Mahakavi Samay Sundar Aur Unka Chattisi Sahitya - Book Summary

Here is a comprehensive summary in English of the provided Jain text about Mahakavi Samaysundar and his Chattisi literature:

The book "Mahakavi Samaysundar aur unka Chattisi Sahitya" by Satyanarayan Swami (published in the Z_Jinvijay_Muni_Abhinandan_Granth_012033.pdf) focuses on the life and literary contributions of the prominent 17th-century Rajasthani Jain poet, Mahakavi Samaysundar.

Mahakavi Samaysundar:

Life and Background: Born in Sacnhor (Satyapur) around 1610 Vikram Samvat (V.S.) to Shri Rup Singh and Liladevi of the Porwal caste. He renounced worldly life in his childhood and eventually attained the title of Mahopadhya. Known for his sweet nature, immense scholarship, and unique personality, he was widely admired during his lifetime. He traveled extensively across India, guiding people towards the path of welfare through his diverse compositions and teachings. He lived a long life, passing away peacefully in Ahmedabad on Chaitra Shukla Trayodashi in 1703 V.S.
Literary Prowess: Samaysundar was a prolific writer in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Rajasthani. The book emphasizes his unparalleled versatility, stating that after Hemchandracharya, he was perhaps the only one who made original contributions and wrote commentaries on various subjects, creating a vast body of literature. His monumental Jain Ramayana, "Sitaram Chaupai," is considered his representative work. His countless songs are also highly significant.
"Chattisi" Literature: The book specifically highlights Samaysundar's "Chattisi" literature. A "Chattisi" is a type of free-verse composition consisting of thirty-six verses, although sometimes it might have thirty-seven, with the last verse serving as a concluding remark. The meter can vary, but all verses must be in the same meter. These Chattisis can cover any topic, but descriptive and didactic elements are predominant.

Samaysundar's Seven Chattisis:

The book details seven available Chattisis composed by Mahakavi Samaysundar:

Satyasiya Dushkal Varnan Chattisi (Chattisi on the Famine of 1687-88 V.S.):
- Context: Composed in Gujarat during the severe famine of V.S. 1687-88. The famine was characterized by a lack of rainfall, dried-up fields, soaring prices, and widespread suffering.
- Content: The poet vividly describes the dire conditions: people struggling for food, resorting to begging, eating leaves and bark, and experiencing a breakdown of social bonds, with families abandoning each other. The famine led to moral degradation, with even sacred duties and religious practices being neglected. Many wealthy individuals and even religious leaders perished.
- Personal Impact: Samaysundar himself suffered from the famine, becoming emaciated due to lack of nutritious food. His strength waned, and only religious devotion and contemplation sustained him.
- Relief and Aftermath: The famine was finally relieved by the abundant rains of V.S. 1688, bringing prosperity back to Gujarat.
- Style and Significance: The verses are written in a beautiful and eloquent style with simple language, showcasing the poet's emotional depth and compassion. The descriptions are both moving and historically important as they provide a firsthand account of the devastating famine. The poem is rich in the emotion of Karuna (compassion) and uses the Sarvaiya meter with Gujarati-influenced, idiomatic Rajasthani.
Prastav Sarvaiya Chattisi (Introductory Sarvaiya Chattisi):
- Context: Composed in 1660 V.S. in Khambhat.
- Content: This work consists of 37 didactic Sarvaiya verses, serving as introductions to various topics. Key themes include the nature of God, purity of mind, detachment from the world, the importance of religious acts, and the consequences of misdeeds.
- Key Teachings:
  - God: While many invoke God, only true yogis can perceive Him. God can be seen in various forms (Brahma, Krishna, Allah) or as the creator, preserver, and destroyer. However, the poet ultimately recognizes "Karma" as the true doer.
  - Religion: Difficult penances are not the sole path to liberation. The essence of all religions is compassion. True Jainism protects from falling into sin by adhering to this scriptural compassion. Religious acts are fruitful only when performed with a pure heart and without attachment to specific sects or rituals.
  - Liberation: True liberation cannot be attained through external practices like tonsure, matted hair, nudity, extreme penances, or vows, but only through the purification of the mind.
  - Worldly Attire and Status: Without religious practices, all worldly decorations, regal status, and possessions are ultimately meaningless.
  - Prohibited Acts: The poet warns against meat-eating, alcohol, cannabis, theft, falsehood, and adultery, urging immediate engagement in religious practices as life is fleeting.
  - Suffering: True happiness is absent in the world; everyone experiences some form of sorrow due to past karma.
  - Karma and Effort: While acknowledging the power of karma, the poet also stresses the importance of continuous effort.
  - Social Conduct: One should be vigilant in worldly dealings, avoid slander and self-praise, consider oneself humble, and others great. Slanderers are likened to untouchables and face severe suffering in hell.
  - True Devotion: True Jain devotees are those who remain detached from worldly pleasures, practice the five great vows, engage in devotion, and perform austerities with sincere effort.
- Conclusion: The poet expresses his wish to be reborn in a Jain family in future lives.
Kshama Chattisi (Chattisi on Forgiveness):
- Context: Composed in Nagaur.
- Content: This work of 36 verses emphasizes the significance of forgiveness and the detrimental effects of anger. The poet aims to illustrate how forgiveness leads to liberation and how anger causes ruin.
- Illustrative Examples: The poet recounts stories of great personalities who achieved liberation through forgiveness, such as Gajsukumar (who remained unperturbed when his head was burned), Chandana, Mrigavati, Samprati, Bharat-Bahubali, Prasannachandra Muni, and Sthulibhadra. He also criticizes those who indulged in anger and committed wicked deeds.
- Key Teachings:
  - Anger is more potent than even deadly poison, causing repeated suffering and nullifying good deeds like penance and meditation.
  - Forgiveness is effortless and a great reliever of troubles, leading to the worship of divine beings and spreading fame.
Karma Chattisi (Chattisi on Karma):
- Context: Composed in Multan on Margashirsha Shukla 6, 1668 V.S.
- Content: This Chattisi of 36 verses highlights the overwhelming power of karma. It asserts that all beings are subject to karma and cannot escape its consequences without experiencing their fruits. Even powerful figures like Tirthankaras, Chakravartis, and Vasudevas are bound by karma.
- Examples of Karma's Impact: The poet lists numerous great souls who endured harsh karmic afflictions, including Lord Rishabhdev, Mallinath Tirthankara, Lord Mahavir, Sagar Raja, Brahmdatta, Sanatkumar, Krishna, Ravana, Rama, Kandarik, Korinik, Muj, Dhandharan Rishi, Selagacharya, Nandishen, and Sukumalika.
- Remedy: The poet suggests that listening to this Chattisi and engaging in religious practices can help overcome the afflictions of difficult karma.
Punya Chattisi (Chattisi on Merit/Virtue):
- Context: Composed in Siddhpur in 1666 V.S.
- Content: This work of 36 verses extols the virtues of meritorious deeds and aims to promote them in society. The poet states that good deeds bring happiness and dispel sins.
- Forms of Merit: The poet enumerates virtuous acts as described by the Arhats, including:
  - Granting fearlessness (Abhayadan) and compassion (Anukampadan).
  - Followers of Jainism adhering to Dharma, undertaking pilgrimages, observing chastity, vows, meditation, and reciting mantras.
  - Performing regular Samayika, Paushadh, Pratikraman, Deva Puja, and Guru Seva.
- Examples of Meritorious Souls: The poet mentions several individuals who achieved great joy, prosperity, and liberation through their virtuous actions:
  - Lord Shantinath achieved the position of Tirthankara and immense wealth due to the merit earned by sheltering a pigeon in a past life.
  - Champa Shreshti gained 96 crore gold coins from the donation he made during a famine.
  - Shreyanshkumar attained liberation by offering sugarcane juice to Lord Rishabhdev.
  - Other virtuous individuals mentioned include Meghakumar, Ayavantisukumar, Dhanna Sarthavaha, Chandanbala, Sumukh Gathapati, Godhagra Seth, Muldev, Baldev Muni, Suvrat Sadhu, Sanatkumar, Balbhadra, Vastupal-Tejpal, Kuladhwajkumar, Sati Subhadra, Dhanna Arangar, Ravana, Shrenik Raja, and Pradesh.
Santosh Chattisi (Chattisi on Contentment):
- Context: Composed during the Chaturmas in Loonkaran-sar in 1684 V.S.
- Content: This work of 36 verses advocates for love, harmony, and contentment among fellow practitioners, free from animosity. True contentment is equated with equanimity. The success of religious practices like Samayika, Paushadh, Pratikraman, and chanting the Navkar Mantra is achieved by those who practice equanimity and contentment, not by those driven by passion and hatred.
- Key Teachings:
  - Harmony: Live with love and amity, free from all disputes.
  - Equanimity: Contentment and equanimity are essential for spiritual progress. Those who harbor anger and hatred face immense suffering in hell.
  - Brotherly Love: Cherish relationships with fellow practitioners with contentment. This includes loving behavior, asking for forgiveness, offering good advice, and listening to others.
- Examples of Contentment: The poet cites examples of those who lived by these principles and gained fame and liberation, including:
  - King Vajrajangha, who refused to bow to anyone other than the Arhats and Sadhus, even King Singhodar, showing his devotion by bowing to a statue of Muni Suvrata. Lord Rama helped King Vajrajangha when he was attacked by Singhodar, demonstrating his appreciation for his fellow practitioner.
  - Other examples include King Udayan and Chandapradhyotan, Bharat and Bahubali, Sagar Chandra and Nabhasena, Korinik and Cheda, Vijay Chor, Rukmini and Satyabhama, Kapil Brahmin and Ram-Lakshmana, Mrigavati and Chandanbala, and Ardra Kumar and Abhayakumar.
Paloyarna Chattisi (Chattisi on Confession/Repentance):
- Context: Composed in Ahmedabad in 1668 V.S.
- Content: The central theme is that sincere confession and repentance of one's sins can free an individual from their negative consequences. A heartfelt "Michchhami Dukadam" can counteract even severe sins. However, after confession, one must vow not to repeat the offense.
- Sins and Their Consequences: The poet lists acts that lead to sin, such as falsehood, theft, adultery, and unjustified killing.
  - Falsehood and false accusations can lead to throat diseases and distorted features.
  - Killing for the pleasure of the tongue leads to eternal retribution, with the victim repeatedly seeking revenge on the killer.
  - Theft for sustenance results in a life of hunger and poverty.
  - Adultery, a fleeting pleasure, leads to torturous embraces with heated iron effigies in hell.
  - Unintentional killing of small organisms in processes like crushing or grinding, if not confessed, results in being crushed in hell.
- Remedy: The poet urges the reader to confess all sins committed in this life or past lives by name and repent to achieve liberation.
- Ease of Confession: Confession is effortless and requires no physical exertion, making it imperative not to delay it.
- Vairagya: After confession, one should cultivate detachment (vairagya) for true happiness.
- Unrepented Sins: Those who do not confess their passions and hatreds throughout their lives remain trapped in the cycle of rebirth for eternity.

In conclusion, the book "Mahakavi Samaysundar aur unka Chattisi Sahitya" provides a valuable overview of Mahakavi Samaysundar's significant contribution to Jain literature, particularly his "Chattisi" compositions, which offer profound spiritual and moral guidance, often illustrated through compelling narratives and historical accounts.