Page Text
________________
B.6.0.1
Bhagavati Arādhanā Mrs. Manjusha Sethi
The whole of the Jaina exegetical literature is comprised in the dvādasāngi. The Ganadharas of Tirthamkara Mahāvīra, who heard his divine sound, passed on this knowledge to their disciples. The śrutajñāna of Lord Mahāvīra passed on in this fashion for almost 683 years. Due the diminishing power of the memory and lack of concentration this oral tradition could not continue. This led to the loss of the knowledge. The need to procure the knowledge in writing that is in script arose. Those ācāryas who did this work were known as śrutadhara ācāryas. Those ācāryas who followed the tradition and composed the works; their works were kept in the category of the agamas.
Bhagavati Arādhanā- Sivārya is the author of this important work. This work can be kept in the category of agamas. This literary work is a mainly about and on the code of conduct of the monks. Ācārānga is an important part of the dvādasāngi. This anga is comprised of 18000 padas. Sivārya has asserted that he being a person of a little less knowledge has written his work of 2263 sūtras keeping this important work in mind. This āradhanā is one of the work which is has very vast content in it and this can be known from its content.
From the above mentioned aphorisms it can be said that this literary work is composed by Sivarya. There is hardly any mention of Sivarya in other works, genealogies, inscriptions etc.
Bhagavati Ārādhana is written in Mahārāshtri Prakrit. From the linguistic point of view, from the context and the content it is established that this work is composed in around 2nd or 3rd centuryA.D.
Though the original work in lost or is unavailable to us till date; there are many commentaries written on it. Through the commentaries the original work can undisputedly restored back.
Bhagavati Ārādhanā has the following commentaries on it: 1. Vijayodayā Țikā- Aparājitasūri has written a commentary in Sanskrit in the 7th century. 2. Mulārādhanā Darpana- Pt. Āsādhara has written a commentary in Sanskrit in the 13th
century. 3. Arādhanā Pañcikā- The author is unknown. This is written in the 14th century.
STUDY NOTES version 5.0
Page 379 of 385
| SR No. | 007712 |
| Book Title | ISJS Jainism Study Notes E5 Vol 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | International School for Jain Studies |
| Publisher | International School for Jain Studies |
| Publication Year | 2012 |
| Total Pages | 404 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 13 MB |