रोमिसुर की जयमाल एवं पाण्डे की जयमाल
By मुनि कनककीति, कवि g
Summary
This PDF contains two Jain devotional compositions published with translations. The first is a "Jayamala" (garland of victory) dedicated to the 22nd Tirthankara, Lord Neminatha. It praises his qualities and recounts mythological events, including his birth in the Harivamsa, his dark complexion like an emerald, his thousand and eight auspicious marks, his ten-bow-length body, his endurance of twenty-two afflictions, his abandonment of eighteen faults, and his attainment of nirvana on Ujjvalagiri. The author of this first work is identified as Muni Kanakakirti, based on the phrase "Karanaya suheva kittiyae" found in the text. The second composition describes the essential qualities of a "pandit" (learned person). It states that a true pandit renounces others' wives, controls his mind, observes minor vows, washes away his faults, avoids speaking of others' flaws, meditates on the self, acquires knowledge, worships the passionless Lord, speaks sweetly, is patient, and is free from anger, greed, pride, and delusion. The author of this second work is a poet named "Ji," who claims he did not invent these qualities but presented them as taught by Gunadhara Deva or as received through tradition. No further biographical details about either author are available. The translator for both works is Pandit Bhanwar Lal Paliyaka, a manuscript surveyor and co-editor of the journal. The editor notes that these works do not appear to have been previously published. The PDF also includes editorial notes on textual corrections and general information about the journal's publication policy.
Conclusion
The publication of these two translated Jain hymns—Muni Kanakakirti's praise of Neminatha and the anonymous poet's delineation of a pandita's virtues—directly fulfills the institute's stated policy of presenting appropriate works in the Apabhramsha language. By making these rare, previously unpublished manuscripts accessible with translations, the editors provide scholars and readers with valuable primary sources for studying Jain devotional literature and ethical ideals. The inclusion of editorial notes, such as the suggested textual emendations for the second hymn, demonstrates a commitment to scholarly rigor. This effort is likely to stimulate further research into the poets and their works, about whom little is known beyond their names. Ultimately, this publication enriches the available corpus of Jain literature and supports the ongoing study of religious and philosophical traditions preserved in manuscript form.