On Jaina Apabhraṃśa praśastis
On Jaina Apabhraṃśa praśastis

Summary/Abstract: This paper focuses on the praśastis, “eulogies”, which became a standard in Apabhraṃśa sandhibandhas, a literary style used almost exclusively by Digambara Jainas. It retraces the insertion of lengthy praśastis to Puṣpadanta’s Mahāpurāṇu and, by looking at the works of Vibudha Śrīdhara and Raïdhū, it discusses its evolution to a means of social prestige for patrons. By indicating and analysing some of the information provided in these praśastis, the paper further explores their possibilities as historical sources, providing information about political, social, and religious history, for times and places of which other sources are sometimes limited.

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