How is it that you are devoted to the utterance of sāmans, yet are an enemy of the triple Vedas? [How is it that you are given to making to encouraging statements, and are the single enemy of the three kinds of sexual desire?] How indeed are you known by the title of Brahmā, yet…
Continue ReadingHow are you the seventh of the renunciates (saṁyatas), despite being the second of the ascetics (śramaṇas)? [How is it that you are the seed of the ascetics, the best among the renunciates?] How are you, Lord, not the eighth in the world, although you are greater than seven? [How is it, Lord, that you…
Continue ReadingHow is it that you, ascending to existence in the Saudharma and Sanatkumāra heavens, exist in the world, without having discarded the conduct of the Īśāna, Lāntava, and Araṇā heavens? [How is it that you, ascending to a tender beauty in boyhood, you who put an end to jealousy, have never deviated from proper conduct…
Continue ReadingYou do not put an end to darkness, nor do you put an end to the moth capriciously. Nor is your wick always covered in lamp-black. How are, then, can you be the lamp of the world? [You neither do what is right, nor what is wrong. Nor do you do anything praiseworthy if it…
Continue ReadingConqueror! How is it that the fame that attaches to you is variegated, yet black as sin, white, yet multicolored, with a dark hue in every respect, yet said to be white? [Conqueror! How is it that your fame reveals sin like a touchstone, takes many forms, is essential, is excellent, is known for its…
Continue ReadingAdvanced in years, though free from old age. Pleasure to the eyes, though causing pain. Nine cubits in height, though seven cubits tall. How is it that you bear such a body? [How can you bear such a body, in which your vows are well advanced, which is free from old age, which has pacified…
Continue ReadingHow is it that, despite being the jewel of masth produced by a royal elephant, you don’t fetch even the price of a pearl? [How is it that you merit being done reverence to, the crown-jewel of those who have no desire?] How is it, Lord, that despite being the abode of abundant jewels, you…
Continue ReadingContinuing with the text that I introduced earlier, here are verses 2 and 3. As with all of the verses of Dhanapāla’s hymn to Mahāvīra, they contain an apparent contradiction that is resolved by reading the Prakrit text differently. How is it that, despite having destroyed the four passions, you do not destroy the passions?…
Continue ReadingI happened upon a very useful book by Hiralal Rasikdas Kapadia (Kavīśvara Śrīdhanapāla Viracita R̥ṣabhapaṁcāśikā ane Vīrastutiyugalarūpa Kr̥tikalāpa, Bombay 1989) which contains three works of the poet Dhanapāla. One of them is a hymn to Vardhamāna in Prakrit (Śrīvīrastutiḥ) which utilizes the ornament of virōdhābhāsaḥ or “apparent contradiction.” It begins as follows: Having praised the…
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