Santukumar Chariya - Book Summary

This is a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Santukumar Chariya" by Haribhadra Suri, as published by L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad, edited by H.C. Bhayani and Madhusudan Modi.

Book Title: Santukumar Chariya (a section of Haribhadra's Neminaha Chariya)

Authors: H.C. Bhayani, Madhusudan Modi

Publisher: L.D. Institute of Indology, Ahmedabad

Key Information from the provided pages:

Nature of the Work: "Santukumar Chariya" is not an independent work but a part of Haribhadra Suri's Apabhramsa epic, "Neminaha Chariya" (Neminatha-chariya). It is presented as an anecdotal story within the third life of Neminatha, the life of Chitragati Vidyadhar.
Narrative Framework: The story of Sanatkumara is narrated by a bard named Sumati to Chitragati, while Chitragati is sitting with his family and friends during the autumn season. The Sanatkumara story is woven into approximately 343 verses out of the 683 verses describing Chitragati's life. It begins from verse 444 and concludes at verse 786 of the "Neminaha Chariya".
Author and Context: Haribhadra Suri composed the "Neminaha Chariya" in V.S. 1216 (1160 CE) in Anhilwad Patan during the reign of Kumarpal. The composition was requested by the minister Prithvipala. Haribhadra is known for composing the lives of all 24 Tirthankaras, and his works on Ajitnath, Chandraprabha, and Mallinath in Prakrit are also mentioned, though they remain in manuscript form. Haribhadra was a disciple of Shri Chandrasuri and a grand-disciple of Jinchandrasuri of the Vadgachha or Brihadgachha.
Previous Editions: The Apabhramsa Sanatkumara-charitra by Haribhadra had been published previously. The introduction highlights the significant work done by Hermann Jacobi, a German scholar, who published a section of "Neminaha Chariya" including "Sanatkumara-charitam" in Germany in 1921. Jacobi's work was groundbreaking for initiating the study and publication of Apabhramsa literature, based on a unique manuscript with peculiar script that was difficult to decipher. His edition included a scholarly introduction, German translation, and a glossary.
Sanatkumara's Story Development: The text traces the historical development of the Sanatkumara story within Jain tradition. It notes that initially, Sanatkumara's story focused mainly on his renunciation and ascetic life (third component). Later, the component detailing his worldly achievements as a Chakravarti (second component) was added, and finally, his past lives (first component) were incorporated. Various Jain traditions (Digambara and Shvetambara) and works like "Vasudevahindi," "Uttarapurana," "Vrihatkathakosh," "Mahapurana," "Chauppannamaḥāpuruṣacarita," "Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacarita," etc., are cited to show the evolution and variations of the narrative.
Key Events in Sanatkumara's Lives (as per the text):
- Third Component (Renunciation): Praise of Sanatkumara's physical beauty by Saudharmendra, visits by two gods, Sanatkumara's renunciation and asceticism, the outbreak of diseases, Indra's praise of his forbearance, the arrival of two gods disguised as physicians to test him, Sanatkumara's display of miraculous powers and enlightenment, his ascent to heaven. (The Upobr and Pushpadanta's Mahapurana are noted to follow this third component narrative).
- Second Component (Chakravarti Life): Sanatkumara's birth and youth, theft of a horse, search for friends, advice from Bakulamati, reaching Mansarovar with Yaksha's help, battle with Asitaksha, marriage with eight princesses of Vidyadhar Bhanuvega, union with Sunanda, defeat of Vajravega, marriage with Sandhyavali, help from Chandravega and Bhanuvega, Sandhyavali granting Prajnapti Vidya, battle with Ashanivega, attainment of Vaitadhya kingdom, prophetic pronouncements by Muni Archimali regarding Sanatkumara's past lives (this being the second component), marriage with Chandravega's five daughters, return to Hastinapur and attainment of Chakravartiship. (The text states that "Vasudevahindi" and Digambara traditions lack this second component, while it is first detailed in the "Upadeshamalavivaraṇa" and later works).
- First Component (Past Lives): King Vikramayasha's abduction of merchant Nagadatta's wife Vishnuśri, the king's queens' sorcery leading to Vishnuśri's death, Sanatkumara's renunciation and penance upon seeing her distorted body, birth in Sanatkumara-kalpa, Nagadatta's death after becoming intoxicated by the abduction, Vikramayasha's rebirth as a follower of Jain Dharma, Nagadatta's rebirth as the ascetic Agnisharma, Agnisharma's consumption of food placed on Jinadharma's back, Jinadharma's self-immolation, Sanatkumara's birth as Saudharmendra, and Agnisharma's birth as his vehicle Airavata, and later Airavata's birth as Yaksha Asitaksha. (The text notes that "Vasudevahindi" and Digambara traditions do not mention Sanatkumara's past lives, while Shvetambara traditions, starting with Jayasimha's lost "Upadeshamalavivaraṇa," detail this first component, with Haribhadra's "Mallinatha-charita" and "Neminaha-chariya" providing the most comprehensive accounts.)
Manuscripts: Two manuscripts of "Neminaha Chariya" are mentioned: a palm-leaf manuscript from Jaisalmer (pre-13th century), which is considered ancient, pure, and reliable, and a paper manuscript from the Vijaydev Suri collection at L.D. Institute of Indology (16th-17th century). The text of "Santukumar Chariya" is primarily based on the Jaisalmer manuscript.
Metre: The "Santukumar Chariya" predominantly uses a single Apabhramsa metre called "Raḍḍa" or "Vastu." This metre, considered a compound form, consists of a verse from a "Matra" metre and a verse from a "Doha" metre. It was also used in later Gujarati "Ras" compositions and by some Jain authors in Sanskrit. The text details the structure and variations of the "Raḍḍa" metre, including its components from Matra and Doha metres and their respective syllable counts and foot patterns.
Apabhramsa Language: The Apabhramsa used in "Santukumar Chariya" is described as "late Apabhramsa," differing in some aspects from the Apabhramsa of earlier authors like Swayambhu and Pushpadanta. It shows influence from the vernacular languages of Gujarat. The text notes the use of both specific Apabhramsa forms and Prakrit (Maharashtri) forms in the language, often for metrical or stylistic reasons. It also highlights certain Apabhramsa forms that are considered more archaic or modern than the standard recognized forms.
Grammar and Morphology: The summary includes a detailed analysis of the Apabhramsa morphology, covering:
- Nominal Declension: Cases like Nominative, Accusative, Instrumental, Ablative, Genitive, and Vocative for singular and plural nouns, adjectives, and pronouns, with examples of their Apabhramsa and Prakrit forms and suffixes.
- Verbal Conjugation: Present, Future, Imperative, and Optative tenses, with inflections for different persons and numbers.
- Derived Words: Formation of verbal and nominal derivatives, including participles and agent nouns.
- Idiomatic Expressions: Several unique idiomatic phrases and sentence structures are noted, some of which show influence from contemporary vernacular languages and foreshadow later Gujarati usage.
Literary Evaluation: Haribhadra's narrative structure is praised as engaging, filled with adventurous events, risks, valor, and fascinating characters, reminiscent of earlier "Bhamanakatha" traditions. While drawing from earlier Sanatkumara narratives, Haribhadra's work stands out for its skillful weaving of the story into the Raḍḍa metre, its creative arrangement of events, and its evocative descriptions. The prose is described as refined and elegant, avoiding exaggeration, with a natural flow and minimal use of metrical licenses. The dialogues and character portrayals also contribute to the richness of the work, showcasing Haribhadra's poetic talent.
Gujarati Translation: The accompanying Gujarati translation is presented as not merely a linguistic aid but also an attempt to capture the poetic qualities of the original Apabhramsa text. It aims to be a natural and readable translation, prioritizing the spirit and meaning of the original over strict literalness, acknowledging the potential need for contextual words or expansions to maintain metrical and stylistic integrity.

In essence, this publication offers a critical edition of Haribhadra Suri's "Santukumar Chariya" from the "Neminaha Chariya," accompanied by a Gujarati translation and extensive scholarly apparatus, providing deep insights into the narrative's evolution, linguistic features of Apabhramsa, and Haribhadra's literary craftsmanship.