Canonical Literature Of Jainas

Author(s): H R Kapadia
Publisher: Hindi Granth Karyalay

Page 87

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THE CANONICAL LITERATURE OF THE JAINAS
( CHAP,
but he did not master the 10th completely. It appears that since his time the knowledge of the Puvvas went on getting curtailed so much so that by Vira Samvat 1000, all the Purvas got forgotten, and thus Ditthivāya became extinct.'
It may be noted that in this cycle of time, there is no in. termediate stage so far as the reduction of the knowledge from 14 Puvues to 10 Purvas is concerned. For, there has fourished none who knew 13, 12 or 11 Puvras. So says Droņa Sūri in his com. (p. 3a) on Ohanijjutti.
Some believe that Nägahastin or his contemporary knew five Puvvas, and that Skandila, Himavanta, Nāgärjuna, Govinda Vācaka, Samyamavişņu, Bhūtadinna, Lohitya Sūri, Düşya Gaņi and Devarddhi Gani Kşamāśramana and several Carnikāras, knew at least the first Puvva, over and above the 11 Angas.
It may not be amiss if we were to take a note of what the Digambaras say regarding the gradual loss of the 14 Puvveus. There is no unanimity of opinion in this connection; for, different versions are given in different works. Subhacandra's Angapannatti, Brahma-Hemacandra's Suyukkhandha, Indranandi's Śrutāvatāra, Jinasena's Adipurāņa, Uttarapurāņa, Ilarivamsapurāna and some of the Digambara Pattāvalis in Prākļta may be cited as instances. This is not the place where I can try to examine each of them separately and come to any definite conclusion by attempting reconcilations where possible. I shall therefore remain contented by giving only one version in this connection-the version noted in Jainasatyaprakāśa (I, 7, pp. 213-214). Therein it is said: In Vara Samvat 62, Jambūsvämin attained liberation. He was the last kevalin. Vişņukumāra, Nandimitra, Aparājita, Govardhana and Bhadrabāhusvāmin I were conversant with 14 Puvvas. This brings us down to a period upto Vira Samvat 162. Then 1 "जंबुद्दीवे णं दीवे 'भारहे' वासे इमीसे ओसप्पिणीए देवाणुप्पियाणं एग वाससहस्सं पुष्वगए अणुसज्जिसति।" 2 See p. 17, fn. 1. 3 Sce Muni Darśanavijaya's article entitled as "feria a n a ?" and
published in Jainasatyaprakaśa (I, I, p. 15).