Salibhadra Dhanna Charit Na Karta Tatha Ene Anushange Ketluk - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, focusing on the authorship of the "Shalibhadra Dhanna Charitra":

Book Title: Salibhadra Dhanna Charit na Karta tatha ene Anushange Ketluk (The Author of Shalibhadra Dhanna Charitra and Related Matters) Author(s): Jayant Kothari Publisher: ZZ_Anusandhan

This text delves into the question of the author of the "Shalibhadra Dhanna Charitra," a Jain narrative. The author, Jayant Kothari, critically examines previous attributions, particularly those made by Ernest Bendre in his 1992 edition of the work, and argues for the authorship of Jinraj Suri.

Key Arguments and Findings:

Challenging Ernest Bendre's Attribution: Kothari points out that Ernest Bendre attributed the work to Matisar, citing a line from the text: "Shri Jinsurisu-sis Matisar," suggesting Matisar was the author and a disciple of Jinrajsuri. However, Kothari finds this attribution questionable and not entirely accurate.
The Role of Jinrajsuri: Kothari highlights that the "Jain Gurjar Kavi" (a significant work on Jain poets) initially listed Matisar as the author but later corrected it to Jinrajsuri, a disciple of Jinsurishishya Jinrajsuri. This correction was based on two colophons (inscribed lines at the end of a manuscript) found in different manuscripts.
Evidence from Colophons:
- Colophon 1 (Samvat 1688): This colophon explicitly states the work was composed by the "Yugapradhan Shri Jinrajsuri." Crucially, this manuscript was written only ten years after the estimated completion of the work and within Jinrajsuri's lifetime (born 1647, initiated 1656, became Acharya 1674, passed away 1699). Kothari sees no reason to doubt the information in this colophon.
- Colophon 2 (Samvat 1818): While this colophon also attributes the work to Jinrajsuri, Kothari suggests it might have been copied from the earlier manuscript.
Internal Textual Clues: Kothari points to instances within the "Shalibhadra Dhanna Charitra" itself that support Jinrajsuri's authorship. The word "Jinraj" appears ten times in the text. While Bendre interpreted "Jinraj" solely as Lord Mahavir (a character in the story), Kothari argues that this interpretation is too narrow. He contends that "Jinraj" sometimes refers to Lord Mahavir, but at other times it clearly refers to the author himself, used as a self-referential term or a play on words.
- Example 1 (17.24): "Have Jin pari Dhannau Avai, Te pin Jinraj Sunavai" (Now as Dhanna appears, Jinraj narrates it). Kothari interprets this as the poet Jinraj narrating the story of Dhanna. He critiques Bendre's translation of "the Jinaraja" as vague, noting that Lord Mahavir wouldn't be the narrator here.
- Example 2 (23.15): "Sutvirahai Dukha Matanu Ji, Kahi na Sakai Kaviraj, Janai Putraviyogini Ji. Im Jampai Jinraj Re." (The sorrow of a mother losing a son, no poet can describe; a mother separated from her son knows it, thus says Jinraj.) Here, "Jinraj" clearly refers to the poet. Bendre's translation as "So says the Jinaraja" remains ambiguous.
Linguistic Analysis of "Matisar": Kothari delves into the potential meaning of "Matisar." He argues that in medieval times, "Matisar" was often used not as a proper name, but as a descriptive term meaning "according to one's intellect" or "by one's wisdom." He provides examples from other Jain texts where "Matisar" is used in this way, suggesting that the initial attribution to Matisar might have been a misunderstanding of this linguistic nuance.
Shared Verses with Jinrajsuri's Other Works: Kothari notes that some verses from Jinrajsuri's "Shalibhadra Geet" are found identically in the "Shalibhadra Dhanna Charitra." This strong textual overlap further supports Jinrajsuri's authorship of the latter work.
Reinterpretation of "Jinraj-vachan Anusarai": Kothari re-examines the phrase "Shri Jinrajsuri-sis Matisar, Bhaviyanani Upagarai Ji, Shri Jinrajvachan Anusarai, Charit Kau Suvicharai Ji." He argues that it doesn't necessarily mean Jinrajsuri himself wrote the charitra, but rather that Matisar, following Jinrajsuri's teachings or words, composed it. However, considering the other evidence, Kothari suggests that "Matisar" might have been used here in its literal sense of "according to wisdom," and the phrase "Shri Jinraj-vachan Anusarai" can be interpreted as the story being told in accordance with the teachings of Jineshwar (Lord of Jinas) or, again, with a pun on the author's name, Jinraj.
Potential Misattributions: Kothari also points out instances in "Jain Gurjar Kavi" where works were initially misattributed to Matisar and later corrected to their rightful authors (like Jinavardhaman). This highlights the potential for errors in early cataloging and attribution.
The Word "Sar" as "Anusar": Kothari further strengthens his argument by showing the extensive use of the word "sar" in medieval Gujarati to mean "according to" or "in accordance with," citing numerous examples like "Buddhisar" (according to intellect), "Suyasar" (according to scriptures), "Manasa-sarai" (according to desire), and "Biba-sar" (according to Biba). This linguistic context supports the idea that "Matisar" could be an adjective rather than a name.

Conclusion:

Jayant Kothari's analysis strongly suggests that Jinraj Suri is the author of the "Shalibhadra Dhanna Charitra." He bases this conclusion on the evidence of early colophons, internal textual references where the author uses "Jinraj" to refer to himself, and the shared textual material with Jinrajsuri's known works. Kothari also posits that the word "Matisar" in the attribution may have been a misunderstanding of its common medieval usage as a descriptive term rather than a proper name. He criticizes Bendre's work for not adequately exploring these attributional questions.