was composed by Acharya Jinasena I in 783 AD. It is divided into 66 cantos and contains 12,000 slokas. The book aims to narrate the life of Neminatha, the twenty-second Tirthankara in Jainism. According to the Jain sources, Krishna was the first cousin of Tirthankara Neminatha. Therefore, Krishna's adventures too occupy a significant portion of the book. Harivaá¹Âà Âa PurÃÂá¹Âa suggests that Draupadi was married to only Arjuna, as opposed to Hindu traditional accounts which suggests that she was married to all the five Pandavas.
In general, all Jaina Harivamà Âa narratives go far beyond what one might consider to be fitting for the Harivamà Âa, i.e. the story of Krishna and his relatives, or Mahabharata material. They consist of four larger parts: (1) Harivamà Âa, including the story of Krishna, his ancestors and progeny; (2) Nemicarita, the biography of the 22nd Tërthankara, KrishnaâÂÂs cousin; (3) PÃÂndavacarita, containing the central narrative of the Mahabharata; and (4) Vasudeva-hindi, the narrative of the wanderings of KrishnaâÂÂs father Vasudeva, in reality being a Jaina version of the Brhatkathàin which the character of Prince NaravÃÂhanadatta is replaced by Vasudeva.
True to the systematic requirements of a Jaina Purana, the first three chapters describe the narrative setting of MahÃÂvëraâÂÂs samavasarana, where Shrenika enquires about the story of the Hari dynasty upon seeing Jitashatru, a monk of the Hari lineage, attaining kevalajñÃÂna. Indrabhà «ti Gautama, the head of MahÃÂvëraâÂÂs assembly, commences with an exposition of cosmology, chronology, and the rise of the Kulakaras (4âÂÂ7). The last Kulakara fathers the first Jina, Rishabha, who continues the work of the Kulakaras, giving rise to the basic social and hierarchical structures, and installing professions and classes. He is also the founder of the ikshvÃÂkuvamà Âa, and further, upon his cousins, Nami and Vinami, he bestows vidyÃÂs, magical powers, and the land to establish their own dynasty, the vidyÃÂdharavamà Âa (8âÂÂ10). This is followed by the stories of Bharata and BÃÂhubali, two sons of Rishabha, and founders of the Solar and the Lunar dynasty (11âÂÂ12) respectively. In sarga 13 the Harivamà ÂapurÃÂna proper begins, with a sketch of history up to the tenth Jina, à ÂëtalanÃÂtha, during whose time the Hari dynasty arises.
According to the Harivamà ÂapurÃÂna the harivamà Âa is named after a king, Hari, the first king of CampÃÂ, son of a VidyÃÂdhara couple (14âÂÂ15). Jinasena then briefly describes several generations of kings in the Hari dynasty, listing some of their extraordinary feats (16âÂÂ17). The eighteenth sarga presents King Yadu in the Hari dynasty giving rise to the YÃÂdava branch in Mathuràand introduces some of the characters known from their equivalents in the Mahabharata: Andhakavrishni and his ten sons (Daà ÂÃÂrhas) and two daughters, Kuntë and MÃÂdrë, Bhojakavrishni and his sons Ugrasena, MahÃÂsena and Devasena, and JarÃÂsandha, the king of RÃÂjagriha. Andhakavrishni renounces the world after which his eldest son Samudravijaya becomes king. The youngest of the Daà ÂÃÂrhas, the handsome Vasudeva, leaves the palace to roam the world for one hundred years. From sarga 19 onwards, twelve chapters are devoted to his adventures, the Vasudevahindi. With VasudevaâÂÂs return and marriage to Rohinë and the birth of Baladeva, we revert to the more traditional epic material (31âÂÂ32). Sarga 33 introduces Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena who had been abandoned at birth and grew up in the home of Vasudeva. Together with Vasudeva he overthrows Simharatha for JarÃÂsandha, thus winning the hand of JarÃÂsandhaâÂÂs daughter, Jëvadyaà Âas. Hearing the story of his parentage Kamsa takes control of Mathuràand imprisons his father. He gives the hand of his sister Devakë to Vasudeva. One day Jëvadyaà Âas insults the ascetic Atimuktaka, who curses her, swearing that her husband and father will die at the hand of DevakëâÂÂs seventh son. After a short doctrinal discourse, including the previous birth stories of the future Tërthankara Nemi, DevakëâÂÂs first six children are exchanged by the god Naigama for stillborns (34âÂÂ35). The birth of the seventh child is announced by seven dreams, the standard narrative theme in the conception of a future VÃÂsudeva or Ardhacakravartin. Immediately after the birth Vasudeva and Baladeva interchange the baby boy with the daughter of the herdsman Nanda. The girl is disfigured by Kamsa, who thinks he can avoid death if she would be too ugly to get a husband. The boy, Krishna, grows up in the gokula where he survives several attacks of Kamsa (35âÂÂ36). Kamsa challenges the cowherds to a wrestling match in MathurÃÂ. Krishna and Baladeva take part and triumph, with Krishna ultimately killing Kamsa. Krishna is reunited with his biological parents and Ugrasena is reinstalled as the king of MathurÃÂ. JarÃÂsandha wants to avenge the death of Kamsa, his son-in-law, and sends his son KÃÂlayavana and his brother AparÃÂjita after the YÃÂdavas, but to no avail.
As a long interlude Jinasena here inserts the account of the conception, birth and consecration of the Tërthankara Nemi, son of Samudravijaya, the eldest of the Daà ÂÃÂrhas and cousin of Krishna (37âÂÂ39).
Sarga 40 reverts to the story of Krishna, with JarÃÂsandhaâÂÂs next attack on the YÃÂdavas. Following the instructions of an astrologer, Krishna decides to migrate to the west towards the ocean. The gods create an illusion of funeral pyres burning with the bodies of the YÃÂdava armies, making JarÃÂsandhaâÂÂs camp believe that his enemies have committed suicide and abandon the pursuit. Krishna enters the coastal city of DvÃÂravatë built by Kubera (41). Following the intrigues of NÃÂrada, Krishna marries Rukminë, his second queen after SatyabhÃÂmà(42). The neighbouring king, Duryodhana, promises the hand of his firstborn daughter to Krishna's first son, born to either Rukminë or SatyabhÃÂmÃÂ. Rukminë and SatyabhÃÂmàgive birth to a son simultaneously but RukminëâÂÂs child, Pradyumna, is by chance recognized as the eldest. However, a god seeking vengeance for insults suffered in a previous life kidnaps the boy and abandons him in Meghakà «ta where he grows up in a VidyÃÂdhara family. Rukminë is devastated but NÃÂrada comforts her with the promise of her sonâÂÂs return after sixteen years (43). SatyabhÃÂmÃÂâÂÂs son BhÃÂnu grows up in the palace and Krishna marries six other women (44).
One day the PÃÂndavas visit DvÃÂravatë. King Shrenika requests to hear their full story and Indrabhà «ti Gautama gives a condensed account of the Mahabharata story up to the great battle (45âÂÂ46). It begins with a brief description of the kuruvamà Âa to which the Tërthankaras ShÃÂnti, Kunthu and Ara belonged. After that ShÃÂntanu, DhritarÃÂshtra, PÃÂndu, and their children, the Kauravas and the PÃÂndavas are introduced. After PÃÂndu's death the kingdom is divided equally between the PÃÂndavas and the Kauravas. Rivalry between the cousins soon leads to the attack on the PÃÂndavas' lives in the lacquer house from which the PÃÂndavas escape to live anonymously as hermits in the forest. After DraupadëâÂÂs marriage to Arjuna â and to Arjuna alone â the PÃÂndavas give up their anonymity and return to HÃÂstinapura. After renewed conflict culminating in the game of dice and the subsequent exile, the PÃÂndavas spend eleven years in the forest and one year incognito at the court of VirÃÂta. They return to HÃÂstinapura where they make every effort at peaceful coexistence but are forced to leave their home again to avoid war with their cousins. They head south and reach DvÃÂravatë where they each marry one of the Daà ÂÃÂrhasâ daughters.
After this concise sketch of the PÃÂndavas' past history the Harivamà ÂapurÃÂna takes us back to Pradyumna, who has now grown up to accomplish many heroic feats, much to the envy of his foster mother and brothers. Following some conflicts and subsequent reconciliation NÃÂrada takes him back to DvÃÂravatë to rejoin his biological family. On the way Pradyumna raids the caravan that is accompanying DuryodhanaâÂÂs daughter to DvÃÂravatë, where she will marry SatyabhÃÂmÃÂâÂÂs son BhÃÂnu, and he steals the bride. Rukminë recognizes her son and NÃÂrada introduces him to Krishna after which Pradyumna triumphantly enters DvÃÂravatë and marries DuryodhanaâÂÂs daughter (47). Sarga 48 describes the anecdotes of Pradyumna and his half brother à Âamba, who is always taunting SatyabhÃÂmÃÂâÂÂs younger son SubhÃÂnu. In total there are by then three and a half crores of princes in DvÃÂravatë.
Jinasena then inserts the story of NandaâÂÂs daughter who was mutilated by Kamsa (49). She grows up and, disgusted with the world, becomes a nun in the Vindhyas. There she is noticed by some tribal hunters on their way to attack a group of merchants. The hunters pay homage to her as a goddess. Immediately after they leave the nun is devoured by a tiger. When the hunters return, all they find of their goddess are three fingers in a pool of blood. They misinterpret this as a sign that the goddess demands blood and from then on they engage in the practice of sacrificing buffaloes, hence the origin of the Durgàcult.
In sarga 50 JarÃÂsandha one day hears that the YÃÂdavas are alive and prospering in DvÃÂravatë. He immediately sends a messenger with a declaration of war. The YÃÂdavas accept it and both parties agree to meet in Kuruksetra after six months. The following two sargas describe the great war between the YÃÂdavas and their allies, including the PÃÂndavas, and JarÃÂsandha and his allies, among whom are the Kauravas. The PÃÂndavas gain victory over the Kauravas, who all renounce the material world to go and live as ascetics. In the ultimate battle Krishna, the VÃÂsudeva, kills JarÃÂsandha, the PrativÃÂsudeva, with his cakra Sudarà Âana. After the war Krishna campaigns to conquer half of Bharata and triumphantly returns to DvÃÂravatë where he is crowned as Ardhacakravartin.
One day Draupadë fails to recognize NÃÂrada and forgets to greet him. Spiteful as ever, NÃÂrada entices King PadmanÃÂbha of DhÃÂtakëkhanda, a continent lying beyond Jambà «dvëpa, to kidnap her. Krishna and the PÃÂndavas set out to rescue her. They cross the ocean of salt surrounding Jambà «dvëpa and reach DhÃÂtakëkhanda, where they subdue PadmanÃÂbhaâÂÂs armies and are reunited with Draupadë. On their return home the PÃÂndavas, by way of a prank, hide the ferry crossing the Gangàso that Krishna himself has to carry his chariot, charioteer and horses across the river. When he hears that the PÃÂndavas are responsible for this he angrily banishes them to Mathuràin the south and installs Parëksita, SubhadrÃÂâÂÂs grandson, in HÃÂstinapura (54).
In sarga 55 we are briefly told how Aniruddha, PradyumnaâÂÂs son, is kidnapped by the daughter of King BÃÂna. Aniruddha and his bride are rescued and brought back to DvÃÂravatë.
Then Jinasena picks up the biography of Nemi and the story of how he became a Tërthankara (55âÂÂ59). Krishna noticed that his young nephew had grown up to a man of unequalled force and becomes worried for his own sovereignty. He also arranges for Nemi to marry. Just before the wedding Nemi wanders around the park where he sees the crying animals lined up to be slaughtered for the wedding feast. He becomes filled with disgust for the world and decides to renounce. The gods come to honour him and take him to Uttarakuru where he begins his meditation. Nemi attains kevala and roams the land to preach to his followers. In sarga 60 Nemi narrates the previous birth stories of KrishnaâÂÂs wives. Devakë gives birth to another son, GajakumÃÂra, who, also on his wedding day, renounces the world. All the Daà ÂÃÂrhas (except Vasudeva), VasudevaâÂÂs wives (except Devakë and Rohinë), and KrishnaâÂÂs daughters become mendicants.
Questioned by Krishna, Nemi foretells DvÃÂravatëâÂÂs downfall (61). Twelve years later, as predicted, the city and all its inhabitants are burnt by a vengeful god, who, when in a former existence he was an ascetic named DvëpÃÂyana, was insulted by DvÃÂravatëâÂÂs drunken young princes. Only Krishna and Baladeva escape the burning city alive. On their way south to the Pandavas Krishna rests under a tree while Baladeva goes to fetch some water. JaratkumÃÂra, BaladevaâÂÂs and Krishna's half-brother, who, in order to avoid killing Krishna as Nemi had predicted, had left DvÃÂravatë twelve years earlier to live in the forest as a hunter, mistakes Krishna's foot for a deer and shoots him. Krishna dies and is reborn in the third hell. JaratkumÃÂra goes to the PÃÂndavas to bring them the news of DvÃÂravatëâÂÂs downfall and KrishnaâÂÂs demise (62). Baladeva cannot accept KrishnaâÂÂs death and roams around carrying KrishnaâÂÂs corpse with him. A god, his charioteer in a previous life, brings him to his senses, upon which he renounces the world (63).
The PÃÂndavas install JaratkumÃÂra as their successor and visit Nemi, from whom they hear about their previous lives (64). Sarga 65 describes the nirvÃÂna of Nemi and the liberation of the main characters. The Hari lineage is continued by JaratkumÃÂra. In the final sarga the genealogy of the Hari dynasty is enumerated up to Jitaà Âatru, the monk about whom Shrenika had requested to hear the whole story. Shrenika then returns home and MahÃÂvëra attains nirvÃÂõa. The Harivamà ÂapurÃÂna ends with an account of MahÃÂvëraâÂÂs lineage up to Caturmuni.