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JAIN MANTRAVADA AND CAITYAVASIS: SRI MANADEVASURI
197
Caityavāsis in the beginning of the 3rd century of Vikrama era, Mānadevasūri having died about 261 Vikrama era.
At the instance of Sri Sarvadevasūri, Upadhyāya Devachandra gave up the management of the temple and commenced observing the rules of conduct for the ideal Sādhu, and ultimately Achāryaship was conferred on him. It is said in the biography of Sri Mānadevasūri that in his time there were 500 Jain temples at Takşasilā (Taxilā) and that there was a great population of the Jains at that place. Once there was a great epidemic at Taksasilā and the Jain Sangha having assembled to learn the cause thereof and its remedy was informed by the Sāsanadevi that the only remedy was to approach Sri Mānadevasūri at Nāndol in Mārwār. Śrī Mānadevasūri was such a Mantrasiddha that deities Jayā and Vijayā used to remain in attendance upon him. Sri Mändevasūri having been requested to help the Sangha composed Sāntistava containing Mantrādhiraja (Mantra of Sri Pārsvanātha as propounded by Kamatha) and Mantra of Sri Sāntinātha and informed the representative Viracandra, who had come there at the instance of the Sangha of Takşasilā, that the epidemic would end and would not harm those who would recite the said Stotra and sprinkle round about their residence water over which the hymn was recited. The said Stotra is now known as Laghūśānti to distinguish it from the Bșhadśānti (big Sānti) of Vadivetāla Säntisūri. He has also composed a Sūrimantra-Stotra published in appendix A hereto. There was a later Mandevasūri a contemporary and friend of Sri Haribhadrasūri, about whom it is said that he having forgotten Sūrimantra learnt it again from Sri Ambikādevi.
As it would be interesting to investigate since when the Sadhus commenced taking up residence in temples, we would note here the following facts.
. At page 318 B of Avaśyakasūtra with Haribhadrasūri's commentrary, it is stated that Srīguptācārya (Circa 533-548 Vira era) resided at a temple (of Vyantara deity) named Bhūtagsha or Bhūtaguha in the town named Antaranjikā. This gives us a clue to the practice
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