વસુદેવહિંડી : બૃહત्कથાનું જૈન રૂપાંતર
By Kanjibhai M. Patel
Summary
Kanjibhai Patel analyses the Jain adaptation of the ancient Bṛhatkathā into the Vasudevahindi. Jain narrative literature is rich, and acharyas often reworked popular stories to align with Jain ethics. The original Bṛhatkathā, attributed to Guṇāḍhya, survives only through later Sanskrit retellings. Jain authors transformed its tales by organising them into structured sections—introduction, preface, main story, body and conclusion—and by modifying characters’ motives to emphasise non-violence, karma and spiritual liberation. Patel compares different versions to show how heroic exploits are recast as moral lessons and how violent episodes are toned down. He examines the linguistic style of the Vasudevahindi, composed in Maharashtri Prakrit, and highlights its influence on subsequent Jain literature. The article demonstrates that such adaptations allowed Jain writers to preserve and disseminate popular narratives while imparting doctrinal teachings.
Conclusion
Patel concludes that the Jain retelling of the Bṛhatkathā through the Vasudevahindi illustrates how narrative traditions were reshaped to embody Jain values. By modifying plots, emphasising non-violence and structuring the text according to Jain conventions, authors created a work that entertained and instructed. Such adaptations reveal the literary creativity of Jain scholars and their role in preserving and transmitting stories.