Devindatthao Devendrastava

Author(s): D S Baya
Publisher: Agam Ahimsa Samta Evam Prakrit Samsthan

Page 32

PREFACE : XXXI
of the name of Vīrabhadra in the text or otherwise in this work, as well as the fact that Vīrabhadra was of a significantly later period as compared to the period of composition of this work, it is certain that its author was not Vīrabhadra. Moreover, as the name of Rsipālita has been mentioned as its author in the original verses of this work,' it proves beyond a shadow of doubt that its author was Rsipālita only and none else.
Now, the question arises as to who was Rsipālita, the author of Devendrastava? When was he there? Although we couldn't find the name of Ācārya Rsipālita in the rolls of Ācāryās (Sthavirāvali) in the Nandīsūtra as well as those of the Svetā-mbara tradition, but on further investigation we ultimately came across his name in the roll of Ācāryas in the Kalpasūtra.? According to this roll of Ācāryas Rsipālita was the disciple of Arya Sāntisena. Not only this, in the Kalpasūtra's roll of Acāryas the MasterDisciple lineage of Rsipālita has also been mentioned. According to this lineage Rsipālita's guru was Ārya sāntisena, śāntisena's guru was Indradinna, the guru of this Indradinna was Ārya Susthita from whom came out the Kodiya monastic branch. Later Arya Śā ntisena established the Uccanāgarī branch in which the famous Vācaka Umāsvāti, the author of the Tattvārthasūtra was there at a later point of time. Again, this roll of Ācāryas further mentions that the Arya Ķsipālita branch of the Kodiyagana started from Ķsipā lita, the author of the present work, it is evident that he was an influential Acārya and a historical figure of his time. In our view this Ārya Rsipālita is the author of this work – Devendrastava. The scholars may have only one objection in believing that the Rsipā lita mentioned in the roll of Ācāryas in the Kalpasūtra as the author of Devendrastava that on this basis the Devendrastava has to be a
Devendrastava, verses 309–310. “Therehinto ņam Ajja Isipāliehinto ettha n,am Ajja Isaipāliyā sāhā niggayā“ - Kalpasūtra, M. Vinayasāgara, p. 304.