Rajasthani Digambar Jain Gadyakar - Book Summary

This document, "Rajasthani Digambar Jain Gadyakar" (Rajasthani Digambar Jain Prose Writers) by Dr. Hukamchand Bharilla, is a chapter from the "Z_Kesarimalji_Surana_Abhinandan_Granth_012044.pdf". It focuses on the significant contribution of Digambar Jain scholars to the development of Hindi prose, particularly within the Rajasthani context.

Here's a comprehensive summary:

The Importance of Prose: The author begins by establishing the superiority of prose over poetry for clear and understandable expression of complex ideas. While poetry has its place, prose is indispensable for modern life due to its freedom from the constraints of meter and rhyme, allowing for more complete expression. This very freedom is influencing modern poetry, making it more prose-like. Prose is also considered simpler and more refined, as it doesn't require forced wordplay or breaking of grammatical structures, unlike poetry where such deviations are often excused by rhythm and meter. This is why prose is called the "touchstone of poets."

Jain Contribution to Hindi Prose: The text highlights that Jain scholars have consistently used the vernacular (janbhasha) to disseminate their thoughts to the general populace. Starting from the 16th century, they began writing Hindi commentaries (vachnika) on Sanskrit and Prakrit texts. The primary centers for the creation of Jain Hindi literature were Jaipur, Agra, and Delhi, and their surrounding regions. Consequently, Jain literature is found in both Rajasthani and Braj Bhasha, often so intertwined that distinguishing between them is difficult, as exemplified by the works of Pandit Todarmal and Daulatram Kasliwal. Dr. Gautam is quoted stating that Digambar Jain authors from Jaipur and Uttar Pradesh translated many of their Sanskrit and Prakrit religious texts into Hindi prose.

The Tradition of Prose in Rajasthan: The tradition of prose writing in Rajasthan has been continuous since the Apabhramsa period. The text emphasizes that while Hindi literature has little ancient prose, Rajasthani prose was fully developed from the medieval period onwards. The inclination to write Rajasthani "stories" and "khat" (historical accounts) is very ancient and began to appear alongside poetry. Well-organized Rajasthani prose predates 1500 AD. The author posits that Digambar Jain prose writers have played a crucial role in the development and refinement of prose literature from its inception. Dr. Prem Prakash Gautam is cited, stating that the Jain community's contribution to the creation, preservation, and development of ancient Rajasthani prose is immense. Jain writers used vernacular languages to convey their religious ideas and explain their ancient texts, and they also created original prose works. Many important prose works are still awaiting discovery in Jain manuscript collections in Rajasthan.

Key Rajasthani Digambar Jain Prose Writers:

The document then proceeds to introduce several prominent Digambar Jain prose writers from Rajasthan:

Pandit Rajmallji: Considered one of the most important scholars who dedicated his life to literary worship in line with self-realization. He lived in the latter half of the 16th century. A profound scholar of Jain philosophy, principles, and spirituality, he also had a complete command of Sanskrit. His unique contribution to Rajasthani (Hindi) prose is the "Balbodhini Teeka" on "Samaysar Kalash." This commentary, written in Rajasthani Hindi, explained the profound philosophical ideas of the "Samaysar Kalash" and played a role in spreading spiritual knowledge. Mahakavi Banarasidas was inspired by this commentary for his famous poetic work "Natak Samaysar." Agarchand Nahata considers this commentary the oldest surviving prose work in Jain Hindi prose. The language is Sanskrit-influenced but not difficult, with consistent flow in sentences.
Pandit Hemraj: Inspired by Pandit Rajmallji's commentary, Kanwarpalji of Agra requested Pandit Hemraj to write a similar commentary on Kundakundacharya's "Pravachansar." This resulted in the "Balbodh" language commentary in 1652 AD. Besides "Pravachansar," he also wrote commentaries on "Panchastikay Sangrah," "Nayachakra," and "Gommatasar Karmakanda." His prose is characterized by direct and easily understandable sentences, with some old words and a scholarly tone.
Banarasidas: Primarily known as a poet, Banarasidas also wrote two minor prose works: "Paramarth Vachnika" and "Nimitta-Upadan Chithi." These works are historically significant for the development of the Hindi language. He used a very clear and explanatory language. His prose sample illustrates his philosophical depth and understanding of spiritual progression. He is considered a highly important figure in Hindi literary history, contemporary to Tulsidas. His autobiography, "Ardha Kathānak," is the first of its kind in Hindi.
Deepchand Shah: Another spiritual scholar who significantly contributed to Hindi prose. He was born in the Kasliwal gotra of the Khandelwal community. He wrote several works, including "Anubhav Prakash," "Chidvilas," and "Atmavlokan." His language blends Braj, Rajasthani, and Khadi Boli elements. Although his language is less refined than that of Todarmal, it is clear and effectively conveys profound meaning. His work is commendable for its contribution to the nascent stage of Hindi prose.
Mahapandit Todarmal: Todarmal holds a very high position among Jain Hindi prose writers. He engaged in extensive prose creation through commentaries and independent works. He was not only a scholar of spirituality and Jainism but also well-versed in grammar, philosophy, literature, and principles, with a good command of language. He lived in the 18th century, during which Jaipur was becoming a major center for Jainism. His profound scholarship attracted seekers of truth from across India. He is credited with refuting spiritual distortions of his time and presenting prose that was unprecedented for its philosophical depth. He was a deeply spiritual, simple, detached from worldly affairs, learned, talented, anti-ostentatious, steadfast in faith, revolutionary, self-realized, popular preacher, and a benevolent person. He is described as humble yet firm in his convictions, a trustworthy personality whose statements were accepted as proof in spiritual discussions. His sons, Harichand and Gumani Ram, also followed in his intellectual footsteps, with Gumani Ram even leading a sect known as the "Guman Panth." Todarmal's education was in a spiritual (Terapanth) tradition. He also knew Kannada and could read original texts in it. Despite spending most of his life in Jaipur, he had to work in Siyana for a livelihood. His life was tragically cut short in his 47th year due to communal animosity and a false accusation, leading to his execution.

Todarmal was a spiritual seeker who deeply studied and presented Jain philosophy and principles in the vernacular. His main aim was to bring his philosophical thoughts to the common people. He wrote detailed, profound, yet easy-to-understand commentaries on ancient Jain texts, often incorporating original ideas. His works can be divided into original compositions and explanatory commentaries. His prose styles include descriptive, epistolary (letters, like the "Rahasya-purn Chithi"), chart-based (Yantra Rachnatmak), and analytical (Vicharatmak), with "Mokshmarg Prakashak" being a prime example of the latter. His prose style is characterized by its clarity, logical structure, and ability to make even unfamiliar subjects accessible. He is considered a prose creator whose style is illustrative, question-and-answer based, and simple, devoid of excessive scholasticism or overwhelming spiritual concepts. His seminal work, "Mokshmarg Prakashak," is a comprehensive attempt to cover all Jain literature in a simple, understandable vernacular, though it remained incomplete. It is extremely popular, with numerous editions, translations, and thousands of handwritten copies. He is considered the most widely read scholar in the Digambar Jain community today. His greatest contribution was expressing the spiritual philosophy of Sanskrit and Prakrit texts through vernacular prose, offering a new perspective and a revolutionary viewpoint.
Daulatram Kasliwal: Following Mahapandit Todarmal, Daulatram Kasliwal is another significant prose creator. He was born in 1695 AD and served as a high-ranking official in the Jaipur state, acting as an envoy to Udaipur. He was inspired by Rajmallji to write commentaries. He completed Todarmal's unfinished commentary on "Purusharthsiddhi Upaya." His prose works include important commentaries on "Padmapurana," "Adipurana," and "Harivanshapurana," which are still studied in Digambar Jain temples across India. His language is fluent, refined, and capable of changing the direction of the era. His prose sample showcases his narrative style.
Pandit Jaichandji Chhabda: Pandit Jaichandji Chhabda significantly enriched the Hindi prose collection with his mature writing. He authored over 15 extensive prose works, including commentaries on "Tattvarthasutra," "Sarvarthasiddhi," and "Swami Kartikeyanupreksha." His introduction in the "Sarvarthasiddhi Vachnika" provides his biographical details, including his spiritual awakening at age eleven and his association with influential scholars like Banshidharji, Todarmalji, and Daulatramji. His language is simple, profound, and refined, with the use of dialectic expressions where necessary.
Pandit Sadhasukhdas Kasliwal: Following Pandit Jaichandji Chhabda, Pandit Sadhasukhdas Kasliwal is another Digambar Jain scholar who enriched Hindi prose. Born around 1795 AD, he dedicated his life to study, reflection, reading, writing, and teaching. He wrote several works, including commentaries on "Bhagwati Aradhana," "Tattvarthasutra," and "Samaysar Natak." He also revised and expanded a commentary sent by Parsram Shah Agrawal. Despite personal tragedies, he inspired his disciples to continue the propagation of principles. His language is described as simple, profound, and refined.

Conclusion: The author concludes by stating that although over a hundred Digambar Jain scholars have enriched and strengthened Rajasthani Hindi literature over the past four to five hundred years, due to space constraints, only a few representative prose writers have been introduced. He expresses confidence that this brief overview will attract scholars to the Digambar Jain prose writers and inspire research, contemplation, reading, and publication in the Jain manuscript collections of Rajasthan.