Written by experts specialising in the study of Jaina narrative literature, this unique book offers an interdisciplinary approach. It presents interesting juxtapositions of narrative paradigms with Jaina ritual culture in history and the contemporary world as well as in Buddhism and Hinduism, thus resulting in new insights which are reflected in the chapters.It will be of interest to specialists in South Asian and Asian religions.

1. Introduction Part I T¿rthankaras in Jaina Universal History 2. Phases 1-4 Type Biographic Verses in the ¿väyaka-Niryukti as the Main Sources for Later Biographies of T¿rthankaras, etc. in Jainism 3. Rsabha and Bharata in Hindu Pur¿nas 4. What Can the Lifespans of Rsabha, Bharata, ¿rey¿msa, and Ara tell us about the History of the Concept of Mount Meru? 5. Biographies of Rsabha and the Rise of ¿atruñjaya 6. Narrative Paradigms for Jaina Mortuary Rituals? The Mythologies of the Worship of the Relics of the Jinas by the Gods Part II Jaina Narrative Literature 7. Why Narrating the Same Biography Twice? Tivitthu, Ayala and ¿sagg¿va in Sanghad¿sa's Vasudevahind¿ 8. Remodelling Jain Novels in Medieval Times: Means and Motivations 9. Evolving Patterns in Jain Narrative Literature: Stylistic and Structural Influence of Medieval Theatre on Storytelling 10. The Curious Geography of Tamil Jain Narrative Literature 11. ¿c¿rya Mah¿prajña's Sanskrit Work A¿ruv¿n¿ and its Canonical Sources Part III Jaina Biography and Hagiography 12. A Kharatara Gaccha Monk in the Tap¿ Gaccha Imaginaire: Tap¿ Gaccha Re-tellings of the Life of Jinaprabhas¿ri 13. R¿macandras¿ri (1897-1992): A Life Between Consistent Asceticism and Political Controversies 14. Biography of the Jaina Monk Jamb¿vijaya 15. Lifes' Ends: Jaina Modes of Dying in ¿r¿dhan¿ Texts Part IV Jaina and Non-Jaina Narratives 16. Jinas-to-be and Bodhisattvas: Paths to Perfection in Jain and Buddhist Rebirth Narratives 17. Are P¿ndava Brothers Jaina or Non-Jaina? An Unprecedented Explanation by ¿c¿rya Hemacandra18. N¿rada, Non-Violence and Visnu's False Avat¿ra in the Hindu and Jaina Traditions19. Rejecting and Appropriating Epic Lore