Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Lilavatisara (Līlāvatīsāra)

The Epitome of Queen Līlāvatī

Jinaratna's Sanskrit verse epitome of Jineśvarasūri's lost Prakrit Nirvāṇalīlāvatīkathā, a Jaina religious romance of karma through many births.

Date
1285 CE
Author
Jinaratna
Place
Gujarāta
Extent
511 passages, 76,558 words
Text
complete digital text
Source
archiveorg · Lilavati Sara By Jina Ratna Harivallabh Bhayani, Narayan Kamsar M. L. D. Institute Of Indology; ed.… · Scan of a printed edition hosted by the Internet Archive (archive.org); the ancient text is in the public…; jainqq · Lilavati Sara, by H C Bhayani, N M Kansara, L D Indology Ahmedabad 1983 (Jain eLibrary no. 002651) · Jain eLibrary (jainelibrary.org / Jain Quantum, jainqq.org): scanned books and their extracted text are…

Contents

Text

p1

JINARATNA'S
LĪLĀVATI-SĀRA
LILAVATI-SARA
A SANSKRIT ABRIDGEMENT OF JINEŚVARA-SURI'S PRAKRIT LILĀVAI-KAHĀ
L. D. SERIES 96
EDITED BY H. C. BHAYANI
GENERAL EDITORS DALSUKH MALVANIA NAGIN J. SHAH
WITH ASSISTANCE FROM N. M. KANSARA
&
L. D. INSTITUTE OF INDOLOGY AHMEDABAD 9
Jan
wwwnary.org
NETTE
er
one

p2

THE CONTRAS
ahamadābāda
JINARATNA'S
LILAVATI SARA
A SANSKRIT ABRIDGEMENT OF JINESVARA-SŪRI'S PRAKRIT LILĀVAI-KAHĀ
L. D. SERIES 96
GENERAL EDITORS
DALSUKH MALVANIA NAGIN J. SHAH
-

EDITED BY
H. C. BHAYANI
WITH ASSISTANCE FROM N. M. KANSARA
L. D. INSTITUTE OF INDOLOGY AHMEDABAD 9

p3

Printed by (1) Text : Shivlal Jesalpura
Svati Printing Press Shahpur, Ahmedabad.
(2) Introduction : Pitambar J. Mishra.
Tirhut Printers 2 Bhagyalaxmi Society Ranip, Ahmedalad-5
(3) Index etc. : Aditya Mudranalaya
Abmedabad
Published by Nagin J. Shah Acting Director L. D. Institute of Indology Ahmedabad 380009
FIRST EDITION
November 1983

p4

jinaratnasūriviracitaḥ
līlāvatī-sāraḥ
jineśvaramarikṛta-prākṛtabhāṣā-nibaddha-līlāvaī-kahā ityasya lupta-kathāgranthasya saṃkṣeparūpaḥ
saṃpādaka harivallabha cū. bhāyāṇī
sahāyaka nārāyaṇa ma. kaṃsārā
tatāyama
bhāimārata
palapalaka
prakāśaka lālabhāī dalapatabhāī bhāratīya saṃskṛti vidyāmaṃdira . ahamadābāda-9
dhāmaśi
maṭānā

p6

FOREWORD
The L.D. Institute of Indology has great pleasure in publishing the hitherto unpublished Sanskrit story-work Lilavati-såra by Jinaratnasūri, who completed it in 1285 A.D. This work is an abridged version of the Prakrit mabākatha entitled Nivvāna-hlavai of Jinesvarasűri (990-1052 A. D.), a disciple of Vardbamāpasūri. The Niyvānahlával is lost to us.
The L. D. Iostitute of Indology is most grateful to Dr. H.C. Bhayani for undertaking the editing of this interesting work. He has written an extensive learned introduction for this edition. He has spared DO pains to make the text as flawless as possible and to discuss important topics in the introduction Our thaoks are also due to Dr N.M. Kansara for assisting the learned editor.
work'will be of considerable interest and value of the audents and schon
It is hoped that the publication of this important Sanskrit narrative work will be of considerable interest and value to the students and scholars of Sanskrit literature.
L.D. Institute of bodology, Ahmedabad-380 009 1st October 1983.
Nagin J. Shaha Acting Director

p7

(PRE LA O E)
I was way back in 1969 that we acquired, the photocopy of the Lilavatı -sára from the Raj isthani Oriental Research listitute, Jodhpur, with
View to edit it for the insiitutu's Research Series. Because of several other works on hand, they editing work could not be started for a few Jews, It was in 1972 that we began to prepare the press copy of the text, and working intermittently, we could complete it by the beginning of 1975. Birther work on the Lilavati sāra was held up because other pressing Hockenervened Arrangements were made at that time to publish the work in the cap. Researoh Series. The printing 06 the text was completed bv 1980, but the work on the introduction etc.) could not be taken up till 1982. We feel greatly relieved by being able at long last to complete an unduly prolong d task. There is also some satisfaction that in this way we could accomplish something that late Muni Jinavijayaji would have wished, because the Litāvart-såra was also in the list of important work, há wanted eventually to get edited and published.
There remains for us the very pleasant duty of expressing our sense of gratitude towards the individuals and institutions that have been helpful to us in one way or another in the present undertaking.
$1 Rajasiban Oriental Research Institute Bindly loaded the photostat and gave penatission to publish the work. L.D. Institute of Indology not only accepted the work for publication in its distinguished: Series, but also generously extended the time-limit for completing the work. Pandit Dilsukh Malvania and Dr. Nagin Shah have provided all requisite fecility for g tting the work properly printed and published. Swati printing press. Aditva Mudranlaya and Tirhut Printers have given all necessary co-operation in the printing of the work. We express our sincere thanks to all of them.
Our special thanks are due to Dr N.M. Kansara, who gave his valuable assietance in transcribing the text from the photo-copy, in settling the interpretation of a few doubtful passages, and in preparing the summary of the work.
Following Jinaratoa, we hope that by this publication
sukhāt kathāsudhāsvādaḥ pāṭhakānāṃ vidhāsyate |
H. C. Bhayani

p8

General Editor's Foreword
Preface
Introduction
1. The Manuscript
2. Jineśvarasūri, the author of the
Nivvāna-Lilāvar
3. Nivvāna-Lilavar-kaha
4. Jinaratna-suri, the author of the Lilavati-sära
5. Summary of the Lilāvati-sāra 6. Sources of the Nivvāna-Lilāvar
CONTENTS
7. Style and literary qualities
8. Linguistic Peculiarities
Text of the Lilavati-sāra
utsāha
1. siṃha - mahārāja - janma-rājyābhiṣeka-dharma parīkṣā - samarasena - sūri-samāgamana - vyāvarṇanam 2. rāmadeva kumāra- krodha-hiṃsā kuṭumbācāra vistāra vyāvarṇanam
ātmasaṃśaye devyavadhīraṇāyāṃ subuddhi-mantri - kathito dṛṣṭāntaḥ 3. māna- mṛṣāvāda dvandva-svarūpa vyāvarṇanama
viparīta devānukūlane sāgaradatta śreṣṭhi-kathito dṛṣṭāntaḥ 4. dambha - caurikā yugma - byāvarṇanam
5. mohābrahma- dvandva - vipākam vyāvarṇanam
6. lobha - parigraha • śrī - mithuna svarūpa vyāvarṇanam

hīne'nītimatyapi uttamasya nītipālane nayasāra - nṛpa kathito dṛṣṭānta: lakṣmyā anācāra saṃsarga-niyame durgāditya - mahājana kathitaḥ dṛṣṭāntaḥ devadinna kathitaṃ samyaktva - mithyātya nṛpa - kathānakam
7. sparśanendriya-vipāka - vyāvarṇanam
8. rasanendriya-vipāka vyāvarṇanam
9. ghrāṇendriya-vipāka vyāvarṇanam
10. cakṣurindriya-vipāka-vyāvarṇanam
adhamottama saṅgatyorvipāka-pradarśakaṃ vasumitra kathitaṃ kathānakam
Page number
ghanavāhana - nṛpānuśāsanāya matiśekhara - mantri - kathitamākhyānakam

V
vi
1-56
1
1
2
37
4-49
49
52
57
1-104
1
26
41
49
51
71
76
77
88
102
129
148
169
193
208

p9

11. śravaṇendriya-vipāka - vyāvarṇanam
12. vijayasenādi - mahāpuruṣa - pañcaka-vrata - grahaṇa - maharṣi - daśaka -svargamana-jayaśāsana- jīva- samarasena- vrata grahaṇācārya-pada-sthāpana - vyāvarṇanam 13. rāmadeva - maharṣi - jītra - vimalasena - kumāra- pratibodha-vyāvarṇanam 14. purandara śreṣṭha - jīva-murandhara - kumārasya ca dīkṣā mahotsava vyāvarṇanam
sulakṣaṇa - rājaputra-jīva - kusumaśekhara- kumārasya
15. kanakaratha - kumāra - jīva- śrī - kulamṛgāṅka - kumāra- dīkṣā vyāvarṇanam 16. vairisiṃha - rājaputra - jīva- suṣeṇa - kumāra- dīkṣā- vyāvarṇanam 17. siṃha - mahārāja - dīkṣā-sūri-pada- vyāvarṇanam
18. samarasena - sūri - vimalasena - maharṣi - nirvāṇa - vyāvarṇanam
19. surandhara - kusumaśekhara- mahāmuni - nirvāṇa - vyāvarṇanam
20. kulamṛgāṅka - suṣeṇa mahāmuni - nirvāṇa-vyāvarṇanam
21. siṃha- sūri- padmakeśara - rājarṣi - līlāvatī surasundarī - ramaṇamatī - kārtavīrya -sadguru- kevala
jñāna- nirvāṇa - vyāvarṇanam
granthakāra - praśastiḥ
Lexicographically important words and expressions with meanings, notes etc. Corrigenda

239
279
311
319 -
360
370
377
381
385
389

p10

1. The Manuscript
The present edition of the Lilavatı-sāra (LS.) of Jinaratna-sūri is based on the photo-copy of the paper MS. (the only Ms. of the work known so far) belonging to the Mss. Collection of the Kharatara Gaccha Bhandar at Jesalmer.1 The original Ms. has 267 folios, each having about eight lines per side with an average of 44 to 46 letters per line. The photo-copy belongs to the Rajasthan Pracya Vidya Pratisthan of Jodhpur. It bears the Collection nos. 112 and 124. The first and last folios of the original Ms. being somewhat damaged, some letters in the portions covered by the first 19 verses and the last 10 verses are either missing or illegible. For the rest the Ms. is in very good condition. It has been carefully copied. The copying mistakes are very few. The Ms. from which our Ms. was copied seems to have preserved the original text quite faithfully. There are very few places where we have somo doubt or uncertainty about the text.
Jiparatna's Lilavati-sära, completed in 1285 A.D., is a Sanskrit abridgement of Jinesvara-sūri's Nirvāna-lilāvai-kahā (sk. Nirvāna-lilāvati-katha) (NL.) in Prakrit. So firstly we present a short account of Jineśvara-sûri and NL. This will bo followed by an account of Jinaratna-sūri and the Lilāvati-sära
Jinesvara-sūri, the author of the Nivväņa-lilāvai
Jipeśvara-sūri was born in a Brahman family of Madhyadeśa in c. 990 A.D. After completing his education he and his younger brother went to Dhärā in Mālava and became disciples of the Jain Acārya Vardhamāna-sūri. After some time Jineśvara and his brother Buddhisāgara went to Anahilla, pura in Gujarat. There the Jain monks used to stay in temples and as such came to be called Cait yavāsin. This practice caused considerable lowering of the norms of monastic conduct. Jineśvara-sūri successfully carried out a reform in this way of monastic life and became the founder of Vasati vāsa i.e the practice of staying in special residences set up by laymen for
1. For the description of the Ms. see The catalogue of Sanskrit and
Prakrit Manuscripts-Jesalmer Collection compiled by Muni Shri Punya. vijayaji (L.D. Sesies No. 36, 1972), p. 151, entry no 151.

p11

the Jaia monks. Jineśvera-sūri had numerous learned and distinguished disciples like Abhayadeva, Jinacandra, Jinabhadra, Haribhadra etc. For propagating bis reform of the Jain church, he frequently moved through various parts of Gujarat, Malva, Mewar and Marwar. Because of his reformist movement and scholarship Jineśvara-sūri has been honoured by his disciples and grand-disciples as a Yuga-pradhānācārya i.e. leading light and teacher of his age. 2
Jineśvara's chief works are as follows : (1) Comnentary on Haribhadra's Asțaka-prakaraña (composed in 1024
A. D. at Jābālipura i. e, modern Jhalor ). (2) Prama-lakṣma (composed sometime after 1024 A.D.). (3) Nivvāna-Liläval-Kaha (composed at Āśäpallı in 1036 A.D.) (Pk.). (4) Commentary on Ceiyavandana (composed at Jābālipura in 1040 A.D.). (5) Şat-sthanaka-prakarana (Pk.). (6) Pañcaliñgi prakaraña (Pk). (7) Kahānaya-kosa (also called Kathd-kośa-prakarana) (composed at Dinda
vāņaka in Marwar in 1052 A. D.) Jineśvara-sūri passed away sometime between 1054 and 1064 A. D.
3. Nivvāņa-Lilāvai-kabā No Ms. of this work is reported from any of the Jain Bhandaras and other Mss. collections. So the work sens to be lost Traditionally it is said to have the extent of 18000 granthägras (each one having a measurs of 32 syllables). and composid in Prakit Gathās. Jinesvarā's disciple Jinabhadra-süri has given at the end of his Surasundari-cariya (completed in 1039 A. D.) a short appreciation of the NL. as follows: Its diction is exceedingly beautiful, soft and lucid. It has harmonious sound texture. It employs a variety of figures of speech including paranomasia. All constituents of its structure are attractive and pleasing. Jiparatna-sūri too has called it in his present abridgement a grand narrative (mahakathă), marked by elaborate descriptions, distinguished by its quality of sweetness, a veritable ocean of fresh aesthestic emotions (apūrva-rasambudhi), and so rieb as to be beyond the grasp of ordinary persons.
Sumatiganin in his commentary on the Ganadhara-Sardha-gataka (completed in 1239 A.D.) has described NL, as fully satisfying the expectations of the learned, and conducive to renunciation. 2. For an authentic, systematic and detailed account of Jinesvara-sūri's
age, life, works and achievements along with tbe description and eval. uation of the sources for the same see Jinavijaya Muni, Kathakosa. prakarana (Singhi Jain Series, no. II, 1949), Iotroduction, pp. 2–72. The information summarized here is based on that study.

p12

Jinaratna-suri, the author of the Lilāvati-sära
In the third line of the 13th verse of the Granthakāra-prasasti given at the end of the LS., there is a lacura in the MS. at the very place where the author's name has been given. But on the basis of the label on the wrapper of the Jesalmer Ms., and the mention by means of the figure Mudrālankāra based on paranomasia (ślesa) appearing in the last line of LS. 19. 59, it has been rightly understood that Jinaratna-sūri was the author of LS.
In the Prasasti, Jinaratna has given details about his gurx-parampard, his teachers and the composition of LS. He begins the guru-parampard with Vardhamana-sūri, whose disciple Jincśvara-sūri was highly respected by Durlabharāja, the (Caulukya) king of Gurjaratrā (Gujarat). Jinesvara had composed works on religious conduct and logic, had written commen taries on the Astaka etc. and was the author of the Campū kathả called Liliāvatī. His disciple Jinacandra-sūri was the author of Sarievega-ranga-sala. The latter's disciple was Abhayadeva-sûri, who had written commentarios on nine Angas of the Jain canon. Abhayadeva-sūri was followed by his disciple Jinavallabha-suri, who had written many excellent works. The latteņu disciple was Jinadatta-sūri, who was honoured by many kings. Jinadatta-sūri's disciple was Jinacandra-süri who defeated many opponents in religious debates. The latter's diciple was Jinapati-sūri, who was followed by Jineśvara-sūri. Jineśvara-sūri did much to strengthen the Vidhi-mārga and had numerous disciples. He was followed by Jinaprabodha-sūri, who was at the time of the completion of LS. the chief Acārya of the Vidhi Gaccha. Jinaratna was one of the disciples of Jinesvara-sūri.
Jinaratna learnt literature from Sarvadeva-sūri, logic from Vijayadeva-. sūri and the canonical texts from....(There is a lacuna here in the Ms.)
The Lilavati was composed by Jipeśvara-sūri in 1092 y. S. and its abridgement was prepared by Jinaratna in 1341 V. S. Jinaratna collaborated with Lakşmitilaka in writing Pratyekabuddhacaritas... and his elder brother (?) collaborated with hira in preparing this abridgement of the Lilavati, which was completed at Jäbälipura (modern Jhalor in Rajasthan) in the month of Mārgaśırsa in Puşya Yoga. Its extant is 5350 Granthāgras. Jinaprabodha-sūri, Rajakirtiganin and Saumyamurti.
3. This is confirmed by the poct. As noted by M.D. Desbai (under para 588, p. 410 of his Jain Sahitya-no Samkşipta Itihas, 1933), the Pratyekabuddhacarita has in the last verse of cvery of its Sargas the word iina-laksmi by way of Mudrälankāra. The poem was completed in 1255 A.D.

p13

ganin helped the author in correcting the text. Saumyamurti-ganin, who was expert in metrics, grammar, logic, rhetorics and literature, and who had considerable experience in correcting literary compositions helped the author, along with...ganin, in preparing the first copy of the text.
In his prefatory remarks given in the beginning of the first Utsäha of LS. Jinaratna has paid homage to Jinavallabha-suri, and to his Guru Jinesvara-sūri. He has also clarified his purpose and aim in preparing the abridgement of NL. There were people who were interested just in the story or the narrative proper. So for them he has dropped all the poetic descriptions and embellishments found in the original. In such a type of undertaking he has been guided by earlier precedents like the abridgement of Dhanapala's Tilakamañjart. He has appropriately described his work as an itivṛttoḍdhära of the mahakatha Nirvana-Lilavati.
2. SUMMARY OF THE LILAVATI-SARA
Canto 1
Birth Of King Simba, His Coronation, Religious Debate and Arrival of
Samarasena-Suri
The first canto begins with the auspicious the auspicious salutations to Ṛsabha, Vardhamana, the intervening twenty-two Tirthankaras, Sudharmasvamin, Jinavallabha-sü'i and Jinesvara-süri, Praise and importance of the Nirvana. Ilavat (Vss. 1-10). Purpose of preparing the Lilavat-sāra. Its characteristics (11-17). The central characters of the story are King Vijayasena, merchant Purandara, minister Jayasasana, the royal priest Süra and the caravan-leader Dhana. The central event of the story is that all these listened to the stories of Ramadeva and others from, and consequently got initiated in the Jain Order at the hands of, Sudharmasvamin, and ultimately all of them attained deliverance after several births during which they had been born as king Simha and others (18-19).

King Jayadharma of Rajagṛha was a Jaina by religious faith (20-26). His queen Padmavati saw a woman breast-feeding her child (27-32), This aroused in her the painful consciousness of her childlessness (33-39). The king came to know of this plight of his queen and consulted the experts, one of whom suggested to them to propitiate the Yaksa who was the protector of the Jain Order. The royal couple started performances of worship (40-46). Shortly a god from heaven descended into the womb of the queen.

p14

She saw in her dream a lion entering her mouth (47-48). This indicated to them the birth of a son in near future (49-53). In the third month of her pregnancy the queen desired to worship Tirthankaras, give alms to monks, save animals from slaughter etc. The king fulfilled these desires (54-58). A son was born in due course and the occasion was celebrated (59-68).
The prince was named Simha, and he grew up in the company of the children of the feudatories (69-88). When he was eight years old, he entrusted to the care of a teacher from whom he learnt all the arts and crafts (89-102). The prince attained youth (103-117), fell in love with, and was married to, Lilavat, a daughter of the feudatory named Arimardana (118-159). He was appointed heir-apparent. His enjoyments and pastimes in the company of Lilavatı (159-176).
Once in the early morning King Jayadharma thought of handing over the reigns of the kingdom to the prince. He crowned the prince as his successor and gave him advice about the statecraft and general policy(177-197). King Simba then ruled the kingdom benevolently (198-210). Once Jayadharma suddenly fell ill, said a few words of parting advice to his son Simha and queen Padmavati, and died (211-231). After some time Lilavat gave birth to a son who was named Padmakesara, and who was in due course married to princess Padmasrt (232-237).
Once king Simba heard three auspicious verses being sung by an invisible morning bard, who could not be traced (238-245). The king took it as a diviae favour and a friend!y hint, and consequently called a conference of scholars of all faiths, to determine the essence of true religion (246-248). A follower of Cärväka first propounded his tenets (249-255). But the king was not satisfied. Another scholar named Jinadatta, who was a follower of Jainism, forcefully refuted the Cärväka view and propounded the tenets of Jainism (256-269) King Simha was satisfied and waned to know about the teacher of Jinadatta (270-274). The latter gave a brief description of the way of life of his religious preceptor Samarasena-süri, The king was anxious to see the preceptor (275-285). After a few days, Samarasena-sūri arrived in the city. The King went to see him, paid his respects, asked him the cause of his renunciation at quite young age and requested him to enlighten him (285-308). The preceptor narrated his life-story as follows (309-311).
Canto 2
Story Of Prince Ramadeva and the Consequences of Anger. Violence etc, King Vijayasena, who ruled in Kausambi, had a queen named Kamalavati, and four friends viz. Jayaśāsana, the minister, Süra, the royal

p15

priest, Purandara, a mercaant and Dhana, a caravan-leader. All of them enjoyed confidence and favour of the king (1-16).
Once a Jain preceptor, named Sudharman, arrived in the city and the king went to pay his respects to him, accompanied by his queen, the four friends and the retinue (17-30) Sudharman delivered a religious discourse in which he emphasized particularly the evil consequences of the Kaşayas, viz., Krodha, Māna, Kaitava, Moha and Lobha, which respectie vely generate Himsā (violence), Mrşā-bhaạiti (untruth) Caurika (theft), Abrahma-s?ngati (lust for sensual enjoyments) and Parigraha (possessi. veness) King Vijayasena requested Sudbarman to elaborate the point further with illustrations from actual life. The preceptor thereupon pointed out a wound:d man seated to the north of the King in the assembly, and described as follows the misdeeds commitied by him in his former birihs under the influence of anger and violence (31-49),
The story of Agniśarman (50-130) There lived in the city of Kāñcangpura, a poor Brahmin named Agnisarman. His paren's ard relatives died in his early age. He was reared up by his father's friend Sivaśarman, who also gave him his daughter Soma in marriage. Agniśarman had a number of children, but he was unlucky and depended for maintenance on his father-in-law, whom, however, he always despised. Once Vişnumitra, the maternal uncle of Somā, tried to advise him not to speak ill of Sivašarman who had supported him all through his life. But being irritable and a victim of fits of bad temper, Agniśarman quarrelled with him for this. At that stage Candasorna, the maternal uncle of Agnisarman, and Gangādhara, a friend of Agnisarman, tried to intervene. But mad with rage, Agnisarman slapped Gangadhara, and went home. His wife Somā scolded him for the incident, At this he angrily left his home, lodged a complaint with the court against Vişnumitra and threw himself in a bush of thorns to commit suicide if justice was not done to him. The court summoned Vişnumitra and found him not guilty. At this Agnisarman charged the court of parti. ality and tried to commit suicide. The court wanted to punish him, but Vişnumitra appealed to the court to show mercy.
Agniśarman returned home, where his father-in-law tried to pacify him with sweet words of advice. At this Agnisarman lost his temper aud killed him. He was arrested and produced before the kiog. Somā came There with her children and petitioned for mercy for the culprit. After his release Somā tried to point out to Agnjśarman the evil consequences of his bad temper and requested him to control himself. At this he got

p16

wild and killed her. The neighbours beat him up mercilessly for this outrage and forced him to leave the city. He returned at night and set the city on fire to take revenge on the citizens. Eventually he was identified as the criminal, was traced and executed by the King's order. Subsequently he suffered for a long time in hell and was reborn in the city of Campā, as a very ugly daughter named Rannadi to a poor Brahmin Somadeva and his wife Somadı.
The Story of Rannaời (131-160)
As Rannadı was a repository of bad qualities, none would marry her. At last Somadeva gave her in marriage to a poor and ugly Brahmin Candāditya who as a vagabond happened to come to the city. On the very first night of their marriage, when Candāditya offered to give her anything she wished, Rannadi insulted him as a worthless creature and a bluffer, and in spite of his attempts to plaeate her, she spurned him and asked him to get out from the bed. Candāditya lost temper, hit her on her head with a door-bolt and fled from the city. Thus the soul of Somā, reborn as Cand. āditya, took revenge on that of Agnisarman, reborn as Rannadi.
Rannaqi's wound did not heal inspite of treatment, and she suffered much. Once she happened to see some Jain nuns, whom she invited and requested for religious instruction. The nuns initiated her in the Jain Order. Shortly Rannadı died and, due to the merit she earned by renunciation, her soul was reborn as a son to King Padma and Queen Priyañgulată.
The Story of Rāmadeva (161-281)
As the prince was born to ibis royal couple due to the favour of their family-deity Rāmādevi, he was named Rāmadeva. When in due course he was entrusted to the care of a teacher for proper education, his innate vices of anger and violence manifested. Consequently, he would get angry even without provocation, would not study himself, nor would allow others to study, would pick up quarrels with co-students and beat them up. Once when the teacher tried to gently restrain him, he slapped him too. The teacher, thereupon neglected the boy, who then became an uncon. trolled vagiband. The king came to know about the character of the prince, who passed his time in gambling He was married to a number of princesses, and was allotted a separate palace. But he harassed people, mocked at the ministers, insulted the feudal chieftains and offended one and all. Everybody was fed up with him, bu even the king would not dare to restrain him lest the feelings of the queen would be hurt.

p17

Once he hit the chief minister Buddhisāgara in the eye. The minister conferred with the feudal chieftains as to how to check the prince. One of the ministers named Sabuddhi reported the matter to the king and adviced him to act immediately and imprison the prince, disregarding the queea's sentiments. And in support of his advice he narrated the following illustrative story.
The sub-story of a King and his obstinate queen (199-220)
A king went for hunting. While he was resting under a bunyan tree on the shore of a lake, he saw a girl from the nether world come out of the lake, assume the form of a female serpent, and indulge in sexual act with a male serpent, who came out from the hollow of a trec. Enraged at this misbehaviour in his presence, the king lashed them. The serpents separated and disappeared. The king returned to the city and rested with his queen. Meanwhile the serpent girl complained to her husband, alleging that the king lashed her for spurning his approaches. The serpeat god was angry and approached the king invisibly to take revenge, but overhearing the true story as it was being narrated by the king to his queen, conferred a boon on the king, which empowered him to understand the language of all the creatures, though with this strict condition that the king would die the moment he revealed to anybody what he heard.
Once when the king was holding the container and the queen was applying cosmetics to her body, a female lizard asked her mate to fetch her some cosmetics from the dish. But the mate refused saying he would be killed. The dialogue was repeated, and the king who listened and understood, laughed. When the queen inquired why he laughed, the king pleaded not to press him to tell it, because it imvolved risk to his life. But she obstinately persisted In order not to displease her, the king got prepared a funeral pyre outside the city and started giving alms to the poor on the way. At that time a female goat asked her mate to fetch
creeper from the brink of a deep well. The male expressed his inaility to favour her in the matter. The female was displeased. The male
her he was not a fool like the king, who was out to die just for a queen, although he could easily get another one. Listening to this, the hing took the hint and reversed his decision to sastisfy the idle curiosity of the queen. (The illusirative siory ends).
(The story of Rāmadeva resumed)
On the advice of one of the ministers, the king decided to put the

p18

primce and the queen under arrest. But Ramadeva came to know of this through a doorkeeper, and out of rage he killed both the minister and the king as also the queen, when she scolded him for these dastardly acts. He usurped the throne for himself. His co-parceners and feudatories made an alliance and attacked him. In the battle that followed, his forces were routed and he had to flee. Having roamed in various countries he had at last arrived there (i. e. in Sudharman's relious assembly).
Sudharman identified Rāmadeva for the audience. Rāmadeva swooned due to coused memories of past births. He coroborated the facts of the preceptor's narrative, bowed down to him and requested him for initiation in the Jain Order. The request was accepted. Vijayasepa treated Rāmadeva as his honoured guest till the day of his initiation.
Canto 3
The Nature of Pride and Falsehood
Next day in reply to the request of the king, Sudbarman pointed out the consequences of pride and falsehood. A conceited person disregards, insults,mocks at, gets jealous of, and runs down others. Consequently he suffers much here and in bell. Reborn in lowly families he suffers, commits many crimes, and deprived of everything, he wanders here and there like Sulakşaņa piesent there in the assembly. The preceptor pointed him out and narrated the following account (1-20).
The Story of Vasundhara (21-117)
In Vasantapura, ruled by king Siddhartha and queen Kamalāva'i, there was a merchant named Sāgaradatta, to whose wife Śri, a son was born. The astrologer predicted that the son would cause the downfall of the family when he became five years old, and there was no remedy to prevent that calamity. At this Sāgaradatta narrated a story illustrating how intellegence can connteract ill-luck. (The Sub-story of Buddhisāgara and the Astrologer's Prediction) (33-64)
An astrologer once predicted, in the presence of king Jitaśatru that a fatal calamity would overtake the family of his trusted minister Buddhisāgara within a fortnight. The king could not believe this and asked the astrolo. ger to leave forthwith. The minister gathered secretly from the astrologer that the cause of the doom would be his son, Subuddhi. The minister there. upon shut his cooperative sor. in a wooden box with provisions of food and drink, fastened it with iron straps and cigát locks and took the box 1-2

p19

Lilāvsti-sära
to the king with a request to keep it under his charge for a fortnight as it contained his all. The king put it under heavy guard. The minister spent his days in religious meditation. On the thirteenth day there was a great commotion in the royal palace due to the complaint by the princess Ratnāvalı that the minister's son Subuddhi had cut her braid. The king was all wrath and rushed his soldiers to arrest Buddhisāgasa. The latter requested the king through a friend to give him an audience, since the wealth of the minister was already in the king's possession. The king consented. The minister requested him to open the box which was kept under the royal protection. When the box was opened everybody saw in it Subuddhi with an unsheathed sword and a lock of hair in hand. Everybody was wonderstruck. One of the ministers suspected a lapse on the part of the guards, but they denied it firmly. Buddhisagara explained how he planned to counteract the predicted ill luck. The king rewarded him. (The sno-story ends here).
(The story of Vasundbara resumed)
Then Sägaradatta performed the necessary rites as suggested by the astrologer, and the son was named Vasundhara on the twelth day.
After some time, during a famine, the whole family except Vasundhara was killed in an epidemic of small-pox. Vasundhara could get out of the house through a hole made by the dogs to enter the house to get at the corpses. By the time Vasundhara was five years of age, the famine ended. When he came of age he left in the company of some earavaneers and reached the city of Kșitipratistha, where he posed as a great ascetic. Through vanity and jealousy once Vasundhara plotted to defame the Jain monk Suvratācārya with the help of hired harlots, but on investigation the king found the monk innocent. At night the presiding goddess of the Jaina Order enticed Vasundhara idto sexual union with her. She assumed during the act the form of a bitch and thus got him stuek up in the obscene posture. Thus exposed, he was publicly censured. Believing this to be a plot of the Jaina monks, he set their residence on fire. He was arrested and oredered to be executed. He died on the stake and was consigned to hell for some time.
.
The Story of Yasomati (118-182)
The soul of Vasundhara was reborn as a girl named Yasomati to Rädhā, the wife of Yajñadatta, who was a learned Brahmia in a village called Gorvara. She was married quite young to Somadeva who

p20

fotroduction
died the very next day after the marriage. The wailing girl was somehow consoled by the parents who advised her to lead a chaste and austere life. Being vain of her chastity she insulted the wives of her brothers. As she entered youth, she was overpowered with sexual passion and indulged in unnatural means to satisfy it.
Once, some Jaina nuos arrived in the village. Due to the latent tendencies of kar past birth, vanity and untruthfulness manitested in Yasomali. She reviled the nuns as being unchaste. Once Yaśomati went to the village pond to bathe. The village headman's son had shortly before washed himself at that spot after making love to a slave-girl. Yasomati, while bathing happened to swallow some of that water, and she conceived She tried abortion ucsucces, fully. Her snelling telly revealed ter condition, subjecting her to the sense of shame, and to the taunts and ensure of the relatives. At last she ran away to a wild forest, wept profusely, atoned for the sin of casting aspersions on Jaina nuns, prayed to the gods to forgive her and tried to hang herself from a tree-branch, She was saved by a nun, who took her to 6 TULOy, locked aftester till ste delivered a dead child and died.
The Story of Sulakşaņa (183-278)
The soul of Yasomati was reborn as a son named Sulaksana to king Yaśahketu and queen Dhāriņi. By the time he was put in charge of the teacher, his innate vices of vanity and untruth began to manliest, and he mocked at the teacher and his wife, harassed their son, and did not learn archery and other arts. When the king asked the prince about his progress, he blamed the teacher as an ignoramus incapable of teaching anything. When the teacher told the king about the prince's insolence and vasity, the prince lost his temper and murderd his teacher there and then. Since he would not allow the corpse to be burnt, it was thrown out of the city. He then became a home of all the vices and became qoite uncontrollable. He estranged ministers and coparceners by frequently insulting them. Thereupon the king planned to appoint the younger son Vatsarāja as heirapparent. Io the archery contest beld at the Svayamvara of the princess of Mathurā, Sulaksana tried to pierce the target, but instead killed a maid of the princess, and became a laughing stock of all. Then Vatsarāja hierced the target successfully and won the princess. Epraged at this, Sulaksana killed Vatsarāja, the princess, and also his parents, who tried to interfere He then usurped the throne, but was overpowered by the feudal chiefs and royal cousins and was compelled to fee. This was how Sulakṣaṇa had arrived in the city and was present in the assembly.

p21

When King Vijayasena asked the preceptor why he illustrated the evil consequences of violence instead of untruth. Suvratācārya clarificd that Ahimsā was the only supreme vow, and the other vows were accessory to it. Untruth etc. ultimately resulted in violence, Sulaksana then repented for his sinful conduct. He took the Jaina Order at the hands of Sudbarman.
Canto 4
The Consequences Of Hypocrisy Coupled With Theft
In response to the request of King Vijayasena and his four friends, Sudharman enumerated the consequences of hypocrisy and theft as follows: A hypocrite deceives everybody and suffers troubles bere and hereafter. He turns into a thief and commits forgery and fraud. He suffers here, and later goes to hell. Then the preceptor pointed out a long-necked, bearded, emaciated, ugly person named Vasudeva sealed in the assembly as an example, and related his account as follows (1-24).
The Story of the Mercbant Dbana (25-209)
In the kingdom of kiog Nayasāra, there was a merchant named Dhana who was given to cheating, deceitful tradirg of adulterated goods, and minting and circulating couitefeit coins. Once the police chief fonnd out that the silver coins he purcbased from Dbana were adulterated. He complanied to the king. The king trapped Dhana, charged him of cheating the royal treasury, imprisoned him and sealed his shop and residence. The merchants feeling that the king was unjust to Dhada approached the minister who advised them to see the king. As they pleaded before the king in Dhana's behalf, the latter called a meeting of their leaders. In the meeting the meruhants justified malpractices in trade as something quite usual and hence to be overlooked. In reply the king narrated the following story.
The Sub-story of the Princess Durlabhikā

King Jitaśatru of Vasantapura had a daughter named Durlabhikā. A weaver's daughter named Dhāyini was her friend. The princess told her that she wished to marry the same person as the latter would marry. Dhāyini was in love with a slave. The three planned to run away secretly. They left their homes one night, But on their way, the princess accidentally heard some one sing a couplet. Its purport was that a noble person should not imitate the bebavious of a lowly person. She realized her folly and, under the pretext of fetching

p22

the ornament box she had forgotten to take with her, she left the company and returned to her residence. Thus the princess was saved, was happily married to an excellent prince and became a qu een. Concluding the story, the king added that in the like manner, a poor man may be dishonest but how can that be justified in the case of rich merchants like Dhana ? (The sub-story ends here).
(The story of the
merchant Dhana resumed)
Thereupon Durgaditya, one of the merchant leaders, following story:
The Sub-story of the Three Sisters and their Three Brothers (83-126)
King Tribhuvana and queen Karmaparinati of the city of Bhuvanodara had three sons named Anācāra. Sanmarga and Däridrya and three daughters named Bharati Laksami and Duhsilată. Once the daughters wanted to go and play far outside the city. The kirg advised them to go together, since it was not proper for the girls to go out alone. At this Bhārati refused to go with Duhsilată, who too confessed of having harassed the former, since she would not give her any scope for play. The king then asked her to go with Laks. But Bharati refused, and the former confessed that she used to harass the latter, since she always found fault with her language The king, then asked Duhsilata to go with Lakṣmt, but the former declined, and the latter confessed of having teased the former since she always played her down as of no importance. The king was upset at this mutual discord among the sisters and asked Bharati to go with any of the brothers. Bharati told the father that since Duḥslată liked Anācāra, and Sanmarga relegated her (i.e. Bharat) to secondary position, she would prefer to go with the third brother Däridrya. Taen the king asked Laksmi to go either with Anacara or with Sanmärga. But she refused to go with either of then since the former thought himself to be her leader instead of a follower, and the latter thought he was superior to her while in fact he had little worth without her. So she would rather go with the maid Nhsükita, with the proviso that brother Anacara may follow step by step and look after her and Duḥstlata from a distance.
Durgaditya thus tried to defend the view that wealth was naturally linked with fraud and unfair practices (The sub-story ends here).
(The story of the merchant Dhana resumed)
At this the king asked the leaders if they agreed or disagreed with Dargaditya's views. Somebody confirmed that the former was the case, at which the king was enraged and put all of them into prison. One of

p23

the narunt leaders cequested the king through the minister Buddhisagara for parda. The king agreed to set them free if they surrendered eighty percent of their iacone. They had to comply with the demand and conse. qusntly were set frue. But Dhana was ordered to leave the country, and his soos were given maintenance.
The Invisible Garment (139-195)
Dhana persisted in his deceitfuloess and went to Śrāvasti where he cunningly got a contract from the king to prepare a miracolous robe on payment of one lac gold coins. He was also given a working place. Afier receiving fifty thousand he reported that half of his work was dete. The King deputed his feudal chief Vigraharāja to see the progress of the work. Dhana waroed the latter that the robe could be seen or touched by him only who was not born of an illicit affair. Entering the working room Dhana pointed out the wondrous figures of elephants etc, on the non existent garment. Vigra harāja pretended to see, but inwardly doubted his mother's character. He, however, praised Dhana for his extraordinary crafımapship, and reported to the king accordingly. Dhana similarly tricked others also deputed periodically by the king. The king paid the rest of the amount, and himself went to see the robe. Dhana gave his usual warning. So the king also pretended to see the garment with secret doubts about his mother's chastity, Dhana got the king undressed, pretended to drape him with the miracu. lous garment, and took him out in procession in the city. Siezing anopportunity Du vinished from the city. Only when some of the onlookers oxprugod tiss id surprise at the king's nackedness, did king realize that he was dup:d. He ordered to arrest the cheat, but he could not be traced.
Dui escaped to th: woods. While spending night on a tree he gather:i fon th: oversation of two goblins that the king's guard sent in search of bin haid returned unsuccesfully. On his way further he played a cɔaidense trick oa two strangers, robbed them and escaped. But he was pursued, caught and killed by the villagers. He was reborn in hell where he suffered for long.
Tbe Story of Devadinna (210-370)
The soul of Dhana was reborn as a son named Devadinna to Yasobha. drā, the wife of a merchant named Dhanadeva in Väräņası ruled by king Arikesarin, who had a queen named Tilakamañjari The merchant family enjoyed friendship of the royal couple. Devadippa grew up and was married in due course. But soon after that his parents and his wife died, and the wealth was lost. Thequeen Tilakamañjari took pity on him and thrice

p24

gave him money fur carrying on his business. But each time he incurred losses. The queen gave him up, and he was left to the mercy of providence. Then his innate tendencies of prior birth began to nalifest. He posed as a devout Jaina and began to deceive the men of faith and pilfer valuables from temples. Once he arrived in the city of Campā and a picus Jaina layman named Jinarakṣita came under the spell of this hypocrite. Jinarak sita invited him and kept him as a guest and dined him for some days. At his request Devadippa once narrated the following story :
The Sub-story of the Kings Samyaktva and Mitbyātva (238-305)
In the country named Tribhuvanodara with four provicces called Gatis. there jointly ruled two king named Samyaktva and Mithyātva, the former having his capital in the city of Jinaśāsana, and the latter in the city called Kudarśana. King Samyaktva had a queen named Tattvaruci, and their son was Samvara, who had two wives, viz., Savadyayogavirati and Tapa. ḥśni. The former wife begot a son named Karmakşaya, while the latter gave birth to a daughter named Nirjarā. Jipāgama was the minister of this king. The second king Mithyātva had a queen called Tattvajugupsa, who bagot a son named Asrava. He was married to a princess called Avirati, the daughter of King Visayābhilāşa. The prince had a son called Karmabandha. Kadāgama was the miolster of this second king.
Once Prince Saṁvara was told by bis friend Anukampā that a royal festival was arranged in the palace in honour of the arrival of Prince Asr va with his family Samvara was upset at this honour being accorded to the son of their enemy, and summoned a meeting of the feudal chiefs and armymen. The person called Mabăvrata who was sent to find out facts reported that the enemy prince had come og his father's mission and the king bad received him with honours.
Prince Samara then drew the attention of the assembly to this impro. priety on the part of his father. The minister Jipāgama was called for consultation. He advised to wait for some time, assuring bim that he was closely watching the situation. (The incomptete story ends here.)
(The story of Devadinna resumed)
At this point, Jinarakṣita, requested Devadinda to take rest. The hypocrite performed all the sacred rites before going to bed, and similarly also in the morning after he woke up. He visited the temple, sang a hymn to the Tirthankara Padmaprabha, and made a show of ecstasy when there arrived in the temple a preceptor: this show of piousness greatly impressed

p25

Jinaraksita. On their way back home they arrived at the shop of Jinarakșita. His son was to look after the shop till they returned, but Devadinnas volunteered for the same and pressed the othe two to go for their meals. The son was distrustful, but they left. Thereupon Devadiona collected the cash and other valuables from the shop and decamped. The suspicious son returned hurriedly to find his shop plundered. The matter was reported to the king. The rogue was arrested, Jinar akşita tried to plead for mercy on behalf of Devadinna, but the feudal lord Vigraharaja attested to one more mischief of the hypocrite. Thereupon Devadinna was excecuted on the king's order.
16
The Story of Vasudeva (371-410)
The soul of Devadinna was reborn as a son to a merchant named Devada. When he grew up to be a young man his parents died. Stricken with poverty, he took to theft and deceit. He struck a false friendship with Varadatta, the son of a leading merchant. Once Vasudeva, with his wife as an accomplice, laid a plot for blackmailing Varadatta. Accordingly when the latter came to his house, Vasudeva's wife called him inside and embraced him. At that moment Vasudeva appeared and charged his friend with misbehaving with his wife. Varadatta could rid himself from the troblesome situation only by a promise to pay to Vasudeva a handsome amount from time to time. Fedup with this, he informed the king and requested him to devise some way to free him from Varadatta's clutches. The king laid a trap. Vasudeva stealthily picked up the royal seal dropped unwittingly by the king's man as perviously planned.
In a systematic search of the citizens, the seal was recovered from Vasudeva's shop. He was arrested and exited.
At this juncture. the preceptor identified again for the audience. Vasudeva, who was sitting in the assembly. Reminded of his past births, Vasudeva repented for his sins and was duly initiated into the order.
Canto V
The Consequences Of Addiction To Delusion And Non-Chastity
After a break, the assembly met again in the afterncen, and the king requested the preceptor to continue his narrative further, and preach them about the fourth Asrava (1-16).
The preceptor started with the statement that delusion and sensuality went hand in hand. The cupid scores a victory even on Hari, Hara, Brahman Candra, Indra and others. He uses women's coquetish gestures as his weapons. A person under the control of sexual passion runs after all sorts

p26

of women indiscriminately. He is then caught, punished with death and is consigned to hell for a very long time. Continuing to indulge in sensuality, he undergoes various beastly births. In response to the king's request to elaborate the topic with concrete illustrations, Samarasenasūri narrated the following story (17-31) :
The Story of Padmaratba (3
King Sankha of Mathurā in the Sürasena country had by his wife Kamalāvati a son named Padmaratha, who grew into a handsome youth. In the same city, the rich merchant Dhana begot a son named Nandana in his wife. Nandana was married to Sulakşaņā, the daughter of another marchant named Sagaradatta.
Once there cane a rope-dancer couple in the city, They gave a public performnce. Nandana was pleased and presented one lac gold coins in appreciation, at which the spectators praised him, but some jealous persons remarked that the boy was squandering away his father's money. Nandana was hurt to the quick and, in order to earn himself, he left for another country for trade. Sulaksaņā accompanied Nandana, but as she fell ill, she returned home. Dhana asked her father to keep her, but on Sāgaradatta's insistance she lived with Dhana's family,
Once duriag the rainy season she happen:d to see prince Padmaratha passing on the road. Becoming enamoured of him, she arranged a rendezvous. The prince visited her clandestinely every midnight. Being informed by her maid servant, Dhana reported this to Sagaradatta. The latter pressed his daughter go to live with him, but Sulaksaņā would not go under one pretext or another. At last, they approached the king. The king ordered the prince to go to distant lands on a mission, but he refused. Instead he decided in consultation with his mother, to poison and thus get ride of his father. The Ring ordered to arrest both but they fled to another country. Padmaratha learnt there the charm of becoming iavisible. He secretly returned to his native city, and began to seduce the inmates of the royal harem. At last he was detected by means of a stratagem and was executed. Thus he diet a painful death as a consequence of indulgence in delusion and sensuality.
The Story of Catamañjari (206-236)
The soul of Padmaratha was reborn us an extremely beautiful girl
L-3

p27

named Cütamañjari. She was a concubine's daughter in the city of Tämralipti. In the sa ne city there lived Vasudatta, the handsome and well educated son of a wealthy man named Vasu. Vasudatta was married to Srimati. After his parents died, he got attached to Cūtamañjari and kept her with the stipulation that in case he deserted her he shall pay to her one lac gold coins. As he grew careless towards his wife, the latter ad ninistered poison to Cūtam añjari who became afflicted with leprosy. Vasudatta left Cū a manjari after paying her a lac as previously stipulated. The latter ultimately died miserably.
The Story of Vajrasimha (237-339)
The soul of Cũ'amnjari was reborn as a son named Vajrasimha of queen Dbāriņi and king Jitaśatru in the city of Ksitipratisthapura. He was educated properly and brought up to grow into a handsome young maa. His extremely handson, features created intense attraction for him in the hearts of city women, who grew mad for him. On the complaints from the leaders of various communities in the city, the king advised the prince to move only within the palace precincts, Coming to know that the merchants were at the root of the king's order, he kidnapped the womenfolk of the merchant leider Vimalamati. The citizens complained to the king about the outrage. The king tried to persuade the prince, but the latter was unyielding. Ultimately there was a fight between the king's forces and the prince's supporters, in which the latter were routed and the prince fled.
The same Vajrasimha, concluded Sudharman, was present there in the assembly. He pointed him out. At this, the memories of his past births arose in Vajrasimha's mind. He repented for the sins committed so far and was initiated in the Order by he preceptor.
Canto 6
The Consequences of Greed coupled with Acquisitiveness
Next day king Vijayasepa and his friends approached the preceptor Sudharman and requested him to elaborate on the consequences of greed and acquisitiveness. The preceptor explained that greed was far more destructive than anger, pride or deceit: Beasts, man and gods, kings, merchants and all types of other people were its victims. Greed increases with attainmeats and generates acquisitiveness. It ultimately leads

First 26 of 511 passages. Read on

Recensions and editions (1)

Translations (1)

Based on

See also: more in Romances

Discussed in 1 studies in Pramāṇa (listed on the page).