A History of Sanskrit Literature c22.s1.5

c22.s1.5

Another Jain effort to rival the *Kādambarī* is seen in the *Gadyacintāmaṇi*⁴ of Oḍayadeva, alias Vādībhasiṁha, a lion to the elephants of counter disputants. He was a Digambara Jain, pupil of Puṣpasena, whom he lauds in the usual exaggerated style, and his work deals with the legend of Jīvaka or Jīvandhara, which is also the topic of the *Jīvandharacampū*. His imitation of Bāṇa is flagrant, including an effort to improve on the advice given by the sage Çukanāsa to the young Candrāpīḍa. Other Jain Kathās hardly attempt, and certainly do not reach, the stage of comparison with the true romances.¹