प्रारम्भिक
By प्रो. प्रवीणचन्द्र जेन
Summary
This issue of the “Jain Vidya” magazine is the fourth in a series dedicated to prominent Apabhramsha language poets, published in chronological order. Previous issues focused on Mahakavi Swyambhu and Mahakavi Pushpadanta. This fourth special issue is a “Dhanapal Special Issue.” Scholars disagree on Dhanapal’s exact period. Dr. P.D. Gune, based on the language and grammar of Dhanapal’s only available work, “Bhavisayatta-Kaha,” places him before Acharya Hemachandra, when Apabhramsha was a spoken language. Professors Mavani, Dr. Dalal, Dr. Hermann Jacobi, and others place him around the 10th century Vikram. Dr. Devendrakumar Shastri, based on a manuscript’s prologue, dated the work to Vikram Samvat 1393, but Dr. Nemichandra Shastri and Pt. Parmanand Shastri rejected this, arguing the prologue was by a scribe, not the author, and maintained the 10th-century date. The institute’s manuscript department has ten copies of “Bhavisayatta-Kaha” from Vikram Samvat 1540 onward, none containing the verse cited by Dr. Shastri. This issue follows the majority view. “Bhavisayatta-Kaha” is significant as the first Apabhramsha work edited by a foreign scholar, Hermann Jacobi, and the first published Apabhramsha text in India, by the Gaekwad Oriental Series. Apabhramsha was the spoken language from the 5th to 10th centuries CE, succeeding Prakrit. Jain and Buddhist traditions used local languages for propagation, unlike the Sanskrit of the Vedic tradition. This issue explores poet Dhanapal’s personality, work, and poetic genius, along with the literary and poetic importance of his creation. It covers his story, narrative style, emotional content, religious context, moral
Conclusion
This special issue on Dhanapala underscores the vital role of Apabhramsha literature in bridging classical and modern Indian languages, with Jain contributions forming the vast majority of surviving works. By presenting Dhanapala’s “Bhavisayatta Kaha” and analyzing its literary, ethical, and social dimensions, the publication affirms that Jain writers prioritized moral uplift and public welfare over personal fame. The unresolved scholarly debate over Dhanapala’s date highlights the need for further manuscript research, while the inclusion of a translated “Samadhi” text and a collection of aphorisms from major Jain Puranas demonstrates ongoing efforts to make this heritage accessible. Future issues on poet Dhawal and other Apabhramsha authors will continue this essential recovery of a once-dominant vernacular tradition, reinforcing its significance for understanding the linguistic and cultural evolution of western and northern India.