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74.
There is no difficulty in saying that Nandi Acharya lived after Vikrama Samvat 1070. However, it cannot be said exactly how long after. It can be said for sure that he lived before Pandit Ashadharji, because Pandit Ashadharji in his own commentary on 'Sagar Dharma Amrit', which was completed in Vikrama Samvat 1296, mentions the story of 'Panchumbar Sahyanai' from Vasunandi Shravakacharki, writing: - _ 'Iti Vasunandi Saiddhantimate Darshanpratimaayam Pratipannastasyedam. Tanmatenaiv Vratpratima Bibhrato Brahmananuvratam Syat Tadyatha - Pavvesu Isthiseva......।'
Besides this, in the commentary on 'Anangar Dharma Amrit', which was completed in Vikrama Samvat 1300, Ashadharji has also mentioned Vasunandi's Acharavrittika as follows:
'Etatch Bhagavad Vasunandi Saiddhantadeva Padair Achartikaayaam 'Duo Nadam Jahajadam' Ityadisatre Vyakhyatam Drishtvyam.'
In such a situation, Vasunandi Acharya should be a scholar of Vikrama's 12th or 13th century - somewhere between Vikrama Samvat 1070 and 1296. The Guru Parampara given in his Shravakachar shows that he was a disciple of 'Nemichandra' and a great-grand disciple of 'Nayanandi', and Nayanandi was a disciple of 'Shrinandi'. Mention of some donations given to Shrinandi is found in a broken Kannada inscription* from Gudigeri, which is dated Shaka Samvat 998, and it shows that 'Shrinandi' was present in Vikrama Samvat 1133. In such a situation, the time of his disciple (Nemichandra)'s disciple 'Vasunandi' is estimated to be the last part of the 12th century and possibly the beginning of the 13th century. Therefore, this commentary, which mentions Vasunandi's words, seems to have been written in the 13th century - almost four hundred years after 'Pramaye Kamal Martand' - and could not have been written by Prabhachanda Acharya, the author of 'Pramaye Kamal Martand'.
_* See, Indian Antiquary, Volume 18, Page 38, Ind. Ant., XVIII, P. 38
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