Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 37

18
YASASTILAKA AND INDIAN CULTURE
the works of the meritorious poets, might have a liking for the utterances of poets like himself, just as they would relish Neem leaves after excessive indulgence in sweets (1. 22-3).
दुर्जनानां विनोदाय बुधानां मतिजन्मने । मध्यस्थानां न मौनाय मन्ये काव्यमिदं भवेत् ॥ सुकविकथामाधुर्यप्रबन्धसेवातिवृद्धजाड्यानाम् । पिचुमन्दकन्दलीष्विव भवतु रुचिर्मद्विधोक्तिषु बुधानाम् ॥
Despite the all-round importance of Somadeva as a writer, he seems to have exercised very little influence in any department of thought outside the sphere of Jaina religious literature. He was completely ignored by the non-Jaina literati, and his literary rehabilitation is due to the interest taken in him by modern research. He seems to have found only one commentator for his Yaśastilaka, the Jaina Srutasāgara Sūri who wrote his works early in the 16th century. As regards Nitivākyāmrt anonymous commentary extant on the work, of unknown date: it is, however, full of quotations from ancient writers on Smrti and polity, and its author was a non-Jaina as he salutes Hari at the beginning of the work."
The literary fortunes of Somadeva are a sad commentary on how the achievement of a writer of genius can be neutralized by sectarian indifference and religious prejudices; but, as we shall see, Somadeva himself was imbued with such influences, and could hardly expect recognition outside the circle of his co-religionists. On matters relating to Jaina dogma he has always been recognised as an authoritative writer, and it is noteworthy that, in a number of verses quoted by Srutasāgara in his commentary on Kundakunda's Bhāvapähuda (V. 34), Somadeva is mentioned among the great teachers of Jainism:
अथ के ते आचार्या यैः कृतं शास्त्रं प्रमाणीक्रियते इत्याहश्रीभद्रबाहुः श्रीचन्द्रो जिनचन्द्रो महामतिः । गृध्रपिच्छगुरुः श्रीमान् लोहाचार्यो जितेन्द्रियः ॥ एलाचार्यः पूज्यपादः सिंहनन्दी महाकविः। वीरसेनो जिनसेनो गुणनन्दी महातपाः॥ समन्तभद्रः श्रीकुम्भः शिवकोटिः शिवंकरः। शिवायनो विष्णुसेनो गुणभद्रगो गुणाधिकः ॥ अकलको महाप्राज्ञः सोमदेवो विदांवरः । प्रभाचन्द्रो नेमिचन्द्र इत्यादिमुनिसत्तमैः ॥ यच्छास्त्रं रचितं नूनं तदेवादेयमन्यकैः । विसंधै रचितं नैव प्रमाणं साध्वपि स्फुटम् ॥
Citations from Yasastiloka are often found in later Jaina literature, e. g., in Padmaprabha's commentary on Niyamasāra (v. 101 ), Asādhara's commentary on his Anugāru-dharmāmrta (2. 75, 9. 81, 98), Brahmadeva's commentary on Yogindudeva's Paramātmaprakasa (2. 15), and frequently in
1 Pt. Premi: Jaina Sähitya aura Itihasa, p. 410. 2 On the quotations in the Commentary, sve O. Stein's paper in the Atmānanda
Centenary Commemoration Volume, Bhavangar 1936, pp. 150-67. A commentary on Nitivākyāmsta in Kannada by a Jaina author is known to exist. It was composed by Nominātha about the middle of the twelfth century A. D. See Pt. Premi (op. cit.), p. 80.