Ancient Jaina Hymns

Author(s): Charlotte Krause
Publisher: Oriental Institute

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ANCIENT JAINA HYMNS
which consumed the wooden structure of Sakunikāvihāra. Vijayasimha Sūri, who was the Acārya of the temple, caused the same to be re-erected in wood. According to our source, this structure, having been rendered uninflammable by the Sūri's magic power, lasted till, in the time of the Solanki King Kumārapala of Gujarat, Ambada rebuilt it in stone. Re its fate in the intervening period, our source has nothing to say.
Its existence is, however, testified by two references in other works. One of these references is contained in Śricandra Sūri's "Munisuvrata-caritra”, a work of nearly 11,000 Prakrit Gāthās, which is assumed to have been composed in about V. S. 1200. It states that Maladhārin Abhayadeva of the Harsapuriya Gaccha, one of the author's spiritual ancestors (otherwise known to have performed the consecration of Antariksa Pārsvanātha, a famous Tirtha at Sirpur, near Akola, in V.S. 1142), caused golden pinnacles ("hemamaya-kalasā") to be fixed on "Savaliyā-vihāra”, i. e., "Sakunikā-vihāra" by “Varañaga-suya Samtuya”?, i. e., Sāntu, or Sampatkara, the pious Jaina Minister of the Solanki kings Bhīma (V. S. 1078-1120), Karna (1120-50) and Jayasimha (1150-99), a well-known figure of the Prabandha literature.
The second reference occurs in the Prakrit Pārsvanātha-carita of Devabhadra Sūri (of the Kharatara Gaccha). who states that he composed this work in
(1) Vide "Jinararatnakota", p. 311. (2) M. D. Desai, 1.1., paras. 312, 313, 300.
() Prabandha-cintamani, paras. 89-93 and 124, and Puratana. prabandha sangraha, paras. 58, 65, 323, 326.
(4) "Sri-Päsanäha-Cariyam", Samsodhaka Ācārya Mahārāja Srivijayakumuda-sūri, Maşivijayagaội-granthamälà, X, Ahmedabad, A. D. 1945; vida also M. D. Desai, 11., para. 3 4. (5) Loc. cit., p. 503, st. 8 (above).
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