Mahakavi Raidhu Ki Aprakashit Sachitra Kruti Pasnahachariu - Book Summary

This document, an article by Prof. Dr. Rajaram Jain, discusses an unpublished illustrated work titled 'Pasnahachariu' (पासणाहचरिउ) by the renowned medieval poet Raighu (रइधू). The article is part of the 'Agarchand Nahta Abhinandan Granth, Part 2'.

Here's a comprehensive summary:

1. Introduction and Context:

The article begins by highlighting the significant historical and cultural interest in Tirthankara Parshvanath (तीर्थङ्कर पार्श्व) from the early 19th century onwards, with numerous Western and Indian scholars acknowledging him as a historical figure and evaluating his contributions.
Parshvanath has also been a subject of discussion in non-Jain Indian literature and art. Jain poets have depicted his life in various languages and styles.
The article introduces Mahakavi Raighu (महाकवि रइधू), a medieval poet, who composed the 'Pasnahachariu' in the Sandhakalin Apabhramsa language. This work, a beautiful poetic treatise, was created in the cultural ambiance of Gopaachal fort and has remained unpublished until now.
A copy of this work is preserved in the Shri Shvetambar Jain Shastra Bhandar in Delhi. The author is presenting a brief overview based on his study of this copy.

2. 'Pasnahachariu' - A Literary Masterpiece:

The author considers 'Pasnahachariu' to be a more mature literary creation compared to Raighu's other works, with the poet himself calling it 'Kavya Rasayan' (काव्य रसायन - essence of poetry).
The manuscript contains 77 x 2 pages, divided into 7 Sandhis (sections) and 136 Kadavaks (stanzas). It also includes 5 Mangala Shlokas (auspicious verses) in mixed Sanskrit.
The first and last Sandhis provide detailed information about the poet's patrons, contemporary Bhaṭṭarakas (Jain scholars/leaders), and kings, along with discussions on the social, religious, and historical conditions of the time.
The remaining Sandhis beautifully describe all the Kalyanakas (auspicious events) of Parshvanath.
The work also incorporates illustrations at various points to deepen the emotional impact of the narrative.
The manuscript is in a worn and dilapidated condition due to its age. Each page has 11 lines, with approximately 14-16 words per line. Black ink was used for the text, while red ink was employed for the colophons (Pushpikas) and sometimes white ink for corrections or indicators.
The author mentions having seen other copies of Raighu's 'Pasnahachariu' in Jaipur, Beawar, and Ara, but highlights the unique features and new findings of the Delhi copy:
1. Antiquity (प्राचीनता)
2. Authenticity (प्रामाणिकता)
3. Completeness (पूर्णता)
4. Illustration (सचित्रता)
5. Historical Significance (ऐतिहासिकता)

3. Antiquity and Authenticity:

Based on various internal and external evidence, the author places Mahakavi Raighu's period between VS 1440-1530 (1383-1473 AD).
No original manuscript by Raighu himself has been found so far, and most copies of his works are dated after VS 1548 (1491 AD).
However, the Delhi manuscript is an exception. Its colophon states the copying date as VS 1498 (1441 AD), Magha Krishna Paksha, 2nd day, Monday. This makes it the oldest known manuscript of Raighu's literature.
The text is pure, and the script is clear. The uniformity of the handwriting and ink, the scribe's neatness and devotion to literature, the possibility of it being written during or under the poet's lifetime, and its commissioning by the patron's devout son all contribute to its unquestionable authenticity.

4. Completeness:

A significant misfortune of ancient handwritten manuscripts is that they are often found incomplete. Some may be damaged, stolen, or traded, losing their value. Illustrated manuscripts are even more prone to such damage.
Works like Pushpadanta's 'Jasaharachariu' and Raighu's own 'Jasaharachariu' are examples of such incomplete works.
The 'Pasnahachariu' manuscript, however, is fortunately preserved in its entirety. Its completeness is a major achievement, especially for shedding light on the history of art, and specifically Jain art.

5. Illustration:

The most prominent feature of this work is its illustrations. The entire text contains a total of 64 pictures, which are a mix of single-colored, four-colored, and multi-colored.
The scribe left rectangular spaces for the artist to illustrate the text as needed, creating small or large pictures.
The illustrations are ornate. Figures are depicted with hair styled peculiarly, turned backward. Beards and mustaches appear pasted on. Eyes are wide and protruding, seemingly inserted separately. Noses are sharply pointed, prominent, and downward-sloping. Chins resemble mango kernels, necks are wrinkled, and fingers and toes are somewhat clumsy, appearing like applied cloth wicks. Breasts are so exaggerated that they sometimes resemble female breasts.
Some figures wear Angarkha (a type of tunic), though they generally wear minimal clothing: an upper garment (Uttarīya) and a lower garment. The end of the upper garment is shown fluttering to the side or back. The lower garment has a thick border and is depicted with pleats. The garments appear somewhat thick but decorated.
Jewelry includes jeweled golden crowns, earrings, armlets, and bracelets.
Illustrations also depict deities and Parshvanath in his Digambara (ascetic) state and at the time of attaining Kevala Jnana (omniscience). Deities are shown semi-naked, wearing colored lower garments with thick borders that hang below the knees, with pleats fluttering forward. Their left hands are half-raised, and their right hands offer chamara (fly-whisk) to the Tirthankara. They wear jeweled crowns, large circular earrings, multi-stringed necklaces with large beads, thick bracelets, and two-stringed armlets.
The title page features an illustration of Parshvanath in Padmasana (lotus posture), flanked by two attendant deities holding chamaras. Above them, two Airavata elephants hold auspicious kalashas (pots) in their trunks. The background shows a large, gate-like structure with spires and arches, flanked by smaller shrines. Large flags flutter from the top of the central spire.
The illustrations attempt to convey the appropriate atmosphere for the Tirthankara's depiction. The surrounding elements include chamaras, an umbrella with varying sizes of tiers and pearl strings, and two Dharmachakras (wheel of dharma) on either side.
Two particularly attractive and grand illustrations are at the beginning of the manuscript. One depicts five figures seated on their knees, one behind the other. Two other figures are in front. The central figure has one hand on his knee, while the other points upwards, seemingly delivering a sermon. The others have folded hands. The author believes this depicts Raighu's guru tradition, with Bhavan Sahas Kirti as the preacher, and his disciples including Bhaṭṭarak Gunkirti, his brother and disciple B. Yashahkirti, and Yashahkirti's disciple Hemachandra and Mahakavi Raighu. This interpretation is based on similar depictions in other illustrated Jain manuscripts.
The second grand illustration, to the right of the first, is of a four-armed Saraswati, holding a book in one right hand and a veena in the left. Her vehicle is not discernible. The background shows a building with a large spire and smaller spires on either side, topped with fluttering flags.
Raighu was a great devotee of Saraswati, referring to himself as "Saraswati Nilay" and "Saraswati Niketan." He recounted a dream where Saraswati inspired him to become a poet. The author speculates that, like Kalidasa, Raighu may have been blessed by Saraswati, given his prolific output of over 23 significant works in a short lifespan. No other poet in the Apabhramsa tradition has produced such a vast and rich body of literature.
Portrayals of women show them with large, fish-shaped eyes, small pupils, and elongated slanting lines extending to the ears. Their hair is braided and tied in a bun at the back of the head. Their noses are large and pointed, with the nose and mouth appearing to compete for space. Lips are wide, chins pointed and small, ears oval and small, but breasts are circular and exaggeratedly prominent. The waist is very slender, sometimes appearing invisible. Necks are long and outlined, but all bodies are depicted as well-built.
Women's attire includes ghagra (skirt), odhni (veil), and choli (blouse), with the abdomen clearly visible. Sometimes the odhni is absent.
Women wear large circular earrings, multi-stringed necklaces with large beads, and multiple bracelets on their hands. They wear small pearl studs in their noses. Anklets are also depicted on their feet, and a tikka (forehead ornament) on their forehead. Deities' consorts are shown with very little difference from mortal women.
Figures, whether standing or sitting, appear to be in motion, conveying a sense of dynamism. Some men hold sticks, but they are depicted as if holding something light like a toothpick.
Nature depictions include rivers, lakes, gardens, fields, trees, grass, and forests in color. However, they lack the expected beauty, serenity, and lifelikeness. Trees appear as clumps of leaves on flexible stems. Forests look like random colored lines on a wall. Garden plants resemble artificial arrangements.
Battle scenes feature soldiers with shields, swords, and spears, rendered in various colors. The colors used are primarily basic: red, yellow, and white. Backgrounds often use red and yellow, with occasional green. The application of colors sometimes appears hasty, lacking beauty and care. This is attributed to artists drawing inspiration from conventions rather than life, and the pervasive spiritual and religious sentiment, which limited overt sensuality. Despite these aspects, scholars like Mr. Brown, Stella Kramrisch, and Nanala Mehta consider these Jain style paintings to have purity, dynamism, and speed. They are remarkable in expressing emotions. Though colors are few, they are vibrant and shed light on contemporary color application techniques. The lines are thick, but the clumsiness, the freedom of skilled hands, and the disproportionate depiction of limbs contribute to a unique style. The eyes, though not always captivating, resemble those of puppets, but this style is undeniably significant for its era. This style was prevalent in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Malwa, and South India, and its influence reached Bihar, Bengal, Orissa, Nepal, and Tibet. Some scholars believe this style also influenced art in Greater Asia, Central Asia, Burma, and Indonesia.
The illustrations in 'Pasnahachariu' represent a later phase of sequential painting style, highly important from a historical perspective. The lack of a definitive name for this style is a drawback, with scholars variously calling it Jain, Apabhramsa, Western, or Gujarati style. The author stresses the urgent need for in-depth research to compile and analyze all ancient painting materials, name the styles, and establish their place in art history. This style, being a later development of ancient art, could also be seen as a precursor to modern styles of artists like Roerik, Tagore, Abanindranath, Nandalal, Jamini Roy, Ravi Varma, Ravishankar Rawal, and Amrita Sher-gil. Therefore, it could serve as a crucial historical link in the chain of Jain art. Scholars should actively engage in this neglected area, as it is a demand of the times.

6. Historical Insights:

From a historical standpoint, the primary significance of this manuscript lies in its final colophon, which bestows the title 'Kalikala Chakravarti' (कलिकाल चक्रवर्ती - Emperor of Kali Yuga) upon Maharaj Dungar Singh (महाराज डूंगरसिंह) of the Tomar dynasty's Gwalior branch.
The author had previously encountered Raighu's works and eulogies, as well as modern historical texts on Tomar kings, but had never come across this title for Dungar Singh. While believing he deserved such a title due to his valor and territorial expansion, he had been searching for confirmation. The 'Pasnahachariu' eulogy not only satisfied this search but also provided new impetus for modern historians to rewrite the history of the Tomar period. This is a significant historical achievement, as it correctly and justly evaluates the great deeds of a valiant, dutiful, and Jain-devoted king, granting him his rightful glory.
Furthermore, some texts describing the Tomar lineage omit the name of Ganapatidev (गणपतिदेव), Dungar Singh's father, making it unclear how his grandson Dungarsikha ascended the throne after Vikram. The eulogy in the present manuscript clarifies this, stating that after Vikram, Ganapati, not Dungarsikha, ascended the throne, even if briefly, and subsequently his son Dungar Singh had to assume the kingship. This revises the currently accepted lineage of the Tomars.
The second historical significance is the mention of Sultan Feroz Shah (पैरोज/फ़िरोज साह) in the scribe's eulogies. Raighu also mentions Sultan Feroz Shah in his other works, including the founding of Hisar Nagar. An epilogue also reveals that Vilha Sahu, son of Raighu's patron Tosau Sahu, was honored by Feroz Shah. This suggests that Feroz Shah had a strong respect for society and Jainism, and it's possible that prominent Jains like Vilha, serving as politicians and economists, were part of his cabinet. Hisar Nagar was a major center for Jains and Jain literature during Raighu's era.
The third characteristic of this manuscript is that it was commissioned by Holivammun (होलिवम्मु), the fourth son of Raighu's patron Kheusaahu. This Holivammun was a paragon of virtue and, like his father, provided patronage to the poet. He also composed the spiritual work 'Dashalakshana Dharma Jayamala' (दशलक्षणधर्म जयमाला). Therefore, there is no doubt about the authenticity of this copy. It is also possible that Holivammun authored or commissioned other works yet to be published.

7. Conclusion:

The author concludes by stating that this discussion has focused on the special Delhi manuscript of Mahakavi Raighu's 'Pasnahachariu', particularly its illustrated aspects and historical evaluation based on its colophons.
The article has not delved into the artistic or thematic aspects of the work, nor the poet's life and works, as these have been extensively covered in the author's previous research papers. The focus here is solely on the new illustrated manuscript and its historical significance.