Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Caritra

by Helen M. Johnson | 1931 | 742,503 words

This is the English translation of the Trishashti Shalaka Purusha Charita (literally “The lives of the sixty-three illustrious People”), a Sanskrit epic poem written by Hemachandra in the twelfth century. The work relates the history and legends of important figures in the Jain faith. These 63 persons include: the twenty four tirthankaras , the t...

Notes on muktāvali, sarvatobhadra and bhadra

See II, n. 51, for ekāvali and kanakāvali. The muktāvali is described in Anta. 31, B., p. 105. The series runs: 1, 2, 1, 3, 1, 4, 1, 5, 1, 6, 1, 7, 1, 8, 1, 9, 1, 10, 1, 11, 1, 12, 1, 13, 1, 14, 1, 15, 1, 16, 1, 15, 1, 14, 1, 13, 1, 12, 1, 11, 1, 10, 1, 9, 1, 8, 1, 7, 1, 6, 1, 5, 1, 4, 1, 3, 1, 2, 1. This makes a total of 284 fast-days and 59 fast-breaking days, 343 days for the series. The Pravacanasāroddhāra adds a 16-day fast, making the series last a year (p. 437a). There are 4 series in the fast.

 

There is a long sarvatobhadra and a short one. The short one, Anta. 28, B., p. 103 runs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; 3, 4, 5, 1, 2; 5, 1, 2, 3, 4; 2, 3, 4, 5, 1; 4, 5, 1, 2, 3. This makes 75 fast-days and 25 fast-breaking days or 100 days for the series. The long sarvatobhadra, Anta. 29, B., p. 104, is on the same principle but extends up to a fast of 7 days. This makes 196 fast-days and 49 fast-breaking days, a total of 245 days for the series.

The Anta. does not describe the bhadra, but the Pravacanasāroddhāra (1530, p. 438 com.) makes it the same as the Anta.’s short sarvatobhadra. The Pravacanasāroddhāra’s sarvatobhadra starts with 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and follows the same principle as the others, making a total of 392 fast-days and 49 fast-breaking days.

According to the Anta. these fasts also have 4 series, but the Pravacanasāroddhāra does not so specify. Neither does the Taporatnamahodadhi, which agrees with the Pravacanasāroddhāra in the descriptions of the fasts.

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