Bruhat Katha kosha

SR No.: 016060
Original Sutra Author: Harishen Acharya
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
Publication Year: 1943
Total Pages: 566
Language: Prakrit, Sanskrit
Classification: Dictionary & Dictionary
File Size: 16 MB

Page 83

BRHAT-KATHAKOŚA
This topical analysis gives us not only a definite assurance of the systematic treatment of the subject matter but also some glimpse of the wide range of contents covered by this work. The discussion about Arādhanā, which plays an important part on the eve of a Jaina monk's life, is carried on with such an exhaustive thoroughness that the book has become a valuable mine of Taina ideology with which a monk must he imbued in order to accomplish a successful ascetic life. On account of its dogmatic details, exposition of the basic principles of Jaina asceticism, practical injunctions about saintly life and the behaviour in details, extensive discourses on the mental, verbal and physical discipline of a monk advising him to follow the beneficial and warning him to abstain from the harmful and religio.didactic exhortations, this Bhagavatī Ārādhanā presents a rich survey of Jainism, especially with reference to the theory and practice of ascetic life. The section on anusisti (gāthās 720-1489) is a fine didactic work by itself. Thus, for a Jaina monk, its importance is very great and its study simply indispensable. The systematic exposition of contents in a simple and direct style and with homely similes and illustrations has left such an influence on later Jaina literature that, as far as I recall, many of the subsequent authors like Pūjyapāda, Guņabhadra, Subhacandra, Amitagati and other didactic monk-poets have freely drawn their ideas from this work.
The popular name of this work is Bhagavati Arādhanā; but the genuine title, according to the author himself, is Ārādhanā (No. 2166), Bhagavati being only an honorific appellation added by the text to qualify the practice of Arădhanā (Nos. 2002-3, 2168). This is borne out by the following facts: Arādhană-ţikā is the other name given to Sri-vijayodayā by Aparăjita himself; Devasena's compendium is called Arādhană-săra; Amitagati calls his metrical Sanskrit version Arādhanā (No. 2245), also Bhagavati A., or simply Bhagavati (Nos. 2244, 2247); Prabhācandra mentions it as Mūlārādhanā in his Kathākośa possibly to distinguish it from Amitagati's Aradhana ; and lastly Asādhara also adopts the name Mulārā. dhanā, because he calls his commentary M.-darpaņa. It must be noted that the sanctity and importance of the Arādhanā have led to its being deified; and both Amitagati and Asādhara have glorified and praised the Arādhanā. devatā (pp. 1853, 1855, 1865 etc.). That explains why Bhagavati came to be inseparabely associated with the title Arādhanā.
The author's name is Sivärya' who qualifies himself as päni-dala-bhoi. i. e., a monk that ate his food in the cavity of his palms. He studied the scripture under Jinanandi, Sarvagupta and Mitranandi, and composed this Ārādhanā depending upon the work or composition of earlier Acāryas (Nos. 2165-6). This is all that we learn about the author from this text. One Jinanandi is mentioned in the Altem copper-plates of c. 488 A.D.," and
1 See also Jaina Sāhitya aura Itihāsa by Pt. Premi, pp. 23-40. 2 Some doubt is expressed about the date, see IA, VII, pp. 209-17; XXIX,
pp. 273-8; XXX, p. 218; etc.