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INTRODUCTION
was therefore an age when Mantras were very popular. It is natural to suppose that being the heir apparent to the Kingdom of Kāsi, the ancient centre of Brāhamanic learning, he was influenced by his surroundings and contemporary literary activities and dealt with subjects of popular interest in the Jain literature composed by him or under his direction. Thus the whole of the tenth Pūrva came to be exclusively devoted to Vidyās and Mantras. That such a supposition is not far-fetched or fanciful can be seen from the fact that as mentioned in Kalpasūtra I, Sūtra 9 all the four Vedas including Atharvaveda Vedāngas etc. in brief the entire Brahmanical learning, it was prophecied by Sri Rşabhadatta, would be learnt by Sri Mahāvīra. It means that Atharvaveda was not then considered as fit to be discarded as we see a tendency generally in the works of Vedic Hindus. This is also supported by the fact that the Brahmana ascetic Arya Skandaka is also described in Sri Bhagavatisūtra (II Šataka, 1 Uddesaka) as knowing all the four Vedas etc. including Atharvaveda; and, the said Sri Rşabhadatta is described as knowing the same in Sri Bhagavatisūtra, 1X Sataka, 33 Uddesaka.
UVASAGGAHARAM
Even Sri Bhadrabāhu, the sixth pontiff, who died only 170 years after the Nirvana of Sri Mahāvira, invokes Sri Pārsvanātha in the hymn named 'Uvasaggaharam' or Remover of calamities, and praises the Mantra * sacred to Sri Pārsvanātha. This hymn is available and well known amongst the Jains and is considered a 'Smarana' i. e. a hymn for daily recital. We may point out that the present work relates to the worship of Sri Padmāvati who is an attendant deity of Sri Pārsvanātha.
*The commentary on 'Uvasaggaharam' of Sri Pārsvadevagani alias Sri Candräcärya written in or about s. y. 1203 describes the said Mantra. It is "Namiūņa Päsa visahara vasaha jina fulinga" It is therefore called 'Visahara fulinga' Mantra in the 2nd verse of the said hymn.
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