Vardhaman Charitam

SR No.: 022642
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Ratnachandra Muni, Chunilal V Shah
Publisher: Chunilal V Shah
Publication Year: 1931
Total Pages: 514
Language: Sanskrit, Hindi
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 29 MB

Page 9

- 2 -
A Hindi translation of VP was prepared by Pt. Khubchand Shastri and also published some years back (Surat 1917). Both VP and SP wera edited and translated into Marathi by Pt. J. P. Phadakule and published by the late Raoji Sakharam Doshi from Sholapur in 1931 and 1935 respectively. The former was in book size, but the latter, in Pothi size with loose sheets.
Asaga gives some information about himself in both these works at their end. It is better that the verses are reproduced here mainly based on the printed editions, for ready reference, because the translators have not taken them identically (VP, XVIII 102-5 )
कृतं महावीरचरित्रमेतन्मया परस्वप्रतिबोधनार्थम् । सप्ताधिकत्रिंशभवप्रबन्धं पुरूरवाद्यन्तिमवीरनाथम् ॥ १०२।।
वर्धमानचरित्रं यः प्रत्याख्याति शृणोति च ।
तस्येह परलोकस्य सौख्यं संजायते तराम् ।। १०३ ॥ संवत्सरे दशनवोत्तरवर्षयुक्ते भावादिकीर्तिमुनिनायकपादमूले । मौद्गल्यपर्वतनिवासवनस्थसंपत् सच्छ्राविकाप्रजनिते सति वा ममत्वे ॥१०॥ विद्या मया प्रपठितेत्यसगाह्वयेन श्रीनाथराज्यमखिलं जनतोपकारि ।
प्राप्यैव चोडविषये विरलानगर्यां ग्रन्थाष्टकं च समकारि जिनोपदिष्टम् ॥१०५॥ Pt. Jinadasa and Pt. Pannalal differ in grouping these verses and also in translating them. In my opinion, the verse No. 103 is either misplaced, or it is a later addition. So I leave that verse altogether: it just mentions the fruit of propounding and hearing this MC in this and in the next world. I would group together verses Nos, 102 and 10, and take 105 independently, To render them freely: With a view to enlightening myself (i. e., author ) and others,this Mahāvīra-caritra, in which are described thirty-seven Bhavas beginning with that of Purūrava and ending with that of Viranātha, was composed by me (i.e., Asaga) in the Samvatsara 910 at the feet of the great monk Bhāvakirti, liking for or interest ( mamatva ) in it being evinced by a pious Srāvikā who dwelt on the mount Maudgalya in a park ( or who dwelt in a settlement Vana by name on the mount Maudgalya. Various branches of learning were studied by me, Asaga by name. And having reached (prāpya) the kingdom of Srinātha, which was beneficial to all the people, eight works dealing with Jainism or incorporating the instructions of Jina, were composed by me in the town of Viralā (also read as Varalā or Dharalā) in the Coda territory.
In this context it is interesting to note that the concluding verses are not identical in all the Mss. of the VC. Peterson, in his Report for 1886-92, gives the conclu
1. In this ed. it is a misprint that the word anuştup, which should have been the
title forthe stanza, has got mixed up in the verse. 2. A readng vratastha for vanastha would upset the metre. A reading like this is also available :
Fi g ufaa afa faca