Prakrit Narrative Literature And Contribution of Vardhamanasiiri (1060-1120 A.D.) to it

Summary

N.M. Kansara’s article surveys the landscape of Prakrit narrative literature and focuses on the contributions of Vardhamānasūri, an eleventh‑century Jain author. Kansara begins by situating Prakrit within the Middle Indo‑Aryan family and noting its prominence as a medium for storytelling through katha literature. He outlines the genres of narratives—fables, romances, moral tales—and discusses their didactic purposes. The study then turns to Vardhamānasūri, whose works are noted for their stylistic elegance and innovative plot structures. Kansara analyses how texts attributed to Vardhamānasūri synthesise earlier narrative motifs while emphasising Jain ethical themes such as non‑violence, truthfulness and renunciation. He pays special attention to the author’s command of language, praising his use of metre, compound formations and vivid imagery. The article argues that Vardhamānasūri’s narratives contributed significantly to the development of Prakrit literature by expanding its thematic range and demonstrating its capacity for sophisticated literary expression. Kansara also situates Vardhamānasūri within the broader intellectual milieu of 1060‑1120 CE, noting interactions with Sanskrit and Apabhramsha traditions. He concludes that modern scholarship would benefit from critical editions and translations of these works, which remain under‑studied despite their importance.