With reference to Indian history, consider the following texts:
- 1.Nettipakarana
- 2.Parishishtaparvan
- 3.Avadanashataka
- 4.Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana
Which of the above are Jaina texts?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 4 only
Parishishtaparvan and the Trishashtilakshana Mahapurana are Jaina works. Avadanashataka (a collection of avadanas) is Buddhist. UPSC's key gives only 2 and 4 as Jaina.
- ✗ 1. UPSC's official key treats this statement as incorrect; we could not confirm the detail from an official source, so we do not explain it here.
- ✓ 2. Parishishtaparvan is a Jaina work: IGNOU's study material lists it among the Jain scriptures known as the Parvas.
- ✗ 3. Avadanashataka means 'a hundred avadanas'. Avadanas are Buddhist stories, centred on the Buddha's explanations of a person's worthy deeds in a previous life, so this is a Buddhist work.
- ✓ 4. The Mahapurana is a Jaina work; NCERT names it among the manuscript works portraying Jain subjects.
Remember · Jaina: Parishishtaparvan and the Mahapurana. Buddhist: Avadanashataka (a collection of avadanas).
📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 12 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part II, Ch 1 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Ch 4 (practise this chapter)
Sources
- NCERT Class 12 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part II, Chapter 1 “A large group of works of the same period, portraying Hindu and Jain subjects, such as the Mahapurana, Chaurpanchashika, Aranyaka Parvan of the Mahabharata, Bhagvata Purana, Gita Govinda”
- NCERT Class 11 · An Introduction to Indian Art, Part I, Chapter 4 “The themes of the paintings are the events from the life of the Buddha, the Jatakas and the Avadanas.”
- IGNOU (eGyankosh), Unit 6: Jain, Buddhist and Other Sects ↗ · reference work “Jain scriptures are collectively referred to as the Parvas. These texts have a religious perspective and include notable works such as Parishishtaparvan, Bhadra Bahucharita, Avasyakasutra, Acharanga Sutra, Bhagwati Sutra, and Kalika Purana”
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: avadana ↗ · reference work “legendary material centring on the Buddha’s explanations of events by a person’s worthy deeds in a previous life”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·