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COMPREHENSIVB HISTORY OF JAINISM
in the last canto he has given details, about himself and his spiritual preceptors, belonging to the Nāgendra gaccha. His second name 'Vasantapāla' is also mentioned in a verse181 of this poem. This name of Vastu pāla was also known to other writers. Some of his other writings are also known189
Several great historical works, written by the Jain writers in the 13th and 14th centuries are known. The earliest of such works, is the Prabhāvakacarita188, written by Prabhācand sa of the Rāja gaccha of Candrakula. According to the Prasasti 18%, at the end of the work, Prabhācandra was the disciple of Candraprabha, and the work, was completed in V.S. 1334, corresponding to 1276 A.D.185 We further learn from the Prästāvikam (introduction) of this work, that this poem was corrected by Pradyumnasūri, the disciple of Kanakaprabha186. A few other details about the author is also available from the long Prašasti.
According to the author himself, he was inspired by the work of Hemacandra and he wanted to incorporate the history of the great Jain figures, not covered by the Parišishtaparyan of that great master. Twenty two great Jains from Vajrasvāmin to Hemacandra have been described in this work and sometimes we get very valuable historical details. It is significant to note that the famous Svetāmbara Acārya Bappabhatti has been described very correctly in this work187, as the contemporary of king Dharma (Dharmapāla) of Bengal. This Acārya, according to this work188, was born is V.S. 800 and Dharmapāla ruled from circa 770 to 810 A.D. 189 Therefore Bappabhațți was a middle-aged man, when he first met that king. Several other historical details, given about Bappabhațți, help us considerably in reconstructing the political history of the 8th century. The destruction of Takshasilā by the Muslims, is recorded in this work190. The details given about Mahendrasūri, Sūrācārya, Abhayadeva, Vādidevasūri and Hemacandra are also absolutely reliable. In this connexion we learn some
