Kartikeyanupreksha

SR No.: 002713
Original Sutra Author: Swami Kumar
Author: A N Upadhye, Kailashchandra Shastri
Publisher: Paramshrut Prabhavak Mandal
Publication Year: 2005
Total Pages: 594
Language: Hindi, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari, Religion, & Spiritual
File Size: 15 MB

Page 85

66
KĀRTTIKEYANUPREKŞA
This specification of the author's name as Kārttikeya has led to some other deductions if not complications. While explaining gāthā N Subhacandra has an illustrative remark to this effect :
स्वामिकार्तिकेयमुनिः क्रोञ्चराजकृतोपसर्ग सोडा साम्यपरिणामेन समाधिमरणेन देवलोकं प्राप्तः ।
Some have induced themselves to believe that here is a reference to the author of the Kattigeyānuppekkhā. Even Subhacandra who is, more than any one else, responsible for using the name Kārttikeya for Kumāra, does not state that here is a reference to the author on whose work he is writing a commentary. So there is no evidence at all to identify the author Kumāra, called Kārttikeya (along with the title Svāmi) with this Svāmi-Kārttikeya of pre-historic, if not legendary, fame who suffered the troubles inflicted on him by Krauñca-rāja.
The Kathākośas give the biography of Kárttikeya (originally Kārttika) who was hit by king Krauñca; and the basic verse for the story runs thus in the Bhagavati Arādhanā (1549):
रोहेडयम्मि सत्तीए हओ कोंचेण भग्गिदइदो वि। तं वेयणमधियासिय पडिवण्णो उत्तम भट्टे॥
In this connection the following three gāthās from the Sarthāraga deserve special attention (67-69):
जल्लमलपंकधारी थाहारो सीलसंजमगुणाणं । अज्जीरणो य गीओ कत्तिय-अज्जो सुरवरम्मि ॥ रोहीडगम्मि नयरे आहारं फासुयं गवसंतो। कोवेण खत्तिएण य भिम्रो सत्तिप्पहारेण ॥ एगतमणावाए वित्थिपणे थंडिले चइय देहं । सो वि तह भिमदेहो पडिवन्नो उत्तमं अटुं॥
The Bha, A. mentions Aggidayidowhich according to the Vijayodayā is Agni-rāja-sutaḥ, but according to the Mülārādhanā-darpana of Asādhara Agni-rājanāmnaḥ putraḥ Kārtikeya-samjñaḥ. The Saṁthāraga inentions the name Kattiya (with the title ajja), and so also the Brhat Kathākosa (Story No. 136) Kārtika (with the title Svāmi), and not specifically Kārttikeya.? The detailed biography of this brave saint is given in the Kathākosas of Harişena,“ Sricandra, Prabhācandra, Nemidatta and others.
1) Prakirna-dasakam, Āgamodaya Samiti, 46, Bombay 1927. See also Über die vom Sterbefasten handelnden älteru Painna des Jaina-Kanons by Kurt von Kamerz, Hamburg 1929, pp. 26-27.
2) Note also the popular legend ( already gven above p. 65 ) how Kārttikeya was born out of fire.
3) According to Akalanka, the tale of Kārttika was found in the Anuttaradasā. See also Dhavalā, vol. I, p. 104 ; the readings are gradually drifting from Kārtika to Kārttikeya.
4) A. N. UPADHYE: Brhat Kathākośa Intro., pp. 26, 32, 79, and the text pp. 324 f.