end. Pandit Lalchand Gandhi is credited with researching and editing this work, recognizing it as a significant contribution to medieval literature.

Concluding Message:

The document ends with a profound verse attributed to Shri Suryapal, urging readers to attain right understanding and questioning why they do not achieve liberation. It emphasizes the difficulty of finding the path to salvation in subsequent lifetimes, reminding them that time lost does not return, and a life of restraint is not easily regained, nor is broken life mended.