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Foreword
happiness to the world.” (verse 2). Developing equanimous attitude and behaviour even during adversity is the art of happiness. In fact, the seat of happiness is in total renunciation. (verse 187):
सुखी सुखमिहान्यत्र दुःखी दुःखं समश्नुते । सुखं सकलसंन्यासो दुःखं तस्य विपर्ययः ॥१८७॥
The Sanskrit commentator, venerable Acārya Prabhācandra succinctly captures the supreme intent and contents of the book as means to moksa or liberation from miseries, as well as ways to enhance nobility, knowledge free from delusions to become the Being:
मोक्षोपायमनल्पपुण्यममलज्ञानोदयं निर्मलं भव्यार्थं परमं प्रभेन्दुकृतिना व्यक्तैः प्रसन्नैः पदैः । व्याख्यानं वरमात्मशासनमिदं व्यामोहविच्छेदतः सूक्तार्थेषु कृतादरैरहरहश्चेतस्यलं चिन्त्यताम् ॥
The venerable author, without forgetting his promise, concludes that the verses containing words chosen from the ocean of āgama would inspire the readers with 'eureka' moments in order to rise above the miseries to reach the zenith of the universe (verse 268). Ātmānuśāsana is poetic in many ways. The venerable Ācārya Śrī has employed 15 types of chanda or metres in Sanskrit thus enhancing the literary richness of the book. The prominent chanda are anuşthubh (100 verses), Sārdulavikrīdita (60 verses), Aryā (26 verses), Vasantatilakā (25 verses), Shikharaṇī (16 verses) and Hariņi (12 verses). Many verses exemplify his flair for epic style of composition which he has abundantly revealed in his epics, Uttarapurāņa and Jinadatta Cārita. Many of his verses remind the immortal verses in the most famous Yogarāja Bhartraharī's Satakatraya. His trademark style is the rhyming of the words. Some examples can be seen in verse 57 (nidrāmabhadrām), verse 59 (urthā mā krthā); many such twins appear in verse 61 (dehena gehena), verse 62 (paśyatām naśyati), verse 69 (kāye koyam), verse 89 (hitam vāhitam and vane yauvane), verse 99 (urddha grddhyā), verse 179 (bandhaśca manthavat), verse 217 (hatim mahatīm), verse 224 (tate nikate), and verse 268 (racitam ucitam). He is also known for his punch
(XI)
