Jain Mahabharatas

[Rolf Heiner Koch]

Dear Yigal,
there are some stories to be found in Jain
literature
1. ParazurAma from the MahAbharata is to be found
as part of the SubhUma legend, one among the 63
zalAkA-puruSas. See as introduction Helen Johnsons
translation of Hemacandras
TrizaSTizalAkApuruSacaritra, vol. 4, pp. 41-48
(Sanskrittext in Hemacandra,
TriSaSTizalAkApuruSacaritra (Bhavnagar, 1904-08),
4, vvs. 1-110)

A comparison of the probably earliest versions of
this legend probably will be published at the
beginning of the next year in the Berliner
Indische Studien (in German): This includes the
story according to the Avazyaka-literature in
comparison with the version of the VasudevahiNDi.

2. I suppose much more parallels known from the
epics are to be found in the Jain literature.

3. The earliest versions of all the legend stuff
of the Jains is to be found in the voluminous
Avazyaka-literature (commentaries on the Jain
sUtras, not published yet, but available at most
libraries (ask for JinadAsas Avazyaka-cUrNi and
Haribhadras Avazyaka-TIkA)

4 Most of that legends you may find by help of
Jain, Life in Ancient India as depicted in Jaina
Canon and Commentaries (1984).He also makes
reference to the Epics.

5 Another help is probably the collection Prakrit
Proper Names (2 vols.)

6 Start with Jain (the author mentioned above),
localise the names of persons you are interested
in, find the stories. As soon as you look for the
earliest versions of a particular legend, then you
have to consult the Avazyaka-literature.

7 If you have problems in getting the
Avazyaka-literature, please contact me.

HH =
Herzlich Heiner

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Yigal Bronner <yigal at MD2.VSNL.NET.IN>
An: INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK
<INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
Datum: Freitag, 14. November 1997 01:24
Betreff: Jain Mahabharatas


>I am trying to gather information on Jain
versions of the Mahabharata. I am
>looking for versions of the story (is there a
Jain text that enjoys, in the
>Mahabharata domain, a status equal to that of the
Paumacarita in the
>Ramayana tradition?) as well as secondary
literature.
>Also, where is the theory about the sets of
Baladevas, Vasudevas and
>prativasudevas (of which the last set--Balarama,
Krishna and Jarasandha--
>form the heroes of Jain Mahabharatas) first
textualized?
>I will greatly appreciate any help or reference.
>Yigal Bronner.
>
>Yigal Bronner
>Ph.D. candidate
>Department for South Asian languages and
Civilizations
>University of Chicago.
>