Kuvalayamala Part 2

SR No.: 002778
Original Sutra Author: Udyotansuri
Author: A N Upadhye
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1970
Total Pages: 368
Language: Sanskrit, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Literature
File Size: 12 MB

Page 136

INTRODUCTION
97
who, then, enjoyed (suzerainty over) it. He had a son Samprati by name, but far-famed as Vateśvara. And our author Uddyoiana is the son of this Vațeśvara. Thus Uddyotana hails from a ruling Ksatriya family (from Mahādvāra the identification of which is a desideratum), quite pious in its traditions. He was given the name of his grand-father, quite a normal practice in many a renowned family.
Uddyotana gives more details (going back a few generations earlier) about his dīkņā- and sikşā-gurus, i.e., his ascetical and tutorial parentage, as distinguished from the natural one noted above. In the Uttarăpatha, there is a famous town, on the bank of Candrabhāgā, Pavvaīyā by name. It is from there that Torarāya, or Toramāṇa, enjoyed suzerainty over his kingdom (over the earth). His preceptor was Ācārya Harigupta who hailed from the Gupta-vamsa; and at that time (i.e., when Toramāṇa was ruling there), he had his camp (possibly during the rainy season) in that town. His famous pupil was Devagupta, a mahākavi: according to Ms. P, he was expert in various Kalās, well-versed in the Siddhānta and a poet whose fame persisted (even at the time of Uddyotana). Devagupta's pupil, Śivacandraganin, who in his wanderings for paying respects to the temples of) Jina, stayed, like a veritable wish-fulfilling tree, in Bhillamāla-nagara. Sivacandra's pupil was Yakşadatta, a kşamā-s'ramaņa, of great glory and farspreading fame. This Yakşadatta had many pupils endowed with penance, spiritual ability and miraculous gift (in their words); and they rendered the Gūrjara country beautiful by (being instrumental in constructing Jaina) temples. Amongst them the following pupils were like the six faces of Şaņmukha: Nāga, Vțnda, Mammața, Durga, Agnisarman, and the sixth Vateśvara. This Vateśvara had got constructed in the town of Ākāśavapra an attractive temple of Jina the very sight of which would pacify the Karmas of even an Abhavya. He had a pupil Tattvācārya by name who was highly merited, effective with penancial lustre and firm in his religious practices even under adverse times. It is his pupil (namely Uddyotana, having a pen-name or title) Dāksinya-cihna that composed the Kuvalayamālā, with the presence of Hrī-devī in his heart. The ascetic genealogy of Uddyotana stands thus:
Harigupta (a contemporary of
Toramāņa in Pavvaiya) Devagupta
Śivacandra (in Bhillamāla)
Yaksadatta
Nāga
Vịnda
Mammața
Durga
Agniśarman
Vațeśvara!
Tattvācārya
Uddyotana
(Dākṣiṇyacihna) 1 It is an accident that the name of the father of Uddyotana is Vateśvara, and his grandteacher also bore the same name. Names like Vaţeśvara, Uddyotana etc. seem to be of frequent occurrence in certain families in those days.