________________
9
The Author.
The age and the date, etc., of the author Shri Nemichandra Siddhánta Chakravartí need not be repeated here, as they are dealt with at length by the learned Professor S. C. Ghosal, M. A., LL. B., in the first volume of the Sacred Books of the Jainas, entitled Dravya Samgraha. He flourished about 1000 A. D.
Siddhánta Chakravartí.
The saintly author is called the Siddhánta Chakravarti, or the Emperor of Jaina Scriptures.
According to Jaina Geography, a Karma Bhúmí (or region where human beings depend for their livelihood upon work, such as agriculture, etc.,) has six parts: One Arya Khanda or the part peopled by noble, religious and meritorious good people, and 5 Mlechchha Khandas, peopled by the rest of the inhabitants of the Karma Bhúmí. The extreme Northern and Southern Countries, Airávata and Bharata respectively and 32 countries of Videha in the middle of Jambú Dvípa are such Karma Bhúmis. A Chakravarti is the king of the Capital of Arya Khanda of Bharata or Airávata. He advances, and conquers all his neighbours, and by his prowess and piety brings all the 5 Mlechchha Khandas also under him and becomes the sole Emperor of all the six parts of Bharata Kshetra.
Similarly the Jaina scriptures are only an infinite expressed part of the inexpressible all-grasping omniscience, which comprehends all the attributes and all modifications of all substances in all ages, past, present and future, from beginningless time to endless Eternity. A very small account of these Scriptures is given in Jíva Kánda Gáthas 348, etc., seqq.
Sri Nemichandra was the Siddhánta Chakravartí, because he had conquered all the realms of the known knowledge of the Sacred Books. He was called the Emperor because he had like a Chakravarti conquering the six parts of Bharata mastered the famous authoritative works Dhavala, etc., composed by Bhútabali and Pushpadanta, the disciples of Arahatbali some 7 century after Lord Mahávíra which consists of 6 parts called "Jiva Sthána," "Kshudraka Bandha," "Bandha Swámí," "Vedaná khanda," "Varganá-Khanda and "Mahábandha." Gáthá 397 of Karma Kanda may be quoted here. जह चक्केण य चक्की छक्खंड साहियं श्रविग्घेण । AC ALAỀU AU g+ds' atfgå azå || 380 |||
Just as a Chakravartí monarch conquers six parts of the country by his Chakra weapon, so I have mastered the six parts of Dhavala, etc., by my weapon of intellect.
Jain Education International
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
