Ancient Jaina Hymns

Author(s): Charlotte Krause
Publisher: Oriental Institute

Page 66

ANCIENT JAINA HYMNS particularly such of Jaina temples, which confirm the tradition that some centuries ago, the bells from 300 Tirthankara temples would sound there simultaneously. Even now, three Jaina temples of the Bāvana-Jinālaya type stand there, two of which are dedicated to Adinātha."
Stanza 25 of this hymn bears a reference to Acārya Somasundara Sūri, the 50th (according to others : 51st) pontiff of the Tapā Gaccha, whom we had occasion to mention as a brother-disciple of Jñānasågara Sūri, the author of the Munisuvrata-stavana, as well as to Somasundara Sūri's pupil, the Sahasrā. vadhānin Munisundara Sūri, who was likewise mentioned before, as a student of Jñānasāgara Sūri. The names of both these dignitaries are followed by the expression “tridasa-vịnda", which, by way of a pun, allows of the interpretation of "belonging to the flock of Acārya Devasundara Sūri", which latter, as already stated, was the common Guru of Jõānasāgara Sūri and Somasundara Sūri.
The assertion of our poet that the feet of the Adınátha of Devakula Pātaka are worthy to be reverentially saluted by Somasundara and Munisundara, bears reference to actual happenings, for epigraphical and literal evidence show that the history of this Tīrtha is bound up with the activity of these two Acāryas.? Somasundara Sūri (born V. S. 1430, ordained 1437, became Vācaka 1450, Acārya 1457, died 1499) consecrated various temples and images there. After having
(1) Vide Ācārya Vijaya Dharma Sûri, “Devakulapātaka", Yabovijaya Jaina Granthamālā, and Muni Vidyåvijaya, Meri Mevādayātrå, Vijay Dharma Süri Jaina Granthamälä, p. 61. ff.
(2) Vide Ācārya Vijaya Dharma Süri, loc. cit.; Puran Chand "Nahar, "Jain Inscriptions", Part II, 1927, Inscriptions Nos. 1972, 1983, 1980, 1968, 1971; M. D. Desai, Short History of Jaina Literature, para. 672 ff.
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