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Nandi Sootra
[039 to 41] MEANING -His complexion is golden like pure smelted gold or a Champa flower, or the pollen of the best quality lotus flower; he rules over the hearts of Bhavya beings (those who are capable of attaining moksha) and expertly invokes the virtue of altruism in masses; he was accepted as the Yug-pradhan (leader of the era) throughout India; he was the ultimate expert of all the processes of self-study and the promoter of many accomplished ascetics into practices like self-study; he was the enhancer of the glory of the Nagendra group (of ascetics); and he had the capability to guide all beings towards betterment and remove the fear of ties of rebirth. I pay homage to such Acharya Bhootadinn, the disciple of Rishi Nagarjun.
COMMENTARY-Arya Bhootadinn - He succeeded Arya Nagarjun as Vachanacharya. In the PRAISE - Dushsham-kaal Shri Shraman Sangh Stotra' he has been mentioned as Yuga-pradhanacharya. Hardly any more information about him is available. If he is accepted as Yuga-pradhanacharya according to the Yugapradhan chart, important dates in his life should be - Birth-864 A.N.M. (395 V., 338 A.D.), Diksha-882 A.N.M. (413 V., 356 A.D.), Yuga-pradhan status-904 A.N.M. (435 V., 372 A.D.), Death-923 A.N.M. (454 V., 397 A.D.). In Indian history this was the period of successive reigns of Samudragupta, Chandragupta II, and Kumaragupta.
[042] MEANING I pay homage to the Arya whose name was Lohitya and who properly understood the substances like sentient and non-sentient, who absorbed the scriptures after fully understandingthe text and the meaning, and who was the true explicator of the spirit of the tenets expounded by the omniscient.
COMMENTARY - Arya Lohitya - Except for this mention, now here any information is available about Arya Lohitya who succeeded Arya Bhootadinn.
[043] MEANING -With all reverence I pay homage to Dooshyagani who was like a treasure trove of meanings and interpretations of the scriptures, who imparted satisfaction by clarifying doubts and queries posed by able ascetics while giving them discourse of Agams and who had naturally sweet and soothing voice.
[044] MEANING -He was embellished with the said virtues and had the finer qualities of the orator Acharyas. I bow at his delicate and beautiful feet that were worshipped by hundreds of disciples.
COMMENTARY - Arya Dushyagani - Like Arya Lohitya no information anywhere is available about his successor Arya Dushyagani except for this mention. This praise gives an indication that the author of this work, Dev Vachak or Devardhigani Kshamashraman was a disciple of this Dushyagani.
There is a lack of detailed information about Devardhigani also, but he was present at the Vallabhi convention. This indicates that he was alive in the year 980 A.N.M. (511 V., 568 A.D.). Thus the period of activity of Dushyagani must have been the middle part of the 10th century A.N.M.
[045]MEANING- After paying my homage to all the other Acharyas, who - We reexperts of Kalik Sutras and Anuyog | commence presenting the knowledge propagated by Tirthankars.
COMMENTARY-Devardhigani Kshamashraman after Dushyagani his disciple Deva Vachak or (-Perhaps- Devardhigani Kshamashraman?) became the Vachanacharya. This lofty personality will always occupy a reverential place in the Jain tradition. There volutionary work he accomplished in the year 980 A.N.M. is available to us as the treasury of Jain scriptures. Devardhigani not only compiled and edited the depleting wealth of Jain scriptures but also gave permanence to the tradition of scriptural knowledge bygetting it transcribed. Aagam- 44 - Nandi Sootra
20- Compiled by- Deepratnasagar
