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Introduction
T
3
II
The Author
Bakhata Rāma Sāha son of Pema Rāja Sāha was a native of Chātsū situated about twenty-seven miles South-East of modern Jaipur. The present text is essentially based on the well-known precepts of the Jaina religion and as such, the author has no claims to all original. Besides the BV, we have another work assigned to him namely the “Mithyātva Khandana Nāțaka",t (farza 3 Arza.) once again based on standard Jaina texts. Both the works refer to Bakhata's association with Jaipur where he had patronised the temple of Laskarī as a frequent visitor. Bakhata was a Jaina by religion and a follower of the Digambara school.
From the text itself we come to know that Bakhata Rāma Saha took up the work as desired by Pandit Kalyāna and Muni Guņakīrti of the temple of Laskari. Relevant extracts from the "Mithyātva Khandana Nāțaka" also, supplementing the BV are given below to show how much they are in harmony with each other. The Nāțaka is dated Samvat 1820 (i.e. 1763 A.D.).
"ग्रंथ अनेक रहस्य लषि, जो कछु पायौ थाह । वषतरांम वरननु कियो, पेमराज सुत साह ॥१४१४॥ प्रादि चाटसू नगर के, वासी तिनिकौं जांनि । हाल सवाई जेनगर, मांहि बसे हैं प्रांनि ॥१४१५॥ तहाँ लसकरी देहुरे, राजत श्रीप्रभु नेम ।
तिनको दरंसग करत ही, उपजत है प्रति प्रेम ॥१४१६॥" Similarly couplet No. 1411 carries a hint to Bakhata's regard for Pandit Kalyāņa.
Nāthū Rāma Premi has mentioned one more work by Bakhata Rāma namely the “Dharma-Buddhi Ki Kathā”, ( a fa ft Fur) so far, nowhere available in any of the Digambara Grantha Bhandār's of Jaipur.
Certain fragmentary religious couplets find a mention of mere “Bakhata" which as the catalogue of the Bhandārs would reveal have been equated with the same Bakhata Rāma Sāha on the obvious conjecture as to be his pen-name. Such sketchy references slip away unless we could establish that they stood for our author. To quote a few lines from such
The autograph copy available in the temple of Pātodi, as gutkā No. 2. Hereafter mentioned as MKN.
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