Gems Of Jaina Wisdom

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

Page 11

Achārya shri Pujyapāda is said to be have been capable to move in the sky by getting the soles of his feet embalmed by some ointment. He visited a number of pilgrim centers in this way. It is said that he lost his eyesight on way to some pilgrim center, which he recovered by composing the verses of "Shāņti-Shatak."
Achārya Pujyapāda has been highly renowned as a great philosopher, poet, grammarian and medical scientist. His commentary on Tattvārtha-Sutra of Āchārya Umāswāmi named Sarvärth-Siddhi is considered to be the top most commentary of all the commentaries there of. It is said that the study of "Sarvārtha-Siddhi" enables a saint to attain the celestial grade after Samādhi-marana and become god in the heaven named Sarvārtha-Siddhi. After enjoying the celestial pleasures of Sarvārtha-Siddhi, the soul attains human grade and there after the soul attains salvation (liberation) from Karmic bondage and becomes pure and perfect i.e. a Siddha.
Achārya shri Pujyapāda has been eulogized and applauded by a large number of Digambar Āchāryas. Achārya Jinsena in his Adipurāna says, "Āchārya Devanandi who was equal to a Tirthaņkar amongst poets, holy water of his feet cleans the impurities of speech of the learned person, he is one whose eulogy can not be properly done by any."
Achārya Jinasen- in his "Harivansh-Purāna" says- why are not the compositions of Achārya shri Devanandiworshipable by gods- adorable and worshippable which exhibits/display Indra (lord of gods), Chandra (moon). Arka (Sun) and Jainendra-vyakaran (grammar). Similarly Achārya Shubh-Chandra in his standard work on meditation named "Jnānārnavah" says, "I sincerely pay my respect to Achārya Devanandi, whose shastra is capable to remove all the impurities of the bodies, speech and mind of mundane souls."
There is a notable inscription in "Shravana-belgolā" of Karnātaka, which mentions two other names of Achārya shri Deva-nandi - (1) Jineņdrabuddhi and (2) Pujya-pāda, His name was Devanandi in the beginning; he was called
Gems of Jaina Wisdom-IX – 9