Chanakya Explored in Jaina Literature

Author(s): Nalini Joshi
Publisher: Firodaya Prakashan

Page 75

We can summarize the verse as follows - * The words for 7 931' suggest the oral tradition of the Cāņakya
narratives.
* Cāņakya is called 'HE' i.e. a Jaina householder. * The horrific incident happened in a cow-pen ('TE'). * Subandhu put fire on him. * His death is designated as 'sts- UT. * Cāņakya's outstanding courage ("') is honoured. * At that time Cāņakya was in deep meditation.
Thus, the prakīrņakas provide the details of Cāņakya's death. Each reference tells something new. On this background it is queer that the brahmanic (or Hindu) sources have kept a mum about the death of Cāņakya. [12] The Vyavahāra-bhāșya holds an important position among the traditional commentarial literature on the Jaina canons. It is conjunctured that the three famous bhāsyas viz. Kalpa, Nisītha, Vyavahāra are probably written during the 4th-5th century A.D. in Ārsa Prakrit or in old Jaina Māhārāstrī. The authors are unknown and the bhāsya texts are found mixed with the niryuktis. All the bhāșyas contain myths, legends, hearsays and popular stories alongwith the rules and regulations of the monastic conduct.
In the original gāthās of the Vyavahāra-bhāșya, three references are found which are concerned to Cāņakya. Without the help of Malayagiri's commentary (12th century A.D.) it is impossible to understand the brief and passing references. We will discuss the whole stories when we will reach up to the 12th century of this survey. At present, only the bhāsya-gāthās are mentioned with a
brief summary.