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90
Panchasaye Chabbise
Sarvarthasiddhi
Vikkramarayassa
Maranapatassa |
Mahara Jado Davidyayo
Mahamoho ||
We have already mentioned the list of the Nandisangh in the previous section. In it, the time of Devanandi (Pujiyapada) is given from Vikram Samvat 258 to 308. After mentioning Jayanandi and Gunanandi, the name of Vajranandi is mentioned. We have also mentioned the lineage of Shubhachandracharya, the author of the Pandavapurana. In this too, the names of all the Acharyas of the Nandisangh are mentioned according to the list of the Nandisangh. But in this, after Devanandi, the name of Gunanandi is mentioned and then the name of Vachananandi is given. Here, although we may accept that this difference between the two is not very important, because according to the earlier tradition, those who received the lineage of the Acharyas in a particular order mentioned their names in that order, and in such a situation, it is natural for one or more names to be omitted or changed. But the biggest question is about the time of Acharya Pujiyapada. The names of the Acharyas mentioned in the copper plate of Merkara do not include the name of Pujiyapada, and Durvinita, the son of Avinita, was his Vidya Guru, so it seems that the names of the Acharyas preceding Acharya Pujiyapada have been omitted from the list of the Nandisangh. The names of the monks mentioned in the copper plate of Merkara are: Gunachandra, Abhayanandi, Shilabhadra, Jananandi, Gunanandi and Chandranandi. And in the list of the Nandisangh, two names, Jayanandi and Gunanandi, are mentioned between Acharya Devanandi and Vachananandi. The name Gunanandi is also mentioned in the copper plate of Merkara, and it is possible that the one whose name is given as Jananandi in the copper plate of Merkara is the same as Jayanandi mentioned in the list of the Nandisangh. If this assumption is correct, then it solves two problems. Firstly, it confirms the assumption that the names of some Acharyas preceding Acharya Pujiyapada have been omitted from the list of the Nandisangh. Secondly, according to the names mentioned in the copper plate of Merkara, the two Acharyas mentioned after Acharya Pujiyapada in the list of the Nandisangh, are considered to be preceding Acharya Pujiyapada, and according to the mention in the Darshanasara, Vachananandi is considered to be succeeding Acharya Pujiyapada. And in this way, the difficulty that appears in determining their time is resolved. Thus, considering all these facts, it can be said that Acharya Pujiyapada should be considered to be a contemporary of the middle period from the latter half of the 5th century Vikram to the first half of the 6th century. Shriman Pandit Nathuramji Premi and other scholars also have almost the same opinion.
1- See Jain Literature and History pp. 115 etc. Premiji, while considering the time of Acharya Pujiyapada, agrees with the opinion of late Dr. Kashinath Bapuji Pathak.
We have concluded from that.