Arhat Parshva and Dharnendra Nexus

SR No.: 002108
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: M A Dhaky
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 204
Language: English, Hindi
Classification: Book_English, Articles, History, Art, E000, & E001
File Size: 8 MB

Page 20

Arbat Pārśva and Dharanendra Nexus
historically speaking, is far from considerable as far as the record goes. The other agmas such as the Vyākhyāprajñapti(c. 1st-3rd cent. A.D.), the jñātādharmakathă(c. 3rd 4th cent. A.D.), and the Vrsnidaśā (c. 3rd 4th cent. A.D.) give a few more details; also, the Avaśyaka-niryukti (c. A.D. 525), the Avaśyaka-cūrni (c. A.D. 600-650), and the Tirthāvakālika-prakirnaka(c. A.D. 550) have recorded some interesting additional particulars about him and at least in one case about a few of his followers. There are likewise a few details recorded in the southern Nirgrantha surrogate āgama, the Trilokaprajñapti(c. A.D. 550 with many tenth century additions). The pre-medieval and medieval caritas of, and poems and hymns addressed to Pārśva (and the pre-medieval comprehensive purānic Digambara work such as the Uttarapurāna of Gunabhadra, C. A.D. 850), had largely depended on earlier sources. They add nothing more of significance except, of course, in some cases, a poetic description of the famous upasarga-episode of Pārsvanatha.
II
The original agama and āgamic works belonging to the sect of Arhat Pārsva, among them were what were called the 14 Pūrva texts, a few of which could have thrown clearer (and perhaps considerable) light on the Jina's biography, are largely lost, assumably for many, many centuries. We are today dependent on what scanty references to him are scattered through the agmas of the alpacela-Nirgrantha sect, in essence and in a small measure preserving also the books of the more ancient acela-Nirgrantha of Arhat Vardhamāna,' and now surviving within the fold of the sacred scripture of the sacela or the Svetambara sect;10 these have been mentioned in the foregoing passages along with some relevant āgamic commentarial works, the latter doubtless were the products legitimately of the Svetāmbara sect." According to all these sources, Pārsva was born in Ikşvāku/Ugra12 dynasty in Vārāṇasī; his parents were king Aśvasena and queen Vamā.13 His height was 10 ratnīs or hastas (c. 15 ft.?), a dimension for human stature which of course lay in the realm of improbability. He was of blue/black complexion.14 At the age 3015, he had renounced the world; had preached till he passed away at the ripe age of 100 on Sammeta (or preferably Sammeda)-saila.16
The Caturvidha-Sangha or the four-fold congregation of the sect of Pārsva, as was to be with Arhat Vardhamana, consisted of munis and äryās (friars and nuns) together with their ganadhara-apostles and the upāsakas or śrāvakas and upăsikās or śrāvikās, lay men and women followers. The Samvāyānga reports that Parsva had eight ganas or cohorts of friars and nuns with corresponding eight ganadharas: 17 the