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 485

APPENDIX I
SOMADEVA AND THE PRATIHARA COURT OF KANAUJ
A statement in the anonymous commentary on Somadeva's Nitivakyamṛta appears to show that the work was written at the instance of a king of Kanauj named Mahendradeva or Mahendrapaladeva. The commentator, whose date is unknown, mentions, however, a Jaina monk named Municandra as the author of Nitivakyamṛta, and describes Somadeva as his guru.1 This is, of course, contrary to all that we know about Somadeva who gives a lot of information about himself in the colophons to his Yasastilaka and Nitiväkyämṛta.
It has recently been suggested by some scholars' that Somadeva may have passed some time at Kanauj: and, during his sojourn there, he was encouraged to compose his Nitiväkyāmṛta by Mahendrapala I (circa 893-907 A. D.), or more probably, by Mahendrapala II who is known to have reigned about the middle of the tenth century A. D. The Partabgarh Inscription of the time of Mahendrapala II of Kanauj is, for instance, dated Samvat 1003946 A. D. Ep. Ind. Vol. XIV, pp. 176-188). But the supposed connection of Somadeva with the Pratihara court of Kanauj can hardly be accepted as a historical fact; as, unlike his association with the Deccan, it is mentioned neither in the colophons to his works nor in the Parbhani inscription.
It has been suggested that the following acrostic verse found at the end of the first Book of Yasastilaka contains a veiled reference to Mahendrapala.
सोऽयमाशार्पितयशा महेन्द्रामरमान्यधीः । देयात्ते संततानन्दं वस्त्वभीष्टं जिनाधिपः ॥
The first letter of each foot of the verse gives, when combined, he name Somadeva, as pointed out in Śrutasagara's commentary; but it is extremely doubtful if there is any word-play in the expression mahendramarananya-dhiḥ leading to the surmise that Mahendramara stands for Mahendraleva or Mahendrapala. Apart from the fact that the commentator is not ware of any such word-play, Mahendramara might very well refer to MahenIradeva, the elder brother of Somadeva, mentioned in the colophon to his Vitiväkyämṛta.
As pointed out elsewhere, Yaśodeva, the spiritual ancestor of Somaleva, belonged to the Devasamgha, according to the latter's own statement in Yasastilaka; but, according to the Parbhani inscription, Yasodeva belonged to he Gaudasamgha. It is possible that the Gaudasamgha was connected with he Gauda country, and Yasodeva may have lived there. It is also possible hat the Gauḍasamgha, after its migration from Bengal, came to be known as
1 'तथा स्वगुरोः सोमदेवस्य च प्रणामपूर्वकं शास्त्रस्य तत्कर्तृत्वं ख्यापयितुं ......मुनिचन्द्राभिधानः क्षपणकव्रतधर्त्ता नीतिवाक्यामृतकर्त्ता '
2
See Raghavan in New Indian Antiquary, Vol. VI, p. 67 and Pt. Premi in Jaina Siddhanta Bhaskara, vol. XI, p. 90.