________________
224
INTRODUCTION
SRI BĀLACANDRASORI
Sri Balacandrasuri was born at Modherã in Kadi of Brāhmana parents Dharādeva and Vidyut. He was named Munjäla. He was initiated by Sri Haribhadrasūri. The best part of his life was spent in the later half of the 13th century of the Vikrama era. Padmāditya the famous Rājaguru of Chaulukyas was his teacher. He obtained SārasvataMantra from Udayasūri, an Achārya in the line of the famous Vadidevasūri. He wrote the famous Mahākāvya Vasantavilāsa in the beginning of which he himself mentions his having worshipped Sarasvati and having obtained a boon from her to be a Mahākavi-great poet like Kālidāsa. He also describes himself as the adopted son of Sarasvati (Vāgdevīpratipannasūnu). He was thus a Mantrasiddha. He must have written some works on Mantras as would appear from his short Pratyangira-Kalpa in the form of a hymn. The writer has in his possession the said Pratyangira Stotra of 25 verses. We give below the opening verse, and also the last verse as it mentions the name of the author.
स्तोत्रं गोत्रभिदादिकेरपिसुर्रर्माहात्म्यतादात्म्यतः। शक्यं नैव निजावबोधसहितं कर्तु भवत्पादयोः॥ तस्मात्त्वद्वदनोगतागमगणव्यारव्यानमारव्यास्यतः। तन्मे नास्ति मनुष्यमात्रवपुषो प्रत्यंगिरे दूषणम्॥१॥
श्रीमान् बालकविः कृती त्रिभुवने चंद्रः कलासंपदाम् । विख्यातो रचयांचकार यदिदं दिव्यागमोक्तक्रमात् ॥ स्तोत्रं तत्पठतां विनम्रमनसां प्रत्यंगिरा प्रत्यहम् । संतुष्टाखिलसंपदः प्रकुरुते सर्वाश्च हत्यापदः ।। २५॥'
From the reference in the last verse to Divyāgamā one might surmise that he was a student of the Divyamārga of the Sāktas and their Agamas. He also wrote a drama named Karuņā-Vajrāyudha and commentaries on the two noted works of his contemporary Asada named Vivekamanjari and Upadesakandali. He has been praised by Sri Pradyumnasūri in his 'Samarādityasamkşepa' as the author of many Prabandhas.
Jain Education International 2010_03
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
