Kahavali Pratham Paricched Pratham Khand

SR No.: 009889
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kalyankirtivijay
Publisher: Kalikal Sarvagya Shri Hemchandracharya Navam Janmashatabdi Smruti Sanskar Shikshannidhi Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 2012
Total Pages: 469
Language: Hindi, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 2 MB

Page 9

"ON BHADRESVARA'S KAHAVALI
Dalsukh D. Malvania
As early as 1932, in his Introduction to the second edition of Hema-candra's Parisiṣṭaparvan published in Calcutta, H. Jacobi called attention to Bhadresvara's Kahāvali (pp. V; XI-XIII). He emphasized that, among all the works dealing with the Jaina Universal History, only these two go beyond Mahavira, the 24th Tirthamkara, and add accounts of the further patriarchs. In this respect, Bhadresvara goes further than Hema-candra. Though he had at his disposal only one rotograph of a palmmanuscript, H. Jacobi was able to give a general appraisal of the Kahavali and various information about the contents, arrangement and sources of the collected stories. But he considered that its << literary merits » were less than those of Hemacandra's work.
Nowadays, more material is accessible, which is described below. Data concerning Bhadresvara's spiritual affiliation and dates are also discussed: it is not irrevelant to know whether he is fairly old, or, at least, prior to Hemacandra who became the standard-author. From the detailed analysis of the contents presented here, one will easily realise that the Kahavali is a huge narrative work, collecting elements from various literary traditions. This paper is intended as a help to further investigations [Ed.].
Mss of the Kahavali (Kathavali)*
Br: The first mention of the ms of Bhadresvara's Kahāvali in Prakrit was made by some unknown author of the Catalogue of mss called Br(hattippanika)'. It records (No. 285):
285 Kathavali-prathama-paricchedah; Pra. (Prakrit) Mu. (mukhyath) 24 Jina-12 Cakry-adiHaribhadra-sri-paryanta-sat-purusa-caritra-vacyo Bhadresvarah 23800.
<< The first chapter of Bhadresvara's work called Kathavali, mostly written in Prakrit, of 23800 slokas (granthagra) (gives) the lives of the 24 Tirthamkaras, the 12 Cakravartins and others, and ends with the life of Haribhadra >>.
It is worth noticing that the author has not mentioned the material on which the ms was written. As we shall see later, the first chapter is divided into two parts.
S.1 : Palm-leaf ms of Kahāvali part I. It has 307 leaves and its size is 34 x 2 inches. Its granthagra is 12600 slokas. It was copied in V.S. 1497 ( 1440 A.D.).
On leaf 304 Bandhudatta's Kaha is started but it is not completed in the last leaf (307) of the ms. This ms is corrupt and the copies B and J based on it are also corrupt.
S.2: Palm-leaf ms of Kahavali part II (dvitiyakhanda). It has 302 leaves and its size is 34 x 2 inches.
At the end, the granthagra of the first chapter is mentioned as 23800. It was copied in V.S.14... and is also corrupt.
Published in INDOLOGICA TAURINENSIA, VOLUME XI (1983), TORINO
* In the quotations and the proper names, the orthography of the mss. is reproduced without change. 1. Published in /SS 1.2 (V.N. 2466 = 1919 A.D.).
2. Cf. PC no. 402, p. 244.
3. Cf. PC no. 403.