Agam 33 Prakirnak 10 Viratthao Sutra

Author(s): D S Baya
Publisher: Agam Ahimsa Samta Evam Prakrit Samsthan

Page 30

PREFACE: XXIX
classification of canonical works given in the Nandīsūtra and the Pāksikasūtra.
After this, this work is also not mentioned in the commentaries on the Tattvārthasūtra in the Digambara tradition as well as the canonical works of the Yāpanīya tradition - Mūlācāra and the Bhagavati-ārādhanā. From this it is clear that this work was not in existence up to the 6" century. The very first mention of the Vīrastava Prakırnaka is found in Vidhimärgaprapā. It is, therefore, clear that this Prakírnaka was composed some time after the time of the Nandīsūtra and the Pāksikasūtra (6th century) and before the time of Vidhimārgaprapă (14" century). Again, if we take Virabhadrācārya as the author of this Prakirnaka, as is the case with many other Prakīrnakas, its period of composition is fixed as the 10th century, because there is no doubt about the time of Virabhadrācārya - II. However, as there is no clear indication about Virabhadrācārya being the author of Vīrastava, it is very difficult to say authoritatively that the period of composition of this Prakirnaka is definitely the 10th century. At best it can be a fair guess.
In the tradition of eulogising the objects of veneration and worship by mentioning their attributal names, first of all three attributal names of Lord Mahāvīra have been mentioned in the second part (Dvitīya Śrutaskandha) of the Acārāriga and the Kalpasūtra. When the tradition of eulogising the Hindu Godheads by giving them a thousand attributal names (Sahasranāma) developed, similar attempts followed in the Jaina tradition as well and several Jina-sahasranāmas were written. The Very first Jina-sahasranāma is by Jinasena (Circa 9th century). As the present work contains only twenty-six attributal names of Lord Mahāvīra, it can be surmised that it was composed before the tradition of composing Jina-sahasranāmas started in the Jaina tradition. However, this is a matter for further investigation and we