Unknown Pilgrims

SR No.: 007014
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: N Shanta
Publisher: Sri Satguru Publications Delhi
Publication Year: 1997
Total Pages: 820
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 19 MB

Page 204

184
The Unknown Pilgrims
Mahānanda Sri Mahattară and Viramati Ganini
On these two we know very little, except that their names are given by Maladhāri Hemacandra Sūri at the end of his lengthy commentary on the Viseşāvaśyaka-bhāsya of Haribhadra Sūri, in the list of the seven persons, including five gaņis, who assisted him. In view of the subject-matter of the text, this reference, brief as it is, indicates the great merits of these two sādhvis. 137.
Jñāna Šri Āryikā
She is the author of a tippani or gloss on the commentary of a text of logic, the Nyāyāvatāra-sūtra, written in Sanskrit. The manuscript gives no date, but mentions that she was the disciple of Sarvadeva Sūri, who lived in the XIIIth -XIVth centuries. 138 She belonged to the same period and very probably lived in Rājasthāna. The manuscript concludes thus:
After consideration, Jñāna Śri, of outstanding virtues, (was] pressed by her guru Ācārya Sarvadeva Sūri.(to write the tippani] forthwith.139
Gunasamrddhi Mahattarā
A disciple of Jinacandra Sūri, she was the author of a kathā (history) in Prākrit of Anjanāsundari, the Mother of Hanumān, the
Durgasvāmiguruņam śișiyakayeyam Gaņābhidhayā. Prasasti (colophon) last v.p. 1240. Śruta-devată also refers to the goddess Sarasvati; cf. Bhattacharya, 1974, pp. 122-123.
137 Visesavasyaka-bhāsya "sisyahita" brhad-vrtti, p. 1357. Maladhāri Hemacandra Sūri was the disciple of Abhayadeva Sūri, and lived at the beginning of the XIIth c. not to be confused with the great Acārya Hemacandra of the same epoch.
138 Cf. K.C. Jain, 1963, p. 155.
139 iti saṁnidhaya citte Jñānaśriràryikā guņairvaryā
ācārya Sarvadevainirjagurubhiḥ preritā sapadi. Jesalmer Coll. NC, No 364 (1); p. 157.