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TILAKAMANJARI OF DHANAPĀLA
of Sarvadeva, a great poet and a philosopher, who composed this Kathā at the instance of Muñjarāja. Sarvadeva belonged to a family of hereditary Brāhmanas. His father was born in a place named Sāṁkāsya situated in the Madhya Pradesh. He married a girl named Dhanaśrī of a very noble family as by Kamal Gogna in 'Dhanapala, A Literary Study' p. 430 (Chārudeva Shastri Felicitation-Volume-2). According to Merutungācārya ___“Formerly in the city (Puri) called Visala (Ujjayini) abounding in riches, there lived a Brāhmaṇa Sarvadeva by name and of Sāṁkāsya gotra, born in the Madhyadeśa. He was inherited by his two sons Dhanapāla and Sobhana after having attained to quietude owing to his adherence to the philosophy of Jina. Sometimes, Srivardhamānasuri, son of Sarvajna came to him and took shelter under him due to love for his virtues. He was cordially greeted by him. He was begged of half of the share under the pretext of a vow after querying after the previous birth hitherto defunct. By symbolic expression he was begged of one of the two sons. He was interdicted not to offer his elder son Dhanapāla who was sceptic about the dicta of the philosophy of Jina. He became complaisant unto Sobhana, the younger one and started for pilgrimage to the holy banks with a view to expiating the sin accrued from showing infirmity in fulfilling the vow. Thereafter he followed that preceptor in company with his younger son Sobhana having presented the other one. Dhanapāla having obtained acquaintance with all the lores prohibited the preaching of Jaina darśana in Dhārā for 12 years. Ultimately he welcomed Sobhana into his home-land appreciating the tolerant attitude of the latter who had responded respectfully to the rebuke of the former (Homage to you, O Jaina monk, having teeth like those of a donkey). By that time Dhanapāla had attained to the status of the foremost among the savants in the court of Bhoja. Dhanapāla attended upon Sobhana having gone to the palace, with victuals and sweet words”. Para 58 in the same
1. पुरा समृद्धिविशालायां विशालायां पुरि मध्यदेशजन्मा साकांश्यगोत्र: सर्वदेवनामा द्विजो निवसन् जैनदर्शनसंसर्गात्प्राय:
प्रशान्तमिथ्यात्वो धनपालशोभनपुत्रद्वयेनान्वितः कदाचिदागतान् वर्धमानसूरीन् गुणानुरागानिजोपाश्रये निवास्यु निर्द्वन्द्वभक्त्या परितोषितान् सर्वज्ञपुत्रकानिति धिया तिरोहितं निजपूर्वजनिधिं पृच्छंस्तैर्वचनच्छलेनार्द्धविभागं याचितः। संकेतनिवेदनाल्लब्धनिधिस्तदर्द्धं यच्छंस्तैः पुत्रद्वयार्द्ध याचितो ज्यायसा धनपालेन मिथ्यात्वान्धमतिना जैनमार्गनिन्दापरेण निषिद्धः कनीयसि शोभने कृपापर: स्वप्रतिज्ञाभङ्गपातकं तीर्थेषु क्षालयितुमिच्छु: प्रतितीर्थं प्रतस्थे। अथ पितृभक्तेन शोभननाम्ना लघुपुत्रेण तं तदाग्रहानिषिध्य पितुः प्रतिज्ञां प्रतिपालयितुमुपातव्रतः स्वयं तान् गुरूननुससार। अभ्यस्तसमस्तविद्यास्थानेन धनपालेन श्रीभोजप्रसादसम्प्राप्त समस्तपण्डितप्रकृष्टप्रतिष्ठेन निजसहोदरामर्षभावाद्वादशाब्दी यावत्स्वदेशे निषिद्धजैनदर्शनप्रवेशेन तद्देशोपासकैः अत्यर्थमभ्यर्थनया गुरुपुरुषेष्वाहूयमानेषु सकलसिद्धान्तपारावारपारदृश्वा स शोभननामा तपोधनो गुरुनापृच्छ्य तत्र प्रयातो धारायां प्रविशन् पण्डितधनपालेन राजपाटिकायां व्रजता तं सहोदरमित्यनुपलक्ष्य सोपहासम्- गर्दभदन्त भदन्त नमस्ते' इति प्रोक्ते, कपिवृषणास्य वयस्य सुखं ते (इति प्रत्युत्तरयांचक्रे ततश्चमत्कृतो धनपालो मया नर्मणापि नमस्ते इत्युक्तम्। अनेन तु क्यस्य सुखं ते)