________________
XLII:DEVENDRASTAVA
Subject-matter -
Devendrastava presents a detailed analysis of the heavenly gods and thirty-two kings of heavens (Indras) in a well ordered manner. There are 307 verses in some editions of this work while some others have 311. The treatise opens with a benediction in the form of bowing to the Tīrtharkaras from Lord Rsabhadeva to Lord Mahāvīra. Then, the wife of a certain lay believer (Śrāvaka) asks her husband about the thirty-two kings of gods (Devendras) as to who were these thirty-two Indras, where did they live, how many were their heavens, what were their forms. (Verses 3–11). In reply to her query the Śrāvaka describes the Bhavanapatis, the Vāņavyantaras, the Jyotiskas and the Vaimānikas and, in the end, the Siddhas. Now, we shall serially present a description of these categories.
Bhavanpati Indras -
First of all, the description of the twenty Bhavanapati Indras that has been given in this work can be understood from Table-1. (Verses 15-50).
Vāņavyantara gods –
Eight types of Vāņavyantara gods have been described. They are - Piśāca, Bhūta, Rākşasa, Kinnara, Kimpuruşa, Mahoraga and Gandharva. The names of their sixteen kings (Indras) have been mentioned as Kāla. Mahākāla, Surūpa, Pratirūpa, Pūrņabhadra, Manibhadra, Bhīma, Mahābhīma, Kinnara, Kimpurusa, Satpuruşa, Mahāpuruşa, Atikāya, Mahākāya, Gītarati and Gītayasa respectively. These gods are born in any of the lower, middle and upper parts of the universe. Their minimum life-spans are of ten thousand years and the maximum ones are of one Palyopamayears. (Verses 67–80).
Jain Education International
For Personal & Private Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
