कविश्री जोइन्दु व्यक्तित्व और कृतित्व

Summary

The article examines the life and works of the medieval Apabhramsha poet and spiritual figure, Kavi Shri Joidu, noting a significant lack of verifiable biographical details. His name appears as "Joidu" in his work *Paramatmaprakash*, with variations like Yogindu and Jogichand appearing in other texts and commentaries. Scholars disagree on his era, with estimates ranging from the 6th to the 12th century CE, though linguistic analysis suggests the 8th or 9th century. Among several works attributed to him, only *Paramatmaprakash* and *Yogasara* are considered definitively his. *Paramatmaprakash* is a philosophical text in a question-and-answer format, where a disciple asks about the problem of worldly suffering. The work is divided into two sections, discussing the nature of the outer self, inner self, and supreme self, as well as the path to liberation. It employs a *doha* (couplet) style and is noted for its synthetic approach, aiming to reconcile different philosophical traditions, including Jain, Vedantic, and Buddhist perspectives on the ultimate reality. *Yogasara* is a shorter, simpler work of 108 verses that elaborates on similar themes, emphasizing the body as a temple of the divine. The article highlights Joidu’s tolerant and non-sectarian outlook, as he identifies the supreme being with names from various traditions, including Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma, and Buddha. His poetry is characterized by a direct, experiential quality and a rejection of external ritualism in favor of inner spiritual realization. The author concludes that Joidu was a significant spiritual poet whose influence extended beyond Apabhramsha literature to later Hindi saint-poets like Kabir, and that his work represents a high point of mystical expression in Apabhramsha.