Anandrushi Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Vijaymuni Shastri, Devendramuni
Publisher: Maharashtra Sthanakwasi Jain Sangh Puna

Page 804

TARTA
Varāhamihira and Bhadrabāhu 53 came famous as Varāhmihira in allusion to the favour of the Sun god (Mihira), was patronised by King Nanda and composed a treatise on astrology named Vārāhi Samhita. Once when a son was born to him, he closely examined the moment and from his intimate personal knowledge of the planets profesied a hundred year life for the newborn babe. All but his couterine younger brother, the Jaina teacher Bhadrabāhu, came to him with presents and participated in the festivities marking the occasion. Varāha complained to the Jaina minister Sakatāla about it. On being told about it, Bhadrabāhu said that he had not attended the function as according to his culculation the child would meet death from a cat on the 20th day. And notwithstanding all the efforts to prevent the calamity the prediction came out true and the child expired in the night as an iron chain bearing an engraved figure of a cat fell on his head. Varähamihira was utterly despaired and was about to consign all the books to fire when Bhadrabāhu came to console him and prevented him from doing so. But being envious of Bhadrabāhu, Varāhamihira took recourse to black magic and troubled some and caused the death of some others of his (Bhadrabāhu's) lay followers whereupon Bhadrabāhu composed a new hymn (stotra) called Uvasagga-hara Pāsa with the object of averting these disturbances.
The same episode, with some minor differences and elaboration of details, is related by Rājasekharasūri in his Prabandha-kośa, also known as Caturvimśáti-Prabandha. It may be summarised as follows:
Two, poor but intelligent Brāhmaṇa boys named Bhadrabāhu and Varāha lived at Pratişthāpapura in Dakşiņāpatha. Once the Jaina patriarch Yaśobhadra, who knew the fourteen Pūrvās, came over there. Bhadrabāhu and Varäha heard his sermon and became Jaina monks. Bhadrabāhu acquired the knowledge of the fourteen Pūrvās and possessed thirty-six qualities. He attained great fame as the composer of the niryuktis (commentaries) on the ten canonical works, to wit.
Daśava ikālika-sútra, Uttarādhyayana-sülra, Daśaśrutaskandha, Kalpa-sūtra, Vyavahāra-sūtra, Āraśyaka-sútra, Suryaprajñāpti, Sutrakrtānga, Acārānga-sutra and Rși-bhășită, and also composed a work called Bhädrabåhavi Saṁhitā. After the passing away of Yaśobhadrasūri, both Bhadrabāhu and Sambhūtivijaya, who also possessed knowledge of the fourteen Pūrvās, lived affectionately and wandered independently. Varāha, who too was a scholar, wanted his brother Bhadrabāhu to confer on him the status of sūri. Bhadrabāhu declined the request as Varāha, though learned, was puffed up with pride. Thereupon Varāha gave up the vow and again lived the life of a Brāhmaṇa. On the basis of his study of the sciences when he was a Jaina monk he composed a number of new works including the Vārāha-sarhitā and circulated the rumour of his acquisition of the knowledge of astrology by the favour of the Sun god as nar
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