(E) Utopia and (E) Uchronia in Trisasti‑Salaka‑Purusa‑Caritra

Summary

This study delves into the concepts of utopia and uchronia within the Jain hagiographical epic Trisasti‑Salaka‑Purusa‑Caritra, composed by the polymath Acharya Hemachandra in the 12th century. The work recounts the lives of the sixty‑three great personages—twenty‑four Tirthankaras, twelve Chakravartins, nine Baladevas, nine Vasudevas and nine Prativasudevas—who appear cyclically in every half‑time cycle. The author begins by defining ‘utopia’ as an imagined perfect society and ‘uchronia’ as an idealised time or golden age outside historical chronology. He argues that Hemachandra’s narrative interweaves both: on the one hand, the text envisions a cosmically ordered universe governed by Jain principles of non‑violence, truth and self‑restraint; on the other, it situates this ethical order in recurrent cycles of time, implying that such perfection is both timeless and periodically attainable. Through close reading of episodes, the article shows how Hemachandra constructs utopian spaces—cities like Bharata’s Ayodhya or Rishabha’s Vinita—where social harmony, prosperity and moral values prevail. These cities are adorned with magnificent architecture, equitable governance and an abundance of resources, echoing classical utopian motifs found in other Indian epics. At the same time, Hemachandra’s narrative emphasises the impermanence of these perfect worlds: they arise and fall within the cosmic cycles of Jain cosmology (avasarpini and utsarpini), illustrating the uchronian idea of repeating golden ages. The article examines the tension between the ideal of a Chakravartin who rules the world with dharma and the inevitability of decline due to karmic forces, highlighting the Jain doctrine of cyclical time. It also explores Hemachandra’s intention to inspire ethical conduct in the present by presenting utopian exemplars; the detailed descriptions of righteous kings, just laws, non‑violent economies and egalitarian societies serve as didactic models. The author situates these themes within broader Indian literary traditions, comparing them with Hindu Puranic utopias and Buddhist Jataka tales. He also engages with modern theoretical frameworks on utopia and uchronia, suggesting that Hemachandra’s work can be read as a Jain response to questions of ideal society and historical consciousness. The article concludes that the Trisasti‑Salaka‑Purusa‑Caritra functions both as a mythic history and a moral treatise that invites readers to envision and strive for a just world while recognising the cyclical nature of time.