Comparative and Critical Study of Mantrashastra

Author(s): Mohanlal Bhagwandas Jhaveri, K V Abhayankar
Publisher: Sarabhai Manilal Nawab

Page 224

SUBSEQUENT MANTRIKAS : SRI JINADATTASURI
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to Sri Jinadattasõri who put Vása (fragrant powder made of Sandalwood saffron etc.) on his palm and asked his pupil to read it and to the surprise of the hearers he read the verse which mentioned the name of Sri Jinadattasūri as Yugapradhāna.+ The verse ran as follows:
दासानुदासा इव सर्व देवा यदीयपादाब्जतले लुठंति ।
मरुस्थलीकल्पतरुः स जीयाद् युगप्रधानो जिनदत्तसूरिः॥ His favourite Mantra was 'Om Hrim Namah' which he recited crores of times. Sri Jinaprabhasūri describes it in his Padmāvati Catuspadikā and attributes it to Sri Jinadattasūri (See Appendix 10 vv. 16-18). Sri Pūrņa Kalasagaņi, in his cominentary on v. 1 of his Mántric hymn of Sri Stambhana Pārsvanātha (p. 50 Jain Stotra-Sandoha Vol. II), cites two verses describing the said Mantra and attributes the same to Sri Jinadattasūri.* The said verses are really taken from Sri Bhairava Padmavati Kalpa, Ch. III, and are verses 33 and 34 there. They describe the Ekāksari Mantra of Sri Padmavati. As Sri Jinadattasūri was probably the first Achārya to propound the said Mantra amongst Svetambara Jains, it is attributed to him. The worship of Sri Padma vati appears to have become more popular amongst Svetambara Jains about his time. * Sri Jinadattasūri and Sri Jinakusalasūri and Sri Jinacandrasūri, whose achievements are recorded below, are said to respond to devotional Mántric invocation even after their death. They are known under the honorific title 'Dādāji' or grandfather as they promptly fulfil the desires of their devotees and protect them as a grandfather would protect his grand-children. They can, therefore, be said to be Māntrikas par-excellence. They are worshipped and invoked
+ This title is mentioned Kharatara in the colophon of the palm-leaf Ms. of Pattávali by Jinacandra written in 1171 Vikrama era. See Catalogue of Jesalmere p. 17 under No. 150. * For an explanation of the discrepancy see p. 229 post. x See Supåsanāhacariyam (s.y.1199) p. 131, verse 54 for a reference to Sri Padmavati. as a very famous Vidyā:
"अस्थि सुपसिद्धविज्जा विज्जासाहगसहस्सनयचलणा। मंतसरोरुहसरसी देवी पद्मावती नाम॥"