Svarupa Sambodhana

SR No.: 022420
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Hindi Granth Karyalay
Publication Year: 2011
Total Pages: 36
Language: Sanskrit, Hindi, English
Classification: Book_Devnagari & Book_English
File Size: 8 MB

Page 4

Introduction
Title of the work : The title of this small work is Svarūpasaṁbodhanam. The word svaḥ means the soul. The word rūpam means nature. So svasya rūpam means nature of the soul. The word sam means samyak, right. And the word bodhanam means instruction'. So the complete title svarūpásaṁbodhanam means ‘Right instruction on the nature of the soul.' Thus the title clearly points out the subject-matter of the work.
Autho
Regarding the authorship of the work there are two traditions. According to one tradition its author is Bhatta Akalankadeva while according to another tradition its author is Mahasena, a pupil of Naya sena. Saptabhangītarangint supports the first tradition as it quotes the third verse of Svarūpasaṁbodhanam with the following preceding remark: taduktam Akalarkadevaih. Again Dr. Vidyabhushan and Nathuram Premi consider Akalankadeva to be the author of the work. Padmaprabhamaladhārīdeva's Sanskrit commentary on Niyamasāra supports the second tradition. Therein the 12th and the 4th verses of the work are quoted with the following remarks preceding those verses respectively: 'uktañ ca şappavatipāşandivijayopārjitaviśālakīrtibhir Mahasenapanditadevaih' and 'tathā coktaṁ ŚrīMahāsenapanditadevaih.' Of the two traditions the first one is widely upheld. So we too accept the first tradition which considers Akalankadeva to be the author of the work.
1. One may consult Apte's Sanskrit-English Dictionary. 2. p.79 3. History of the Medieval School of Indian Logic, p. 26
Akalankadeva's Life and Works : Akalankadeva is a great Jaina logician. As is the case with other outstanding figures, the brilliant personality of Akalanka too is surrounded by legends. But it is almost certain that he flourished between 720 A.D. and 780 A.D.; that he belonged to Mānyakheța; that he was a son of Purusottama, a minister of Subhatunga of Mānyakheta; that he stayed in the Buddhist matha to study Buddhist philosophy and that he had debates with a Buddhist teacher at the court of king Himasītala of Kalinga. Akalanka composed several brilliant works on Jaina logic - Laghīyastraya, Nyāyaviniscaya, Pramānasangraha, Siddhiviniscaya. These are his original works. On all these