Tiloya Panatti is one of the earlier Prakrit

Prakrit

Prakrit is the name for a group of Middle Indic, Indo-Aryan languages, derived from Old Indic dialects. The word itself has a flexible definition, being defined sometimes as, "original, natural, artless, normal, ordinary, usual", or "vernacular", in contrast to the literary and religious...

 texts on Jain cosmology

Jain cosmology

Jain cosmology is the description of the shape and functioning of the physical and metaphysical Universe and its constituents according to Jainism, which includes the canonical Jain texts, commentaries and the writings of the Jain philosopher-monks...

 composed by Acarya Yativrshabha.

The subject matter

Jain Cosmology

Jain Cosmology

Jain cosmology is the description of the shape and functioning of the physical and metaphysical Universe and its constituents according to Jainism, which includes the canonical Jain texts, commentaries and the writings of the Jain philosopher-monks...

 has a unique perception of the Universe. It perceives different solar and lunar entities in a manner that is different from the current cosmology as well those put forward by different cultures. According to Jain cosmology, this universe is an uncreated entity existing since beginningless time. The Universe is made up of what Jains call six dravya or reals or substances - Living beings, non-living things or matter, space, time and the principles of motion and rest. The universe itself is divided abode of gods, abode of humans and animals, and abode of hellish beings.

Contents

The Tiloya Panatti is a Prakrit work in the Jain Shauraseni dialect and has been composed primarily in the Arya metre

Arya metre

Āryā meter is a meter used in Sanskrit and Prakrit verses. A verse in āryā metre is in four metrical feet called pādas. Unlike the majority of meters employed in classical Sanskrit, the āryā meter is based on the number of mātrās per pāda...

. The work has a total of 5677 verses divided into 9 chapters. The chapter scheme is as under:

1. The Entire Universe (Loka)
2. The World of Hells (Naraka
   Naraka (Jainism)
   Naraka नरक is the name given to realm of existence in Jain cosmology having great suffering. Naraka is usually translated into English as "hell" or "purgatory". However, a Naraka differs from the hells of Abrahamic religions as souls are not sent to Naraka as the result of a divine judgment and...
   
   )
3. The World of Mansion-dwelling demigods (Bhuvanavasi)
4. The World of Humans (Manushya)
5. The World of Sub-human species - plants, animals, insects, etc. (Tiryanca)
6. The World of Peripatetic demigods
7. The World of Light
8. The World of Heavens
9. The World of the Siddhas - the liberated ones (Siddhashila
   Siddhashila
   Siddhashila is an area in Jain cosmology at the apex of the universe, which is where the Jains believe people who have become Arihants, or people with infinite knowledge, go after they die and attain moksha or nirvana. Such people are called siddhas after they discard their mortal body, hence the...
   
   )

The Language and style

The Jain Shauraseni used in this work would seem to suggest that this work predates the Western recensions of the Agamas that took place in Valabhi in the 6th century CE. In addition to cosmology, this work sheds light on Jain dogmatics, culture, history, mythology and ascetic lineages. Of the 5677 gathas

Gathas

The Gathas are 17 hymns believed to have been composed by Zarathusthra himself. They are the most sacred texts of the Zoroastrian faith.-Structure and organization:...

, most are in the Arya metre, but other metres such as Shardulavikridita, Vasantatilaka, Indravajra, Dodhaka, Svagata and Malini have also been used. Apart from the gathas, there are several long passages in prose.

The authorship

Acarya Yativrshabha is known for his important commentary on the Kasayapahuda, (Treatise on Passions), which is dated in the early centuries of the Common Era. Hence it is speculated that Acarya Yativrshabha belonged to 4-5th century CE.