Trishashti Shalaka Purush Charitrasya Gadyatmaka Saroddhar Part 03

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Book Title: Trishashti Shalaka Purush Charitrasya Gadyatmaka Saroddhar Part 03 (A Prose Abridgement of the Lives of the Sixty-Three Great Persons) Author(s): Acharya Shri Vijay Shubhankarsuri, Muni Dharmkirtivijay (Editor) Publisher: Kalikal Sarvagya Shri Hemchandracharya Navam Janmashatabdi Smruti Sanskar Shikshannidhi, Ahmedabad Catalog Link: https://jainqq.org/explore/009893/1

This volume, Part 03 of the prose abridgement, covers the Fourth and Fifth Parva (books) of Acharya Hemchandracharya's renowned Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Charitra. It is dedicated to the memory of Acharya Shri Vijay Shubhankarsuri, with Muni Dharmkirtivijay as the editor. The publication is a second edition from 2012.

Overview of the Content:

The book presents the biographical narratives of several significant figures from Jain tradition, focusing on their lives, deeds, spiritual journeys, and eventual liberation. The text is a simplified prose version of Hemchandracharya's epic poem, making these complex lives accessible to a wider audience. The summary is divided by the Parva and Sarga (chapter) as presented in the table of contents.

Fourth Parva: Covering the lives of Shreyansanath, Vasupujya, Vimalanath, Anantnath, Dharmnath, and Meghavahana Chakravarti.

• First Sarga (Chapter 1): Charitra of Shreyansanath:

  • Begins with the life of King Nalinagumma in Videha region, who renounced his kingdom and became a monk.
  • It then shifts to Jambu continent, Bharat continent, where King Vishnu of Singhapur had a virtuous wife, Vishu.
  • Their son, Nalinagumma's soul, was born as Shreyans, who ruled for 21 lakh years, married several princesses, and then took initiation.
  • The chapter also introduces the stories of Vishakhbhuti and Vishwabhuti, the lives of King Prajapati, Tripristha and Achala (Baladeva), Hayagriva (Prativishnu), and Swayambhuva.
  • The narrative details Hayagriva's defeat by Tripristha (Vasudeva), the subsequent rise of Tripristha to power, and his achievements as an Ardha-Chakravarti.
  • The text highlights the diplomatic mission of Chandaverga, Hayagriva's envoy, to King Prajapati, and the subsequent conflict and resolution involving Tripristha and Achala.
  • The defeat of the lion by Tripristha and the subsequent events leading to Hayagriva's death are described.
  • The story then moves to the Vidyadhara king Jwalanjati, his daughter Swayambhuva, and the events leading to Swayambhuva's marriage to Tripristha.
  • It details the conflict between Hayagriva and Tripristha, culminating in the defeat and death of Hayagriva, and the subsequent recognition of Tripristha as a significant figure.

• Second Sarga (Chapter 2): Charitra of Vasupujya:

  • Starts with the life of King Padmottara in Videha region, who also renounced his kingdom and became a monk.
  • The focus then shifts to Jambu continent, Bharat continent, where King Vasupujya of Champapur had a virtuous wife, Jaya.
  • Their son, Padmottara's soul, was born as Vasupujya, who received 14 great dreams indicating his future status.
  • Vasupujya ruled for 18 lakh years, renounced the world, and achieved liberation.
  • The chapter also includes the story of King Vindhyashakti and his conflict with King Parvat, leading to the birth of Taraka as Prativishnu.
  • It describes the lives of King Vijaya (Baladeva) and King Dwipristha (Vasudeva) and their roles in defeating Taraka.

• Third Sarga (Chapter 3): Charitra of Vimalanatha:

  • Begins with the life of King Padmasena in Videha region, who became a monk.
  • The narrative then shifts to Jambu continent, Bharat continent, where King Kritavarma of Kampilya had a virtuous wife, Shyama.
  • Their son, Padmasena's soul, was born as Vimalanatha, who ruled for 30 lakh years, took initiation, and attained liberation.
  • The chapter includes stories of King Nandisumitra and Dhananmitra, Merak (Prativishnu), Bhadra and Swayambhu (Baladeva and Vasudeva), and their respective achievements.
  • It details the conflict between Merak and Swayambhu, leading to Merak's downfall.

• Fourth Sarga (Chapter 4): Charitra of Anantanatha:

  • Starts with the life of King Dvisantapa in Videha region, who became a monk.
  • The focus shifts to Jambu continent, Bharat continent, where King Simhasena of Ayodhya had a virtuous wife, Suyasha.
  • Their son, Dvisantapa's soul, was born as Anantanatha, who ruled for 21.5 lakh years, took initiation, and attained liberation.
  • The chapter introduces the lives of King Padmaratha, Anantanatha's birth signs, the stories of Madhu and Kaitabha (Prativishnu), Suprabha and Purushottama (Baladeva and Vasudeva), Narada's dialogue with Madhu, and Madhu's defeat.

• Fifth Sarga (Chapter 5): Charitra of Dharmanatha:

  • Begins with the life of King Dridharatha in Videha region, who became a monk.
  • The narrative shifts to Jambu continent, Bharat continent, where King Bhanu of Ratnapur had a virtuous wife, Suvrata.
  • Their son, Dridharatha's soul, was born as Dharmanatha, who ruled for 5 lakh years, took initiation, and attained liberation.
  • The chapter includes stories of King Sumitra and Dhanmitra, Nishumbha (Prativishnu), and Dharmanatha's teachings.

• Sixth Sarga (Chapter 6): Charitra of Meghavahana Chakravarti:

  • Narrates the birth of Meghavahana Chakravarti, his conquests (digvijaya), and his renunciation (diksha).

• Seventh Sarga (Chapter 7): Charitra of Sanatkumara Chakravarti:

  • Describes the life of King Vikramayasha, his pursuit of a courtesan, and the subsequent tragic events.
  • The story of Prince Sanatkumara, his immense wealth and power, his marriage to the 108 daughters of Vidyadhara king Bhanuvega, and his eventual renunciation and attainment of liberation are detailed.
  • The narrative also includes the philosophical teachings of the text, emphasizing the importance of detachment, spiritual knowledge, and the path to liberation.

Fifth Parva: Covering the life of Shantinatha and his previous lives.

• First Sarga (Chapter 1): Charitra of Shantinatha:

  • Starts with the life of King Shreyas in Videha region, who became a monk.
  • The narrative shifts to Jambu continent, Bharat continent, where King Shreyas of Pratishthanapura had a virtuous wife, Subhadra.
  • Shreyas's soul was born as Shreyansanatha, who ruled for 21 lakh years, took initiation, and attained liberation.
  • The chapter also includes the stories of King Satyarama and Kapila, Madanamanchari and Arkakirti, Shri Vijaya, Vipraputra Shikha, and Ashanighosha, and their previous births.

• Second Sarga (Chapter 2): Charitra of Shantinatha (continued):

  • Focuses on the lives of Aparajita and Anantaviry, their deeds, and the previous life of Kanakashri.
  • It describes the lineage and the battles involving these characters.

• Third Sarga (Chapter 3): Charitra of Shantinatha (continued):

  • Narrates the life of King Kshemakara, Vajrayudha, Surekha and Pavana, and Kanakashakti.
  • It details Vajrayudha and Sahasrayudha's renunciation.

• Fourth Sarga (Chapter 4): Charitra of Shantinatha (continued):

  • Describes the lives of King Megharatha and Dridharatha, the story of Ghnaratha and the fighting cocks, Abhayaghosh, and the origin of Tamrachula.
  • It also includes the story of Simharatha and Megharatha's protection of the pigeon, and the previous birth of the pigeon.
  • Megharatha's renunciation is detailed.

• Fifth Sarga (Chapter 5): Charitra of Shantinatha:

  • Focuses on the birth, life, and renunciation of Shantinatha.
  • It includes the story of King Kuruchandra and the previous lives of Vasantadeva and others.
  • The narrative concludes with Shantinatha's liberation.

Key Themes and Importance:

The Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Charitra is a foundational text in Jainism, detailing the lives of the 63 "Shalaka Purushas" – the 24 Tirthankaras, the 12 Chakravartis, the 9 Vasudevas, the 9 Baladevas, and the 9 Prativashudevas. This prose abridgement makes these heroic and spiritually significant lives accessible. The narratives often highlight:

• The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (Samsara): The lives of these great beings often span vast periods and numerous lifetimes, illustrating the consequences of karma.
• The pursuit of spiritual liberation (Moksha): Many characters, even after achieving worldly power and success, ultimately renounce it to pursue spiritual discipline and achieve liberation.
• The impact of karma: Actions in past lives significantly influence present circumstances and future destinies.
• The principles of Jain ethics: The stories often embody virtues like non-violence (ahimsa), truthfulness (satya), non-possession (aparigraha), celibacy (brahmacharya), and non-attachment (vairagya).
• The divine and human aspects: The text seamlessly blends the divine attributes and miracles associated with these figures with their human experiences, struggles, and choices.

This volume serves as a valuable resource for understanding the core narratives and teachings of Jainism in a more digestible format.