Historical References in Jain Poems

This study surveys the collection of medieval Jain poems known as the Aitihasik Jain Kavyasangraha and assesses their value as historical evidence. The compiler notes that most of these poems are panegyrics intended to glorify the Jain order and only incidentally mention historical events. Scholars must therefore exercise caution: because the poems were written to extol saints and patrons, their factual content is often distorted or embellished. The article illustrates this with the story of Jinaprabhasūri, who is said to have visited Sultan Muhammad Shahi in 1328. According to the poem, the saint declined the Sultan’s lavish gifts and a firman to build a basati but accepted clothes as a token of honour. The narrative emphasises the saint’s humility and the Sultan’s respect for Jainism. Another poem recounts how Jinadeva Sūri was welcomed by Muhammad Shahi, who allowed the installation of a Jina image at Delhi and provided guards for its protection. The author points out that ‘Muhammad Shahi’ should be identified with Muhammad bin Tughluq, the rationalist Delhi Sultan known for his interest in debates with scholars; the poems portray him as a patron of Jain saints. By analysing these episodes, the article demonstrates both the limitations and the potential of Jain poems as historical sources. On one hand, their primary purpose is religious propaganda; they ignore mundane details and exaggerate miracles. On the other hand, because they record interactions between Jain teachers and contemporary rulers, they preserve valuable information about courtly patronage, interreligious relations and political conditions in the fourteenth century. The article therefore advocates a critical approach: historians should corroborate the poems with inscriptions and contemporaneous chronicles, separate devotional embellishment from factual content and use the poems to complement other sources. When treated cautiously, the narratives of the Aitihasik Jain Kavyasangraha enrich our understanding of Indo‑Persian relations and the socio‑religious milieu of late‑medieval India.

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