महापुराण की काव्यभाषा
By डॉ० श्रीरंजनसुरिदेव
Summary
The text discusses the "Mahapurana," a great epic composed by the 10th-century poet Pushpadanta in a refined poetic language. This Jain religious work, also known as "Tisatthimahapurisagunalankara," details the lives of sixty-three great men, including twenty-four Tirthankaras, twelve Chakravartis, nine Vasudevas, nine Prativasudevas, and nine Baladevas. Pushpadanta, initially a Shaiva who later became a Digambara Jain, composed the work under King Bharata of Manyakheta and later under his son Nanna. Despite poverty, he was proud of his poetic skill and adorned himself with various titles. The text contrasts a "Purana," which describes a single great man, with the "Mahapurana," which describes many. The narrative framework involves Gautamaswami, a chief disciple of Mahavira, presenting the ancient tale at the request of King Shrenika. The "Mahapurana" incorporates stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata within its Jain context. The text emphasizes the nature of poetic language, stating that ordinary language becomes poetic through special expression, and that poetic language has a natural power to affect listeners even without understanding. It provides examples of Pushpadanta's use of language, including onomatopoeic and rhythmic elements in battle descriptions, and contrasts the styles of different poets. The text also highlights the use of parallelism, folk language, and meter in the "Mahapurana," noting Pushpadanta's mastery of various meters and his use of language to create new and striking expressions.
Conclusion
The analysis of Pushpadanta's *Mahapurana* reveals that its poetic language is not merely a vehicle for narrative but a sophisticated, self-conscious artistic construct. The implications for the study of Apabhramsha literature are significant, as the text demonstrates a masterful synthesis of folk idioms with refined poetic devices like parallelism and phonetic ornamentation. The outcome is a work that achieves both popular appeal and literary distinction, setting a benchmark for later Jain kavyas. By skillfully blending lokabhasha elements with metrical precision and vakra-vidhana, Pushpadanta created a language that is at once accessible and artistically elevated. This study underscores how the *Mahapurana*’s linguistic artistry was central to its success in transmitting complex religious narratives, proving that its enduring impact stems as much from its formal innovation as from its thematic content.