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Nandi Sootra
MENTARIS OF Vacheroce
is a mention that a shravak belonging to the Os clan arranged for getting the texts written on palm leaves and presenting them to the ascetics.
The Jains as well as the world literature will ever be indebted to Arya Skandil for his immense service of saving the scriptural knowledge from impending extinction.
[036]MEANING -After this, I bow my head and pay homage to Acharya Himavan who was as towering as the Himalayas, who had infinite patience and resolve, and who studied endlessly.
COMMENTARY-Arya Himavan - It is believed that Arya Himavan was a disciple of Skandilacharya. No information is available about the dates of his birth, initiation etc. According to the lineage charts his period is estimated to be the middle of the 9th century A.N.M.
[037] MEANING -After that I pay homage to Shri Nagarjunacharya who had absorbed the Anuyogs -relating to the Kalik Sutras and the knowledge of the Purvas like Utpad.
[038] MEANING - pay homage to Nagarjun Vachak who embodied the attitudes of sweetness and sympathy, who adhered to the proper observance of the Ogh-shrut or the laid down procedure of systematic detachment, and gradually ascended to the status of Vachak (Vachanacharya).
COMMENTARY - Arya Nagarjun - It is believed that Arya Nagarjun was the son of Kshatriya (the second caste in the traditional Hindu caste-hierarchy; the warrior or the regal caste) Sangram Simha of Dhank city. Since his childhood he was very braveand intelligent. He was impressed by the miracles of Paadlipt Suri.
It is said that he was a disciple of both Paadlipt Sun and Acharya Himvant but there is no clear indication as to which of these was his initiator and which the teacher. However, as his period does not coincide with that of Paadlipt Suri, his being a disciple of Paadlipt Suri appears just to be hear say.
The statement that he reached the status of Vachanacharya gradually becomes clear when we study the lineage of Acharyas of that period. According to the available information Arya Skandil, Arya Himavan and Arya Nagarjun were contemporaries and all the three were Vachanacharyas.
According to this verse he succeeded Arya Himvant and according to the Yuga-pradhan lineage chart he succeeded Arya Simha as Yuga-pradhanacharya
As per the available dates it appears that after the death of Arya Simha in the year 826 A.N.M., the specially talented Arya Skandil must have been made Vachanacharya and at the same time young Nagarjun must have been made Yugapradhanacharya After that, in the year 840 A.N.M. when Arya Skandil died, the senior ascetic Himavan must have been made Vachanacharya
When Arya Himavan died, in absence of another capable shraman, Nagarjun must have been given the joint responsibilities & positions of Yugapradhanacharyaand Vachanacharya.
Almost coinciding with the Mathura congregation organized by Arya Skandil, Arya Nagarjun also organized another convention of shramans in Vallabhi in southern India. The two Acharyas could not meet after these congregations and so the task of removing differences in the compiled texts was left undone. The important dates in the life of Arya Nagarjun are - Birth-793 A.N.M. (324 V., 267 A.D.), Diksha807 A.N.M. (338 V., 281 A.D.)., Death-904 A.N.M. (435 V., 378 A.D.)., Emperor Chandragupta of Magadh and his son Samudragupta were his contemporaries. Aagam- 44 -NandiSootra
19- Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
