Banarasidas ARDHAKATHANAK (A Half Story) Read online

  Regardless of which age the world is in:

  Those most excellent and praiseworthy, those in the middle, and those most low and vile.(666)

  Those who look not at the faults of others

  But talk only of their virtues,

  And who speak not of their own virtues, but only of their faults,

  Such men are excellent and praiseworthy.(667)

  Those who talk of both the faults and the virtues of others,

  And relate their own faults and virtues as well,

  Without reserve or restraint, in the world,

  Are, like Banarasi, in the middle.(668)

  Those who always speak only of the faults of others,

  And bury their virtues within their hearts,

  And who hide their own faults and speak only of their own virtues,

  Such men are, in this world, low and despicable.(669)

  In Samvat 1698,

  In the month of Agahan,

  On Monday, the fifth day

  Of the bright half of the month, did Banarasi complete his tale.(670)

  Residing in Agra,

  A Shrimal of the Jain faith,

  Banarasi Biholia

  Is an Adhyatmi, and a contented man.(671)

  He thought to himself,

  ‘Let me tell my story to all.’

  Of the five and fifty years of his life

  He then related his tale.(672)

  Whatever will happen in the future,

  He will deal with it then.

  In this day, a man’s lifespan is known

  To be a hundred and ten years long.(673)

  Thus this is but half the story

  Of Banarasi’s life.

  Evil men will hear his story and laugh.

  Friends will listen to his tale, and recite it to each other.(674)

  He has told us his entire tale in the doha and chaupai metres,

  In six hundred and seventy-five stanzas.

  Those who recite it, hear it, read it,

  To them, his good wishes.(675)

  The End

  Footnotes

  1 The good or right path

  2 Rosary

  3 The Vikrami Samvat era, founded by King Vikram of Ujjain, and still in use among Hindus, begins in 57 BCE. Thus, to arrive at the corresponding year in the Gregorian calendar, subtract 57 from the Vikrami Samvat year. Therefore, Samvat 1608 is the same as CE 1551.

  4 Since he is the brother of Kharagsen’s maternal grandfather, Madan Singh too acquires the same relationship to Kharagsen, and is referred to as his nana henceforth.

  5 It was customary to send proposals of marriage through the purohit and the family barber.

  6 Another name for Shiva

  7 Banarasi plays on the word ‘shell’ here. He calls himself a ‘great shell’, by which he means ‘foolish and gullible’.

  8 A hingwala is a seller of hing, or asafoetida. The story of this unfortunate man was probably prevalent during Banarasi’s times. Nothing more could be discovered about this tale.

  9 A jewel believed to grant its possessor all that he desires

  10 Kalyanmal

  11 The goddess of wealth, and thus the personification of wealth. The word is used here as a synonym for ‘wealth’.

  12 In the month of Magh, when the Sun enters Makar, or Capricorn, the moonlight is very bright.

  13 A verse, in this case almost definitely a sacred verse in Sanskrit

  14 The mansabdari system, instituted by Akbar, was a system of military ranking which assigned to every senior military commander and office holder a numerical rank which indicated his status and remuneration, and determined the number of armed cavalrymen each had to maintain for service in the imperial army. There were several ranks among the mansabdars, the lowest being that of ‘commander of ten’, while the highest was ‘commander of ten thousand’. During Jahangir’s reign, the number of ranks were increased, so the highest became ‘commander of twenty thousand’. In Jahangir’s army, Chini Qilich Khan held the rank of ‘commander of four thousand’, which meant he maintained four thousand cavalrymen.

  15 The family that a member of one’s family has married into, in this case, the family that the Maheshwari’s brother had married into.

  16 The dealer in gold and silver, the merchant who ran away with the brahmins’ money after accusing them.

  17 This Benidas is probably a friend of Banarasi’s, and not Narottam’s grandfather, Bainidas.

  18 This is according to Jain scriptures.

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  Abhinandan, M.S. A Journey through Jainism. New Delhi: Indialog Publications, 2005.

  Jain, Jyoti Prasad. Religion and Culture of the Jains. 4th edn. New Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith, 1999.

  Jain, Ravindra Kumar. Kavivar Banarasidas (Jivani Aur Krititva). 1st edn. New Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith Prakashan, 1966.

  Jinendra Varni. Jainendra Siddhant Kosh: Khand 1–4. New Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith Prakashan.

  Lath, Mukund. Half a Tale: A study in the interrelationship between autobiography and history (The Ardhakathanak, translated, introduced and annotated by Mukund Lath). Jaipur: Rajasthan Prakrit Bharati Sansthan, 1981.

  Muni Prem Sagar. Jain Tattva Vidya. New Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith Prakashan.

  Nemichand Shastri, Jyotishacharya. Tirthankar Mahavir aur Unki Acharya Parampara, Khand 4. Sagar: Akhil Bharatiya Digambar Jain Vidwaparishad, 1974.

  Premi, Nathuram, ed. Ardhakathanak. 2nd edn. Bombay: Hindi Granth Ratnakar, 1957.

  Sangave, Vilas A. Aspects of Jaina Religion. 3rd edn. New Delhi: Bharatiya Jnanpith, 2001.

  Snell, Rupert. ‘Confessions of a 17th-Century Jain Merchant: The Ardhakathanak of Banarasidas’. South Asia Research, 25, 1, May 2005, pp. 79–104.

  —‘Braj Verse Forms: How a Poem is Constructed’. Unpublished article.

  GLOSSARY

  Abhaydharam A monk belonging to the Khartargacchi sect of Jains

  Adhyatam Battisika Written by Banarasidas, this work is in twenty-six stanzas. Here, Banarasidas explains the main principles of Jainism. According to the Ardhakathanak, this work was composed between Samvat 1680 and 1692 (between CE 1623 and 1635).

  Adhyatma The unity of the soul with the supreme spirit.

  It is also the name of an important movement in Jain thought, which advocated the spiritual exploration of the inner self, rather than image worship and rituals, as the path to self-realization. Banarasidas later joined the Adhyatmis and became one of the leaders of the movement. Though this movement lasted only a century after Banarasi’s death, its precepts are still followed by the Terapanthis, a small sect of Digambar Jains.

  Adhyatmi Followers of the Adhyatma movement

  Agahan Ninth (lunar) month of the Hindu calendar, equivalent to November–December

  Agha Noor Nobleman, governor of Banaras and Jaunpur

  Agra A city on the west bank of the Yamuna River. It was the capital of the Mughal emperors from CE 1526 to 1658, the first city of the Mughal Empire during the reigns of Akbar, Jahangir and Shahjahan.

  Agrawal Merchants, of the vaishya caste, from the village of Agroha which lies to the west of Delhi

  Ahichhatrapur Jain pilgrimage centre, about 50 km from Bareilly and 180 km from Hastinapur

  Ahir A low caste, whose business it is to look after cows

  ‘Ajitnath ke Chhand’ By Banarasidas, a poem in five stanzas in praise of the tirthankar Ajitnath. Banarasidas wrote this in Samvat 1680 (CE 1623). This poem is found in the Banarasivilas.

  Akbar Mughal emperor, CE 1556 to 1605

  Allahabad A city established by the Mughal emperor Akbar in CE 1575, and named ‘Illahabad’ by him in CE 1583 after the new faith, Din-ilahi, that he had founded. It lies at the confluence of the three rivers—Ganga, Yamuna and the invisible Sarasvati. The city is also known as ‘Prayag’. Allahabad lies approximately 125 km from Varanasi.

  Amarsar A town situauted about 40 km north of Jaipur

  Amarsi Jasu’s brother, an Oswal from
Delhi

  Anekarath A lexicon or dictionary, which Banarasi studied with the Namamala, listing words with more than one meaning

  Ankhen Doi Vidhi No work by Banarasidas bearing this title has been found. According to Dr Mukund Lath, Banarasi may have been referring to two songs found in the Adhyatma Pada Pankti in the Banarasivilas. In these, two points of view are set forth—one worldly, the other spiritual. These two songs may have been composed together, and originally named Ankhen Doi Vidhi. According to the Ardhakathanak, these were composed between Samvat 1680 and 1692 (CE 1623 and 1635).

  Antaraya karma According to Jain philosophy, this karma prevents a person from the doing of an action, good or bad, even though he might have all the means available to do what he wishes. This karma obstructs the inner energy of the soul, and is thus called the ‘obstructive karma’.

  Ara, Arnath The eighteenth tirthankar of the Jains. Arnath’s father was Sudarsan, his mother Devirani. His sign or symbol is the fish known as the Nandavat. He was born in Hastinapur, and attained moksha in Sammed Shikhar.

  Arathmal Dhor A believer in the doctrine of Adhyatma, and Banarasi’s well-wisher, who introduced him to the Samaysar Natak

  Ashadh Fourth (lunar) month of the Hindu calendar, equivalent to June–July.

  Ashtak A poem consisting of eight verses

  Asi A river that flows into the Ganga at Varanasi

  Aut A sati (see ‘Sati Aut’)

  Ayodhya An ancient city on the southern bank of the Ghaghra River, some 200 km from Varanasi. Hindus believe this city to be the birthplace of the god Rama; it is thus an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. There are some Jain temples as well in the city.

  Azizpur A village of brahmins, some 16 km from Agra.

  Bacchha A friend or acquaintance of Banarasi’s. Banarasi attends his son’s wedding in Chatsu.

  Bainidas Narottam’s grandfather

  Baisakh The second (lunar) month of the Hindu calendar, equivalent to April–May

  Bakhiya Sultan According to Banarasi, the ninth ruler of Jaunpur (See also ‘Jaunpur’s nine rulers’)

  Baksheesh A tip, a gift

  Balchand Banarasi was a member of his marriage party

  Banaras Also known as Varanasi, an ancient city on the left bank of the Ganga, flanked by the Varuna River to its north, and the Asi River to its south. The city is the most sacred of all Hindu pilgrimage centres. It is an important pilgrimage centre for the Jains as well, who regard this as the birthplace of the tirthankar Parshvanath. The city is also known as Kashi and Shivpuri.

  Banarasi Banarasidas himself

  Banarasivilas A collection of forty-eight works by Banarasidas put together by Jagjivan in Samvat 1701 (CE 1644), a couple of years after Banarasidas’s death. According to Nathuram Premi, Jagjivan lived in Agra, and was one among Banarasidas’s friends and followers.

  Bandidas Banarasi’s younger sister’s husband

  Bania A person belonging to the vaishya or merchant caste, the third of the four castes in the Hindu caste system

  Barat Marriage procession that accompanies the bridegroom to the bride’s house

  Bari A village

  Baruna One of the two rivers which flows into the Ganga at Varanasi

  Basta, Bastapal Banarasi’s ancestor

  Basu Sah An Oswal, known for his knowledge of Adhyatma

  Bawakkar Shah According to Banarasi, the second ruler of Jaunpur (See also ‘Jaunpur’s nine rulers’)

  Bega Sahu A resident of Khairabad, and father of Banarasi’s third wife

  Bengal Province lying to the east of the Mughal Empire.

  After the death of Sher Shah Suri in 1545, Bengal struggled for many years to maintain its independence from the Mughal Empire. At the time that Kharagsen was in Bengal (CE 1564–5), it was still an independent kingdom. The Mughal Emperor Akbar finally succeeded in adding Bengal to his empire in 1575.

  Benidas Banarasi’s friend

  Bhagwatidas Resident of Fatehpur, son of Basu Sah. Banarasi and his family stayed in his house in Fatehpur for several months in Samvat 1655.

  Bhanchand A muni, Abhaydharam’s disciple and Banarasi’s guru

  Bhasha The Hindi language

  Biholi The village where Banarasi’s ancestors settled. According to Nathuram Premi, this village lies close to the town of Panipat, and is approximately 110 km from Rohtak.

  Biholia The gotra adopted by Banarasi’s ancestors, and thus Banarasi’s gotra as well

  Brahmin The priestly caste, the first of the four castes of the Hindu caste system.

  Chacha Paternal uncle, father’s younger brother

  Chachi Aunt, wife of father’s younger brother

  Chaitra The first (lunar) month of the Hindu calendar, equivalent to March–April

  Champsi Probably a prominent resident of Agra

  Chandrabhan Banarasi’s friend

  Chatsu A village

  Chaudash The fourteenth day of the lunar fortnight. Jains observe a fast on the fourteenth day of every lunar fortnight (see ‘Prosadh’).

  Chaudhri The chief or headman of a caste, guild, profession; or the headman of a village

  Chaupal An assembly room or covered assembly space in a village

  Chhajmal Kharagsen’s maternal grandfather

  Chhandkos A Prakrit text, written in the fifteenth century CE by Jain scholar Ratnashekhar. In this he has explained the conventions of composing verse in Apabhramsha. Banarasi studied this text with Bhanchand.

  Chinaliya A gotra

  Chini Qilich Khan The ruler of Jaunpur, who honoured Banarasi, and showed him great favour. He was the son of the older Qilich (see ‘Qilich Khan’).

  Chintamani The ‘wish gem’, a jewel believed to grant its possessor all desires. It is said to have belonged to Brahma, who is himself called by this name.

  Dadi Paternal grandmother

  Daniyal Akbar’s third son. Akbar had appointed him governor of Allahabad in CE 1596. Kharagsen reaches Allahabad sometime in CE 1598, when Daniyal was still governor.

  Delhi An ancient city, on the left bank of the Yamuna River. Along with Agra and Lahore, this was one of the three most important cities of the Mughal Empire. It became the capital of the Mughal Empire from CE 1638.

  Devdutt Pandit Devdutt, Banarasi’s teacher

  Dharamdas Banarasi’s business partner in Agra.

  He was the son of the younger of the two brothers, Jasu and Amarsi.

  Dharmanath The fifteenth tirthankar of the Jains

  Dhyanbatisi Composed by Banarasidas, this work can be found in the Banarasivilas. It consists of thirty-four stanzas, in which Banarasidas has pondered the road to meditation.

  Diwan A steward

  Dost Muhammad According to Banarasi, the fourth ruler of Jaunpur (See also ‘Jaunpur’s nine rulers’)

  Dulah Sahu Merchant. His younger son was married to the elder of Banarasi’s two sisters.

  Eight Virtues According to the Jain religion, one who aspires to become a true Jain must practise the Eight Virtues. These are abstinence from alcohol, abstinence from honey, abstinence from meat, abstinence from the consumption of the five forbidden fruits, not eating after dark, compassion for all living creatures, the ritual worship of the five great entities (as stated in the Namokar mantra), and the drinking of water only after straining it.

  Farsi The Persian language

  Fatehpur A town, according to Ardhakathanak, some 19 km from Allahabad

  Ferozabad A town close to Agra

  Firman Decree

  Five forbidden fruits The fruit of the banyan or Indian fig tree (Ficus indica), the fruit of the pipal or holy fig tree (Ficus religiosa), the fruit of the fig tree (Ficus infectoria), the fruit of the glomerous fig tree (Ficus glomerata), and the kathumar. These are the five fruits forbidden to Jains.

  Gajpur Another name for Hastinapur

  (See ‘Hastinapur’)

  Ganga The most sacred river for all Hindus

  Ganga and Gosal Two brothers, Banarasi’s ancestors<
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  Gazi Sajjit Sain According to Banarasi, Jaunpur’s eighth ruler (See ‘Jaunpur’s nine rulers’)

  Ghaghra A river

  Ghanmal Muldas’s younger son

  Ghatampur A village

  Ghesua A village on the way from Jaunpur to Agra

  Gommatsar An important Jain text, explaining the principles of Jainism as followed by the Digamabar Jains. This text was written by Nemidas in the tenth century CE.

  Gomti A river

  Gosal Ganga’s brother, Banarasi’s ancestor (See ‘Ganga and Gosal’)

  Gotra Subdivision of a caste group

  Grihast A householder

  Gunasthana In Jainism, any of the fourteen stages through which the soul must pass on its way to moksha or salvation. The closer a soul to moksha, the freer it becomes from the bonds of karma.

  Gyanpachisi Composed by Banarasidas, this work may be found in the Banarasivilas. It consists of twenty-five dohas or couplets, in which Banarasidas explains the negative rewards of worldly attachment, and urges the reader to pursue the goal of spiritual growth and self-knowledge.

  Hakim One who exercises judicial authority (also ruler or governor)

  Hastinapur An important pilgrimage centre for Jains, approximately thirty-six km from Meerut. It is believed to be the birthplace of the tirthankars Shantinath, Kunthunath and Arnath. It is also called Gajpur and Nagpur in Jain scriptures.

  Hindugi Hindi, or the language of the Delhi region as spoken during Banarasidas’s time, and its Devanagari script

  Hiranand A jeweller, and an Oswal, extremely wealthy and a representative of Prince Salim Shah himself

  Humayun Mughal emperor, from CE 1530 to 1540, and again from CE 1555 to 1556

  Hundi A bill of exchange

  Itawah A city on the banks of the Yamuna, approximately 120 km from Agra

  Jagir Land and villages given by the emperor as reward for services or as a mark of his favour

  Jahangir Nuruddin Salim Jahangir, Mughal emperor, from CE 1605 to 1627. He was Akbar’s eldest son, and was known as Muhammad Salim before he became emperor (see ‘Salim Shah’).