Aspects of Brahmanical Influence On Jaina Mythology

SR No.: 011037
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Shaktidhar Jha
Publisher: Bharat Bharti Bhandar
Publication Year: 1978
Total Pages: 315
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 12 MB

Page 200

182
Aspects of Brahmanıcal Influence on the Jaina Mythology
the final part of the compound word Andhakabhoga162 treated as the full pame of Andhaka This phenomenon entitles his des. cendents Ugrasena and Kamse to the patronymic Bhoja. Next the term is also found used as a separate attributive of Andhaka, and in this latter form it is often conjoined with Mahā.153 Besides that, the term Mahābhoja is mentioned, in some of the Purānas, also as the name of another brother of Andhaka 164
But what is more significant is the wides use of the term Bhoja as the family designation of several branches of the Yadaval56 race The name Vişnı, on the other hand, was of restricted use inasmuch as it was applied to only that branch of the Yādavas which sprang from Vrşnı and in which Krşna was born 156 Thus, the Vişnus, 157 though descended from the same source, were not identical with the Andhahas and Bhojas
But the Jaina tradition in a bid to effect some originality in genealogical scheme has apparently twisted the phrases Andhahavịşnı and Bhojaussn2168 to its own purpose. This way, both the brothers are made Vrşnis and to distinguish one from the other the individual terms Andhaka and Bhoja have been prefixed to buth Vrşnis Thus both Andhaka and Bhoja have acquired a new character with the arrogation of the common name Vişni, to both of them as also with the denial of separato entity of Vrşnı of the Brahmanıcal description Now it is obvious that this new representation entitles the progeny of both Andhakavrşnı and Bhojavrşnıs to the patronymic Vrşnı, besides the individual names Andhaka and Bhoja None the less, the influence of the Brahmanıcal tradition has made itself felt so powerfully that nowhere in the Jaina Puranas Bhojavrsni's progeny, Ugrasena, Kamsa et cetera are ever called Värşneyas
152 MBh II 14 69 163 Scc collated text as given by Pargiter, op cit p 103 154 Vis p IV 13 1, 7, Ag 274 247, Bhåg LX 24 6f 165 ^Bh II 14 0, 25, Vāgup 94 51-52, 96 17a, 125, HV. 1 33 52, 137,
16, 22-25, 1 54 63, 65 MBVII 11 7b, V 67 21, 165.24, V.158 1-2,
16 HV 2 30 43 166 AIHT, pp 103-5, 107, 148, 279-80 167 Vide chap IV (ante ) note 29 168 Ibid Dote 30