History of Canonical Literature of Jainas

Author(s): Hiralal R Kapadia, Nagin J Shah
Publisher: Prakrit Text Society Ahmedabad

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THE CANONICAL EXEGETICAL LITERATURE
205 In the period between the 12th and 13th centuries of Vikrama era there flourished 8 commentators of Agamas. They are : (1) Abhayadeva Sūri, (2) Drona Sūri, (3) Malayagiri Sūri, (4) Maladhārin Hemacandra Sūri, (5) Nemicandra Sūri, (6) Śrīcandra Súri, (7) Yaśodeva Sūri and (8) Śrītilaka Sūri. The former wrote commentaries on the Angas 3, 4 and 6 is Samvat 1120, a com. on the 5th Anga in Samvat 1128 and commentaries on Angas 71-11 during this interval or at some other time. As stated by him in his com, on Anga V there was a tīkā for Anga V which enabled him to compose his com., and this tīkā may be the work of Silānka Sūri. But for Thāņa etc. he had no previous commentaries to consult. Abhayadeva Sūri has also commented upon Ovavāïya by taking the help of a previous com., which is now extinct. He has written Sangahaņi on Paņņavaņā (III).2
Drona Sūri has commented upon Ohanijutti. He assisted Abhayadeva Sūri by revising his commentaries on Angas 3 etc.
Malayagiri Sūri has commented upon Uvangas II-VII. His com. on Pannavanā is based upon that of Haribhadra Sūri. For the rest, the sources, if any, remain to be investigated. He has written a com. on Viāhapannatti (II), Avassaya, Kappa, Vavahāra, Nandi?, Joisakarandaga and Pindanijjutti. 4
Maladhārin Hemacandra Süri, a senior contemporary of Kalikālasarvajña Hemacandra Sūri, has written a tippanaka on Haribhadra Sūri's com. on Avassaya, a tippanaka on Nandi and a com. on Aņuogaddāra.
Devendra Gani, later on known as Nemicandra Suri, has written a com. on Uttarajjhayana in Samvat 1129. Herein he has given narratives in 1. The com. on the 7th was preceded by the com. on the 6th as the latter is
there referred to, in the end. Same is the case with the com. on the 8th. He is the author of Jayatihuyanathotta, a hymn in Apabhramsa and that of Mahavirastotra of 22 verses. He is said to have converted in A. D. 1054 Sankaradāsa a Brāhmana guru of the Paramāra kings of Dhārā. The late Dr. Tessitori has discussed in Indian Antiquari (Vol. 42, p. 148 ff.) four versions from the Jaina literature regarding an example of Solomon's judgement motif. One of them is taken from Malayagiri Suri's commentary on Nandī. See the English translation (Vol. II, Introduction) of Trişasti. There it is said :
"Hemacandra follows Malayagiri in his commentary to the Nandisutra." 4. In Jaina Granthāvali (p. 20) it is said that in the Brhattippanikā is noted Malayagiri
Sūri's com. on Visesa", but no Ms. is traced up till now.