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 38

1. SOMADEVA AND HIS AGE
Śrutasagara's commentary on the Prabhṛtas of Kundakunda.' The following verse of Yasastilaka (VIII. 34) is found with a slight variation in Śivakoti's Ratnamālā, this writer being different from the ancient author of that name. सर्व एव हि जैनानां प्रमाणं लौकिको विधिः । यत्र सम्यक्त्वहानिर्न यत्र न व्रतदूषणम् ॥ The following three verses are cited from Yasastilaka VI. 1 in Subhacandra's Jñānārṇava (under 4. 27).
ज्ञानहीने क्रिया पुंसि परं नारभते फलम् । तरोश्छायेव किं लभ्या फलश्रीर्नष्टदृष्टिभिः ॥ ज्ञानं पक्रिया चान्धे निःश्रद्धे नार्थकृद्द्वयम् । ततो ज्ञानं क्रिया श्रद्धा त्र्यं तत्पदकारणम् ॥ हतं ज्ञानं क्रियाशून्यं हता चाज्ञानिनः क्रिया । धावन्नप्यन्धको नष्टः पश्यन्नपि च पङ्गुकः ॥
19
It may be noted that the third verse does not belong to Somadeva, as it appears in his work as a quotation introduced by the phrase uktam ca. Another verse of Somadeva occurring in Yasastilaka VI. 21 is quoted in Jñānārṇava (under 6. 8): uktam ca granthantare:
sai मदाश्चाष्टौ तथानायतनानि षट् । अष्टौ शङ्कादयश्चेति दृग्दोषाः पञ्चविंशतिः ॥ 3 Somadeva's verse
कर्ता न तावदिह कोऽपि घियेच्छया वा दृष्टोऽन्यथा कटकृतावपि स प्रसंग: ।
कार्य किमत्र सदनादिषु तक्षकाद्यैराहत्य चेत् त्रिभुवनं पुरुषः करोति ॥ ( Yasastilaka 2. 139 ) is quoted anonymously in Sarvadarsanasamgraha in the chapter on Jaina philosophy. A verse occurring in Yasastilaka in the philosophical dialogue towards the end of Book V (p. 257) is quoted as follows in Anantavirya's commentary on Parikṣāmukhasutra (Viṣayasamuddeśa): tatha coktam
तदहर्जस्त नेहातो रक्षोदृष्टेर्भवस्मृतेः । भूतानन्वयनात् सिद्धः प्रकृतिज्ञः सनातनः ॥ इति ।
Hiralal says in his Catalogue of Sanskrit and Prakrit manuscripts in C. P. and Berar (P. XXXII) that in the Stotracatusṭayaṭikā Vidyananda makes frequent references to and quotations from Dhyana-paddhati of Somadeva Sūri. This may be another work by our author.' It is, however, possible that this Dhyana-paddhati is not an independent work; but may turn out to be the elaborate discourse on meditation (Dhyanavidhi) in Yasastilaka VIII. 39.
As a poet, Somadeva's contribution to Karya literature is substantial enough to justify his claim to be regarded as a worthy successor of Magha. The poetry of Yasastilaka has been analysed elsewhere', and it
1 Satprabhṛtādi-samgrahaḥ, Manikacandra Digambara Jaina Granthamala, 17. Included in Siddhāntaṣārādi-sangrahaḥ, Ibidem 22.
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It is uncertain whether the verses are actually quoted by the author of Jñānārṇava or merely occur in the manuscripts of the work. The Janarnava is an original composition in fluent Sanskrit verse dealing with certain aspects of Jaina doctrine. A careful examination of the availablo manuscripts of the work will help to decide whether the quotations are genuine.