Sruta Sarita

SR No.: 001940
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre
Publication Year: 2001
Total Pages: 310
Language: English, Prakrit, Hindi
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Articles
File Size: 18 MB

Page 86

ON BHADREŚVARA'S KAHĀVALI
77
K.1.2 : Modern copy of S. 1 and S. 2 on paper, kept in Kantivijayji Collection
(Baroda), nos. 1979-1980. It was made in V. S. 1971 (= 1914 A. D.).
The work is so extensive and the mss are so corrupt that nobody up to this time has edited it. Thus, it is still unpublished.
Date of Bhadreśvara The ms of the K (S. 1) is dated V.S. 1497 (= 1440 A. D.). On the other hand, K's first chapter and its ms. also ends with the life of Haribhadra whose date is fixed by Āc. Jinavijayji as the 8th century A. D. Thus, Bhadreśvara should be put between the 9th and the 15th century. In his introduction to the Cauppannamahäpurisacariya', Pt. Amrtlal Bhojak places him between V. S. 1050 and V. S. 1150 (= 993-1093 A. D.).
I have collected some information about Bhadreśvara. It runs as follows:
(1) At the end of the ms. of Siddhahemaśabdanuśānarahasya-vrtti, it is stated :
<< samvat 1218 varse... Pathanena śrī Bhadreśvarasūriyogya-pustakam likhitam >>. This shows that Bhadreśvara was existent in V. S. 1218 (= 1161 A. D.). But no more information is given about him.
(2) In the praśasti of the Cc ms. no. 131, we learn that Ratnaprabha, the pupil
of Devasúri wrote Upadeśamālāvrtti to please Bhadreśvarasūri who was pupil of Devasūri. This was composed in V. S. 1238 (= 1181 A. D.). Thus we can
say that in 1181 A. D. Bhadreśvara was living. (3) In Cc ms no. 176 Vivekamañjariprakaranam satīkam, the commentator
Bālacandrasūri informs us that Devendra (= Devasūri) established Bhadreśvara as a sūri by his own hand, that Abhayadevasūri was the pupil of Bhadreśvara, and that Āsada wrote a commentary on Vivekamañjarī in V. S. 1248 (= 1191 A. D.) on the advice of Abhayadevasūri. This also confirms the existence of Bhadreśvara before 1191 A. D.
(4) Cc. no 202 Säntināthacaritra which was composed by Munidevasūri in V. S.
1322 (= 1265 A. D.) confirms that Bhadreśvara's gaccha was Brhadgaccha and also gives the following lineage : Municandra, Devasūri, Bhadreśvarasūri, Abhayadeva, Madanacandra, Pradyumna, Jayasimhasūri,
Munidevasūri. Thus we are sure that Bhadreśvara did exist before 1265 A. D. (5) The praśasti of a ms of Nemicandra's commentary on Uttarādhyayana copied
in V. S. 1308 (= 1251 A. D.) mentions the following lineage of the Candragaccha? : Nannasūri, Vādisūri, Sarvadevasūri, Pradyumnasūri; and when all of them died, Bhadreśvara became the sūri (head of the gaccha);