Gems Of Jaina Wisdom

Author(s): Dashrath Jain, P C Jain
Publisher: Jain Granthagar

Page 10

The devotees express their innerself in prayers and eulogies. Eulogy has been said to be more effective than worship. Eulogy is billion-times more effective than worship. The tongue is tongue only when it is used in eulogising the Jina. The saints or seers, who eulogise and pray always succeed in getting good results. According to Acharya Pujyapāda devotion is attachment with Arhat, Acharya, Upadhyāya and other highly learned saints or seers, who eulogies and pray always succeed in getting good results.
Parampujya Devanandi has been one of the most learned Digambaracharya of fifth-sixth century AD. Pandit Nathurām Premi is of the opinion that Acharya shri Pujyapada flourished in the first half of six century of vikram era. Yudisthar-meemāņshaka is also of the same opinion. According to Dr. Jyoti Prasad Jain- Acharya shri Pujyapāda flourished in between 464-524A.D. In support of his view he has given a good number of evidences. Be it remember that there are certain scholars who are of the opinion that shri Pujyapada flourished in 4th century B.C.
Acharya shri Pujyapada was born in a prestigious Brahman family. His father was shri Madhav Bhatta and mother Shridevi. This family lived in a village Kole of Karnataka. Once upon a time in his childhood he happened to see a restless and fluttering frog being eaten by a snake which aroused in him the sense of renunciation. "Shri Pujyapada charite" gives all the necessary details of his life and works.
The famous book named "Rājā-bali-kathā" specifically mentions that Acharya Devasen belonged to Nandi-sangha, Balatkar-gana and Saraswati-gaccha, which belong to "Moolasangha". This gurvavali mentions the names of Acharyas named Māgha-naṇdi, Jina-chandra, Padama-nandi (Kundkunda), Umāswāmi, Lohacharya, Yashakirti. Yashanandi and Devanandi. All these names find place in the pattavali of the nandi-sangha in serially.
8 Gems of Jaina Wisdom-IX