Chanakya Explored in Jaina Literature

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: Firodaya Prakashan

Page 74

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* This incident took place at the village 'gobbara'. * The death of Cāņakya is designated here as 'WP1444' or
YIG419147. * His unperturbed mental disposition is the ideal for every monk. * The name 'gobbara' reminds us a place, where lord Mahāvīra
once resided during his varṣāvāsa (i.e. a stay during the rainyseason). * We can connect the adjective fejut' to the personality of "T&TA', depicted in the drama Mudrārākṣasa of Viśākhadatta.
This verse almost matches with the verse quoted in the BhagavatīĀrādhanā, a revered Digambara work of the the 4th century A.D. [10] The Samstāraka prakīrņaka quotes two gāthās about Cāņakya's death, gāthā 73 is similar to Bhakta-parijñā.
Gāthā 74 runs in the following manner - अणुलोमपूयणाए सह से सत्तुंजओ (? सत्तू जओ) डहइ देहं ।
सो वि तह डज्झमाणो पडिवन्नो उत्तमं अटुं ।। His (Cāņakya’s) enemy put fire on him in the disguise of performing pūjā. He endured all the pains afflicted on him and attained that which is extremely attainable' (i.e. heaven or libera
tion).
* Here, the name of Cāņakya's enemy is not given but one more detail is provided that he approached Cāņakya to adore, but actually he put fire on him. [11] The Ārādhanā-patākā prakīrņaka repeats almost the same details about Cāņakya's death with very few new details. It is told in the 824th gāthā that -
किं न सुओ चाणक्को सड्ढो गुढे सुबंधुणा दड्ढो । इंगिणिमरणपवन्नो धीरो चलिओ न झाणाओ ।।