(E) Utopia and (E) Uchronia in Trisasti‑Salaka‑Purusa‑Caritra
Summary
Ramkrishna Bhattacharya examines the concepts of utopia and uchronia in Hemacandra’s *Trisasti-Salaka-Purusa-Caritra*. The article contrasts the well-known Brahminical and Buddhist legends of Uttarakuru, a land of spontaneous fertility and free from toil, with its comparatively rare portrayal in Jain literature. In Hemacandra’s text, Uttarakuru serves as a post-mortem reward for pious men, such as King Dhana, who are reborn there as twins and enjoy wish-fulfilling trees without labor. However, Hemacandra omits key Brahminical motifs like the absence of private property and marriage, instead focusing on the Jain-specific theme of spontaneous productivity and the souls' lack of passions. The author then analyzes Hemacandra's concept of uchronia, a chronological primitivism detailing the cyclical degeneration of human history within Jain aeons (*avasarpini* and *utsarpini*). The narrative describes a progressive decline from a Golden Age, where beings live for three *palyas* and are six miles tall, through successive ages of diminishing height, longevity, and the waning power of wish-fulfilling trees. This scarcity leads to the rise of private property, which in turn necessitates the establishment of laws and a state. The first king, Vimalavahana (Sagara), institutes the *Ha* punishment to enforce boundaries, followed by the *Ma* and *Dhikka* punishments, culminating in the establishment of hereditary monarchy, the arts, and caste divisions by the first king of kings, Rsabha. Bhattacharya argues that Hemacandra draws on a mix of pan-Indian traditions and specific Jain canonical sources, such as the *Jambudvipa-prajnapti*, *Avasyaka-sutra*, and *Samavayangasutra*. The author notes the striking parallels between this Jain account and classical European myths of the Golden Age, such as those by Hesiod and Ovid, as well as the Hyperborean legends described by Diodorus Siculus and Mela. Ultimately, the article concludes that Hemacandra’s account, while containing fantastic exaggerations, is fascinating for its affinity with Buddhist legends regarding the origin of property and the state, yet it differs by emphasizing supernatural selection and omniscience rather than a purely social contract.
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Conclusion
Hemacandra’s portrayal of Uttarakuru and the chronological primitivism of the *Trisasti-Salaka-Purusa-Caritra* reveals a complex synthesis of pan-Indian utopian and uchronian motifs. While the text adapts the legendary happy land of Uttarakuru for Jain contexts, it notably omits core social features like the absence of private property and marriage found in Brahminical and Buddhist traditions. Instead, it emphasizes spontaneous productivity and divine wish-fulfilling trees. Hemacandra’s account of progressive degeneration, culminating in the mythical origin of the state, private property, and social stratification, aligns with broader ancient European and Asian golden age myths. Unlike the Buddhist narrative, which emphasizes material scarcity and social contract, the Jain version relies on supernatural elements and divine kingship. Ultimately, the text serves less as a literal history or social critique and more as a traditional recording of cyclical time, highlighting enduring cross-cultural parallels in conceptualizing human origins and societal evolution.