Book Title: Ancient Jaina Hymns
Author(s): Charlotte Krause
Publisher: Oriental Institute

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Page 121
________________ REMARKS ON THE TEXTS (“yathāpatyābhijñātāþ”): a relationship which seems in order, the Yak3as being genii of treasure, just as Vesamaņa is the god of wealth. This "Sarvānu” may be identical with the "Yaksa Sarvānubhūti” whom Acārya Bālacandra, Hemcandra's notorious rather than famous, disciple, glorifies in the fourth stanza of his sparklingly beautiful stuti “Snātasya”, which forms part of the Pāksika Pratikramaņa-sūtra of the Tapā Gaccha. There, the Yaksa is described as mounted on a ruttish elephant of cloud-colour with curved tusks and tingling bells, as granting the desires of the devotee, and as manifesting himself in any shape at will. Our “Mahāvīra-stuti” is preserved in the same MS. as the previous one, forming the second text, marked by the legend : "fa HET Tafa: 11" 8. THE SİMANDHARA-SVĀMI-STAVANA. This hymn is addressed to the Tirthankara Simandhara, one of the twenty "Viharamāņa" (vide Introduction), who is believed to be wandering about at present in the portion "Puskaravara-Vijaya” of Pūrvavideha, the eastern half of the distant world Mahāvideha, preaching the Jaina religion. As the hymn recalls to the reader's mind, he is believed to have been born there in the city of Puņdarīkişi, during the interval between Kunthu, the 17th, and Ara, the 18th Tirthaikaras of the last Caturvimsatikā of Bharata-ksetra, i. e., uncountable years ago, to have abandoned his royal rank and possessions and become an ascetic in the interval between Muni Suvrata, the 20th, and Nami, the 21st Jinas, and to have subsequently attained the status of a Kevalin or omniscient saint (st. 16 f.). He is predestined to reach final 85 Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat www.umaragyanbhandar.com

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